South Coast Prime Times – March/April 2014 by Coastal Communications Corp.

S o u t h

C o a s t

our

10th

Prime timeS

ye ar!

M a r c h /A pr i l 2 014 • Volum e 10 • Num ber 2

Building for

Boomers

the 4 rules of

DownsizinG the new

real estate market Guide to

space heaters Don’t be a

‘tax victim’

recipes

for st. patrick’s Day

vitamins

you don’t need

As the U.S. population ages, our housing needs also change. There are many alternatives in the market place such as condominiums, assisted living, etc. The multi-generational home is one of those alternatives where a mother and father can live under the same roof with children and grandchildren. The home presented here allows three generations to live together, but also independently, helping each other as needed and providing a positive attitude for all generations without traveling miles to help a loved one or child for a short period of time. We designed this house for two available lots in Dartmouth, MA owned by R.P. Valois & Company. This concept is permitted in Dartmouth up to 850 s.f. In other towns there are varying zoning by-laws. There are many iterations of this concept. Call us if you have a lot and wish to explore the possibilities.

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The big bang theory We know kitchens and baths sell houses, but who wants to invest time and money into a home they plan on leaving? We all want the biggest bang for our buck and adding some extra features can update your space without the expense of a full renovation. NICK SOLLECITO DESIGNER AND OPERATIONS MGR, HOME GENIUS AT HORNER MILLWORK

COUNTERACT THE BLAH Besides your cabinets, countertops take up the most real estate in your kitchen. Upgrading to a solid surface like quartz or granite helps you stay competitive with the newer houses on the market and gives potential buyers that ‘wow’ factor when they walk into your kitchen. AT YOUR CONVENIENCE Drawer inserts to organize flatware, utensils or spices are a quick fix that add convenience to any kitchen. Also consider installing roll-out shelves in base cabinets and pull-out trash and recycle bins.

STORAGE WARS AT HORNER MILLWORK If there is any way to add a pantry, do it! You can never overestimate the need for storage space and pantries are still a considerable commodAT HORNER MILLWORK ity when designing a kitchen. Tall, shallow end cabinets are great if you don’t have a lot of space.

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MARCH/APRIL 2014

contents 28

14 12 10

22 I N E VERY ISSUE

P RIME SE ASON

P RIME LIVING

G OOD TIMES

10 St. Pat’s day:

22 The “Y” for all

30 Taxing matters:

12 Your personal chef

From the publisher

34 Extra! Extra!

Local news and view By Elizabeth Morse Read

everybody’s Irish By Brian J. Lowney don’t be a victim By Sherri Mahoney-Battles

Vitamins: too much of a good thing? By Elizabeth Morse Read

By Greg Jones

14 “Boomer”

architecture: a new approach By Jay Pateakos

20 The downsizer’s guide ON THE COVER: South Coast architects are responding to the changes in the real-estate market with new designs, such as this chimney detail for a new waterfront home designed by Stephen Kelleher Architects, Inc., built in Mattapoisett, MA. 2

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M ARCH /A PR IL 2014

By Elizabeth Morse Read

28 Cozy up to

personal heating By Dan Logan

By Sean McCarthy

26 Feeding Fido

By Joyce Rowley

32 Uncorking South

Coast traffic bottlenecks By Stephen C. Smith

40 The mythology

of aging By Paul Kandarian

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M ARCH /A PR IL 2014

FROM THE PUBLISHER March/April 2014 ■ Vol. 10 ■ No. 2

PUBLISHED BY

Coastal Communications Corp.

Welcome to the March-April edition of “Prime Times,” the South Coast’s only magazine dedicated to the interests and needs of those in their best years, retired or nearly so.

PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ljiljana Vasiljevic EDITOR

In this issue we cover some vital issues related to the changing real estate market. You won’t be surprised to learn that baby boomers are a driving force in this change, but the effect of this change may surprise you. Jay Pateakos had the scoop, starting on page 14.

Greg Jones CONTRIBUTORS

Greg Jones, Paul Kandarian, Dan Logan, Brian J. Lowney, Sherri Mahoney-Battles, Sean McCarthy, Jay Pateakos, Elizabeth Morse Read, Joyce Rowley, and Stephen C. Smith

South Coast Prime Times is published bi-monthly. Copyright ©2014 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

We’ve also got important health and medicine news, sometimes ahead of the major television networks. In our January-February edition, “Prime Times” carried a story by Elizabeth Morse Read on the dangers of acetaminophen, fully two weeks before the NBC evening news covered the topic as an item of national interest. This month, Elizabeth Morse Read is again taking the lead in health advice in her coverage of vitamin supplements. How much is enough; more important, how much is too much? The answers start on page 6. Who hasn’t been stuck in traffic, especially traffic in some of the South Coast ‘s more notorious bottlenecks. SRPEDD Executive Director Steve Smith has some good news. Work is either underway or in final planning stages at some of your favorite “expletive deleted” traffic problem areas.

portion of an advertisement in which the typographical

As we do every month, we have a full listing of events and happenings all along the South Coast, collected for you by our regular contributor Elizabeth Morse Read. Have a look starting on page 34 and get out your calendar. It’s not too soon to start thinking about spring.

error occurs.

NEXT ISSUE April 16, 2014

CIRCULATION

Thank go to our fine advertisers, who make this magazine possible. Their homegrown businesses provide a wide range of services and products, as well as employment, for South Coast residents.

25,000

SUBSCRIPTIONS $14.95 per year

M AILING ADDRESS South Coast Prime Times P.O. Box 3493

Ljiljana Vasiljevic

Fall River, MA 02722

PHONE

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

(508) 677-3000

WEBSITE www.coastalmags.com

E-MAIL editor@coastalmags.com

Our advertisers make this publication possible —please support them 4

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PRIME LIVING

VITAMINS: too much of a good thing? ELIZ ABETH MORSE READ

Every time you log onto the Internet, read a magazine, or watch TV, someone somewhere is trying to sell you good health in a pill, whether it’s a new prescription drug or the latest OTC (over-the-counter) concoction for preventing whatever ails you.

We’re becoming neurotic Chicken Littles, convinced we’ll succumb to something dreadful if we don’t take this multivitamin or that vitamin pill to ward off some disorder we’ve neither heard of before nor suffered. (“Overactive Bladder Syndrome”? Low “T”? “Restless Leg Syndrome”?—Are you serious? Really?) But taking a multivitamin or vitamin supplement is no substitute for eating a healthful, balanced diet. If you refuse to eat anything green, raw or unprocessed, you need to change your habits, not swallow an expensive, wasteful, and potentially-dangerous alphabet soup of vitamin pills.

LET THE BUYER BEWARE! Almost half of Americans take a multivi-

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tamin or vitamin supplement every day. Yet few people realize that these “dietary supplements” are not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the same way that pharmaceutical drugs are regulated. Yes, they must contain “safe” ingredients and provide accurate labels, but they don’t have to conform to the rigorous clinical trials a new drug would have to pass before the product is put on the shelves. In other words, the vitamin manufacturers don’t have to prove that their product will “boost your immune system,” or “support heart health,” or help prevent cancer, dementia, cardiovascular disease, arthritis or the heartbreak of psoriasis.

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The “dietary supplement” industry makes close to $20 billion a year. They customize “blends” of multivitamins tailored for consumers of all ages, the same way the food industry “packages” cereals or the auto industry pitches a new lineup of cars. They’ll contain extra vitamin D for baby boomer women and extra vitamin E for athletes. On a diet? Take a multivitamin. Prone to colds? Take a vitamin C supplement. Afraid of cancer or arthritis or Alzheimer’s? Megadose on vitamins A, D or E. To date, no reputable scientific study supports industry claims that these dietary supplements and multivitamins actually prevent, treat or cure anything. And there’s a growing body of scientific evidence that taking too many vitamin pills can actually be dangerous to your health.

THE ABCS OF VITAMINS What we now call the “essential vitamins” are naturally occurring chemicals that our bodies need for proper functioning and long-term health. All of these chemicals are available in the foods we eat, or else are triggered in our body by sunshine or

beneficial bacteria. Essential vitamins are classified as either water-soluble (vitamins C and B-complex) or fat-soluble (vitamins A, D, E and K), and it’s very important that you understand the difference. The water-soluble vitamins must be supplied to our body every day. They are not stored in our body like the fat-soluble vitamins are. Excessive amounts of vitamins C and B-complex are just excreted in our urine. But, because they pass through our body quickly, there’s little chance of toxic build-up. Fruits and vegetables high in water-soluble vitamins are best eaten raw or steamed, because the vitamins leach out into the water if they’re boiled. The fat-soluble vitamins do end up stored in our body, especially in our liver. And whether we get it through our food and/ or in “dietary supplements,” too much of a fat-soluble vitamin can have unpleasant consequences. For instance, the Eskimo (Inuit) peoples have known for millennia that it’s not a good idea to eat the heart or liver of carnivorous animals like polar bears or wolves, because their organs contain toxic levels of what we now call vitamin A. (Unfortunately, polar explorers of the 19th century didn’t know this, and many died as a result.)

OUR ANCESTORS

MAY NOT HAVE HAD SCIENTISTS OR THE FDA, BUT THEY KNEW A LOT ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT EAT, AND THEY ALL SURVIVED WITHOUT THE MULTIVITAMIN INDUSTRY The ancient Egyptians knew to treat night blindness by eating (non-carnivorous) animal livers, and it worked. And think of those generations of northern-climate kids forced to swallow cod liver oil (very high in vitamin D) during the long, dark winter months. Our ancestors may not have had scientists or the FDA, but they knew a lot about what we should and should not eat, and they all survived without the multivitamin industry.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE WHO REALLY NEEDS MULTIVITAMINS? At some point in your life, your doctor might decide you need a dietary supplement. For instance, if you are pregnant, vegetarian/vegan, post-menopausal or chronically ill, you might need more vitamins than what you’re getting from what you’re eating. Children and women of childbearing age usually need more iron than men do. Post-menopausal women and people living in northern climates might need more vitamin D. Pregnant women need more B-complex vitamins than anyone else. But, if you eat a healthy, balanced diet year-‘round, and get some sunshine every day, you’re probably throwing your money away on unnecessary vitamin supplementation.

will just wash it out. But if it’s a fat-soluble vitamin (A, D, E, K), it’s stored in your body and can build up to toxic levels. And that’s dangerously easy to do if you take both multivitamins containing more than 100 per cent of your RDA, and additional vitamin supplement pills.

THE WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) The most commonly-taken vitamin supplement, vitamin C is a “need to eat every day” vitamin, and what your body doesn’t need on a given day is completely wasted. So, if you megadose yourself on vitamin C tablets every day to fend off winter colds, you’re flushing your money down the toilet. But even though it’s water-soluble, mega-dosing on vitamin C over time can cause kidney stones. You can get your daily vitamin C

given that 50 per cent of pregnancies are unplanned, all women of childbearing age need steady B-complex levels in their bodies, because the B-complex vitamins (especially B9 folate/folic acid) are critical to healthy fetal development. Doctors frequently prescribe special “prenatal” multivitamins to women throughout their childbearing years.

THE FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K are stored in the body’s liver and tissues, and are released as the body needs them. Because they’re not flushed out of our body every day like vitamins B-complex and C, there’s a higher risk of overdosing on fatsoluble vitamins. Again, a balanced diet is the best source of these vitamins, supplemented only on a doctor’s or nutrition-

EATING TOO MUCH OF A PARTICULAR FOOD NEVER HAS TOXIC VITAMIN CONSEQUENCES, BUT TAKING TOO MANY MULTIVITAMINS AND DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS OFTEN DOES While vitamin supplements can be beneficial in some situations, taking them unnecessarily can actually be toxic and cause you a lot more harm than good. Eating too much of a particular food never has toxic vitamin consequences, but taking too many multivitamins and dietary supplements often does. To start with, many OTC multivitamins contain much more than the RDA (recommended daily allowance) of both water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. If it contains too much water-soluble B-complex or vitamin C, your body

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easily in citrus fruits, berries, peppers, squashes and leafy green vegetables. Ever wonder why British sailors are called “limeys”? On long sea voyages of yore, many sailors and whalemen would suffer from scurvy, a debilitating and potentiallydeadly vitamin C deficiency. In the 18th century, a Scottish scientist found that eating certain foods, especially citrus fruits (high in vitamin C), prevented scurvy, so the Royal Navy made sure that all ships were provisioned with lemons and limes. B-complex vitamins (B1 thiamin; B2 riboflavin; B3 niacin; B5 pantothenic acid; B6 pyridoxine; B7 biotin; B9 folate/folic acid; B12 cobalamine) The eight water-soluble B-complex vitamins need to be part of everyone’s daily diet. Whole grains, leafy green vegetables, beans and legumes, nuts, meat, broccoli, tomatoes, fish and dairy products all contain natural Bcomplex vitamins. Vegetarians and vegans are at risk of B-complex vitamin deficiencies. And,

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ist’s advice. Foods rich in the fat-soluble vitamins don’t lose their potency when cooked, as do foods rich in water-soluble vitamins. Vitamin A (retinol) is easily accessed by eating yellow-orange vegetables high in beta-carotene (e.g., carrots, squashes), cereals, liver and milk. Storing up too much vitamin A in your body increases the risk of osteoporosis, birth defects and central nervous system disorders. Pregnant women are advised to avoid excessive vitamin A for those reasons. And some recent studies even suggest that too much vitamin A intake by smokers or former smokers can actually contribute to the development of lung cancers. Vitamin D (calciferol), the “sunshine” vitamin, is currently taken daily by half of all American adults. It is produced in our skin by exposure to ultraviolet light—just 10 minutes of sunshine each day delivers four times your daily nutritional need for vitamin D. You can also find vitamin D in eggs, fatty fish, fish liver oils, mushrooms, fortified milk and fortified cereals. People who are vegetarian, obese, darkskinned, or milk-allergic, or who live in low-sunlight environments like big cities, nursing homes and northern latitudes, or people who wear head-to-toe clothing or

sunscreen all the time, are at higher risk of not getting enough natural vitamin D. Breast-fed babies and post-menopausal women may need vitamin D supplements to prevent rickets or osteoporosis, but only a doctor can determine the amount needed. There are new scientific studies suggesting that vitamin D supplements may alleviate symptoms of fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis. Too much vitamin D can trigger unhealthy levels of calcium in our blood and heart or kidney problems. Vitamin E (tocopherol) is found naturally in avocados, nuts, fish, leafy greens, tofu and vegetable oils. Like vitamins A and D, it is a potent antioxidant—a recent study conducted by the US Department of Veterans’ Affairs suggests that vitamin E supplements may slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. But vitamin E is also a natural anticoagulant, and too much can cause excessive bleeding or even blood clots when mixed with aspirin, prescription anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin, coumadin), or vitamin K (a natural clotting agent). Too much vitamin E may create a higher risk of prostate cancer. Vitamin K (phylloquinones), the last of the known fat-soluble vitamins, is a bit strange. It is the body’s natural blood clotting agent, and it’s also essential to bone health. We need only scant amounts, so only a few days’ supply gets stored in our body, mostly in the pancreas. Vitamin K is normally generated by the “good” bacteria in our intestines, so it’s often depleted when we take antibiotics. Did you ever wonder why doctors and dentists advise you (especially women) to eat yoghurt if you’re taking an antibiotic? Prescription antibiotics kill all bacteria, even the beneficial “gut flora” bacteria. Foods like yogurt help replace the “good” bacteria and thereby healthy levels of vitamin K. A deficiency of vitamin K can lead to bruising, bleeding, bone fractures and calcification of the arteries. Leafy greens, eggs, tofu, and liver are high in vitamin K. 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.

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PRIME SEASON

When everyone is Irish Whether you enjoy an ample slice of delicious Irish soda bread, fresh from the oven and slathered with creamery butter, a generous serving BRIAN J. of shepherd’s pie topped LOWNEY with mashed potatoes, or a warming bowl of savory lamb stew, Irish cuisine offers a little bit of something to satisfy every palate.

WELCOMING WITH FOOD Innkeeper Patricia Leary O’Connell, owner of the Palmer House Inn in Falmouth with her husband Bill, knows all about Irish hospitality. She serves warming baked oatmeal on wintry mornings to guests staying at the popular bed and breakfast, and often serves Irish soda bread using her husband’s grandmother’s heirloom family recipe. “We have it for St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas and Easter; the big religious holidays,” says O’Connell, adding that guests usually enjoy the Irish favorite warm with butter. The acclaimed hostess serves the special bread made with caraway seeds as an accompaniment to a savory breakfast of scrambled eggs, an omelet or breakfast casserole. During afternoon teatime, guests at the inn can enjoy a slice of Irish bread, a sweeter, coffee cake-like treat that O’Connell bakes, using dried currants, raisins and caraway seeds. She serves the cake with a steaming cup of tea, hot chocolate, or a refreshing glass of cold apple cider. O’Connell, a native of Haverhill, celebrates St. Patrick’s Day by preparing traditional Irish fare for family and friends that

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includes corned beef and cabbage, always a traditional favorite, and lamb stew, a savory crowd pleaser that is still very popular in the Auld Sod. “It’s quite tasty,” O’Connell reveals. “It stews all day and fills the house with the most wonderful aromas.”

scones. During a visit to my ancestral home in 1989, I had the chance to stop at a quaint rural cottage where an elderly woman and her son were selling cups of steaming tea and homemade scones right from the oven with butter and jam.

Whether your ancestor hailed from County Cork or County Donegal, the Azores or Guatemala, March 17th is the day to honor the legendary Irish saint, remember the valuable contribution that the Irish have made to American society, and enjoy some hearty Irish fare.

Closer to home, acclaimed New Bedford textile artist Elin Noble always impresses family members and friends with her delicious scones. She uses her mother Maurine’s recipe, handwritten on cards, and now food stained after many years of use. “They are quite yummy,” Noble says, noting that she always uses a basic recipe and creates a variety of scones using various ingredients such as spices, seasonal berries and stone fruits, and chocolate or butterscotch morsels for added flavor. The talented baker also creates savory miniature scones, using fresh herbs from her garden, which she serves with a salad or as an appetizer. “I think that my favorite scone is whatever is made with whatever is fresh in season,” she says. “I like things that have a complex flavor so that’s why I put a lot of things into my scones. “My favorite way to eat scones is warm, right out of the oven,” Noble concludes, adding that a big batch of scones can be frozen, and later individually reheated for a delightful early morning indulgence or an afternoon snack with a cup of tea. “Erin go brach!” as the Irish say. “Ireland forever!”

In addition to delightful Irish cuisine, St. Patrick’s Day will be celebrated at the Palmer House Inn with a welcoming Irish flag bearing a shamrock, traditional Irish music, and a hearty Irish breakfast featuring bangers (Irish sausages) and rashers (Irish bacon), fried tomatoes and blood pudding, also known as black pudding, a sausage made from animal blood. O’Connell says this year the seaside town will become O’Falmouth on March 17th, with various activities, Irish-themed entertainment, and restaurants offering Irish-themed entrees, desserts and beverage specialties. One of the highlights of any trip to Eire is the opportunity to sample homemade Irish

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JUST LIKE MOM’S

BRIAN LOWNEY is an award-winning reporter and freelance writer. He lives in Swansea.

Irish Bread

(recipe courtesy of Pat O’Connell of the Palmer House Inn in Falmouth) Ingredients: ¼ cup butter ½ cup sugar 1 egg 2 ½ cups flour 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda 1 cup raisins 1 tbsp. caraway seeds 1 cup currants 1½ cups milk

Directions: • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar, add egg and beat well, set aside. •

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

•

Add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture.

•

Add the remaining ingredients and pour into a greased 4” by 8” loaf pan. Drizzle a small amount of melted butter on the top and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

•

Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes.

•

The bread is ready when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Traditional Scones (recipe offered by Elin Noble of New Bedford)

These scones are a wonderful blank canvas, awaiting your palette of dried fruit (currants, raisins, peaches, apricots, cranberries, etc), diced candied or fresh fruit, nuts or seeds, citrus zest, or chips, elevating this basic recipe for sweet or savory versions for every occasion.

Directions: • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper, use the baking sheet without greasing it. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the parchment or baking sheet. • In a mixer combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and any dry spice. Add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of small peas and very crumbly. Add dried fruit, candied fruit, nuts, chips, and zest, if you are using them, and stir until just combined. Stir in the butter

Ingredients: ½ cup sugar 1 tbsp. baking powder ¾ tsp. sea salt ¾ tsp baking soda 1 ¼ cup cold diced butter (2 1/2 sticks) 1 or 2 cups chopped dried fruit, chocolate or other flavored chips, nuts, or any combination (optional) milk and flavoring oil or extract until just combined. Do not over-mix. • Scrape the dough out on to the floured parchment or baking sheet, and divide it in half. Without kneading, round each circle so it is ¾ inch thick. • Brush each circle with half-and-half or milk and sprinkle sugar or cinnamon sugar, (sea salt if making a savory scone) if desired. • Run a sharp a knife or bench knife under cold water and slice each circle into 6 wedges. Carefully pull the wedges apart so there is ½ inch

1 or 2 tbsp. citrus zest or fresh herbs (optional) 2 tsp. vanilla extract or the flavoring of your choice (optional) 1½ cups buttermilk

between each slice. • Place the uncovered baking sheet of scones in the freezer for 30 minutes. • Remove, then bake for 25-30 minutes, until puffy and golden. If your oven is uneven, rotate the baking sheet halfway through. When you pull one slice away from the others it should look baked all the ay through; the edge should not be unbaked. Serve warm just as they come out of the over or with butter and marmalade or jam.

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PRIME LIVING

Your own CHEF CARMEN QUINTIN PREPARING

COMPLETE MEALS FOR DELIVERY PHOTO BY RON QUINTIN

Irish stew

(Recipe courtesy of Pat O’Connell of the Palmer House Inn in Falmouth) Ingredients: 3 lbs. of boneless lamb, cut into 1 1/2 “ cubes (beef can be substituted) 1/3 cup all-purpose flour I tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper ¼ cup vegetable oil 3 cups boiling water ½ tsp. ground allspice 3 chicken bullion cubes 4 medium potatoes cut into ½ “ slices 2 cups of green peas 1 large yellow onion, diced 2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced 1 crumbled bay leaf ½ tsp. chopped garlic Directions: • Combine flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add cubed lamb and toss until lamb is coated. Shake off excess flour. • In a frying pan, brown lamb in the oil. Add boiling water and transfer to a slow cooker. Gradually stir in the remaining flour mixture. • Add bullion cubes, bay leaf, allspice and salt and pepper to taste. • Add potatoes and heat to the boiling point then turn the dial to simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in peas, onions and carrots and simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. This meal is wonderful when server with buttermilk biscuits or Irish soda bread with butter.

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personal chef Sometimes the thin line between an elderly person being able to continue living in their home and having to move into a care facility comes down to cooking. GREG JONES

If the senior can’t safely use a stove, microwave or powered food-prep equipment, then the final option used to be moving into a care facility. For seniors in the New Bedford, Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, Dartmouth, Westport, and Acushnet areas, there’s now an option: home catering, provided by Carmen’s Family Chef Service in New Bedford.

HOW IT WORKS A car with several ice-filled coolers in it pulls up to a house; the retired couple living in the house have been told their

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dinners will arrive between 4:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon. When the doorbell rings, it is exactly 4:35. Dinner is served. The packages are securely wrapped, and can go into the freezer for later use or stored “as is” in the ‘fridge until eaten. The meals are cooked from scratch in the kitchen of Chef Carmen Quintin, owner and head chef of Carmen’s Family Chef Service. Carmen recommends that the meals should not be frozen for more than a month, but with weekly deliveries, there’s no need to fill the freezer when fresh meals arrive every week, on schedule. In order for the food to be as fresh as pos-

sible, all the meals are cooled and kept on ice until delivery. “They can heat the meals in a microwave or the oven; I prefer the microwave,” says Carmen. “If they use the oven, I go over everything with our customers. I tell them how to do it. It’s a little trickier in the oven, and I always advise to not overheat the food.”

NOT JUST A RESTAURANT The food…that’s the key element here, of course. Carmen says, “We focus on the dinner, that is what our eyes are looking at.” Like any restaurant does, one thinks. “We are totally different from a restaurant; we have the dietary focus,” says Carmen. “More flavor, less fat and sodium.” Carmen’s Family Chef Service prepares meals, with six or seven entrees available each week. Carmen can accommodate those who require low-sodium, diabetic or low-carb. The menu changes each week, so there’s no feeling of “if it’s Tuesday then this must be meatloaf.” Carmen is in regular contact with her customers, and if she gets a request for a certain menu item, then chances are good it will show up in a future menu such as meeting the demand for seafood with her new special fish entrees. With all this personal attention, the careful scheduling of food deliveries within a promised one-hour block of time, one would think her service to be a pricey arrangement. With a clientele that largely consists of retired folks, value is vital. Complete meals, with an entrée, a starch and vegetables, are just $7.00. The recent addition of a fish entrée has bumped that meal to $8.00, still very affordable and rivaling what the same meal would cost if prepared at home. But it’s not just for the fixed-income elderly.

have parents living with them. We have lots of working moms.” Carmen is a career chef, and at age 44, she has spent nearly half of her life perfecting her skills as professional chef. Carmen’s Family Chef Service had its genesis when, after the birth of her son, she found that the day seemed to be a few hours too short for her to go to work, shop, cook food and spend some time with her family. As a professional chef, the fast-food option was not an option, so she set about organizing a business that would deliver healthy, fresh, home-cooked meals at an affordable price.

PERSONALLY TESTED And she knows her food is good. “I test the meals on my husband,” said Carmen, with a discernible touch of humor. Ron Quintin, 47, when he’s not serving as a menu tester, is an instructor at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, and also schedules the deliveries, routing the drivers for maximum efficiency. A quick look at the menu for the first week of February is enticing: chicken stuffed with linguica with cornbread; Italian pork cacciatore; American chop suey; Salisbury steak; chicken fingers; or the Panko-crusted cod with baked potatoes and sesame snow peas (for $8.00; all the other entrées are $7.00). There’s also chicken-rice soup. The menus are updated and posted weekly online at www.carmensfamilychefservices. com, and orders may be placed by phone at 508-858-5488. If one of the “regulars” forgets to call with the next week’s order, Carmen will give them a call. New customer? Not sure how to proceed? “I go over everything with new customers,” said Carmen, “I talk with each new customer…if they have an dietary issues or delivery questions I will go over it with them.”

As a professional chef, the fast-food option was not an option, so she set about organizing a business that would deliver healthy, fresh, home-cooked meals at an affordable price

PERFECT FOR BUSY MOMS “We can deliver to anyone, absolutely anyone, says Carmen. “We have lots of busy mothers with lots of kids, maybe they

GREG JONES is a career journalist who lives in South Dartmouth.

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PRIME LIVING

VILLAGES ON MOUNT HOPE BAY PHOTO COURTESY OF WATER EDGE PROPERTIES

INSIDE BOOMERS REAL ESTATE JAY PATEAKOS

I remember back in the 80s the condo industry was in full swing. Sixty- and seventy-something’s that had worked their whole life and cut grass every other week since forever decided they had had enough.

With the kids long out of the house, except for those poor folks where the kids came back in their 30s (or never left), couples unloaded their three- and four-bedroom houses with the white picket fences that constantly needed upkeep and they purchased themselves a condo. This was the life, they thought, no grass to cut, no furnace to fix, no snow to shovel, just retirement living. Then the condo industry began to decline. Nowadays, with the baby boomers retiring or set to retire soon, their aim is much the same as it was in the 80s, but with a few

THOSE THAT ARE LOOKING ARE FOCUSING ON ANYTHING WITH LESS MAINTENANCE, LESS YARD TO CARE FOR AND SOMETHING NEAR THE WATER

big exceptions. Where condos were great in providing them with a haven to limit any of the work that needed to be done around the house, these baby boomers needed more. They needed activities. They needed social interaction. In essence, they wanted a community lifestyle without the community upkeep. In other words, they didn’t want the coldness of condo living, they wanted the warmth of being in a neighborhood with people of like interests. And they wanted to remain active. And they still do.

TIME TO DOWNSIZE “Let’s start with the fact that the ‘last’ of the baby boomers will be turning 50 this year. These baby boomers have children in college and want to downsize to cut down on expenses and no longer need that fourbedroom house,” said Linda Hopps, president of Hopps Realty Group in Dartmouth. “They generally stay within the same

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Not Your AVERAGE Plumber you paying too ✔ Are much to heat your

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FOR LEASE PROFESSIONAL OFFICE SPACE

140 Purchase St. Fall River, MA 1,850 sq. ft./1st floor

town or city and are still looking for a house, as opposed to a condo. The upper end of the baby boomers is starting to retire and want the carefree lifestyle of condo ownership so they can be more relaxed and worry-free about their home and are able to go on vacation more often and for longer periods of time.” Those that are looking are focusing on anything with less maintenance, less yard to care for and something near the water, like a two-bedroom cottage that will allow a smaller, yet cozier space but still have room for when they have guests. Hopps said the poor economy has forced more baby boomers to continue working, with them staying put until they retire. She said most of them have long since paid off their mortgage and are happy where they are but with the economy and housing market starting to improve, things should be changing in 2014. “The economy is getting better, the housing market is improving,” added Hopps, “so the boomers will be able to recoup the money they paid for their houses, retire and move on to the next stage in their life.”

WALKING THE WALK

• Prime renovated office space with handicap access located in the heart of the city.

Dianne Marrazzo, realtor for Jack Conway

(Currently used as sleep study office with five exam rooms, reception area and office space.)

• On-site parking. • Shared office space rent one or all of the units. Starting $500.

508-813-6875 broker@reavolv.com www.reavolv.com

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in Mattapoisett and half of the team of “Spouses who sell Houses” with her husband John, not only helps to sell homes for those in the twilight of their lives, but she and her husband are also living that life. Dianne, 57, had once owned a large home in Marion but like many her age, wanted something smaller and more manageable while still providing a community setting. She and her husband settled on the Pines at Hathaway Pond, an over-55 community where they have lived for the last seven years in Rochester. In the Pines, Dianne noted, there is a house type for everyone. They start with one-bedroom cottages around 1,200 square feet, move on to duplexes with 1,900 square feet, with two bedrooms and finally single-family homes with two bedrooms with 2,200 square feet. “There is a great sense of community here, with many social activities and functions for people to pursue as well as hobbies, and two bedrooms that will allow for guests as well as green space,” said Marrazzo. “Construction in the South Coast has changed over the years. Now they are building condos that are more like homes, not like apartments. They have club-

THE PINES AT H ATHAWAY POND PHOTO COURTESY OF JACK CONWAY R EAL E STATE

houses where people can gather and these places provide a better sense of what their expenses are going to be, where utility bills are all relative and the houses are so energy efficient.”

The Spouses Who Sell Houses John & Diane MaRRazzo In 2012, our listings were on the market for an average of just 31 days, compared to the state average of 125 days!

LUXURY: THE NEW NORMAL But seriously, the activities in the Pines could compete against any gym or recreation center, and these kinds of activities are becoming the norm in many of these communities across the South Coast. Here’s a small list of ongoing activities: yoga weekly, knitting, Scrabble, traveling group, rowing, cycling, kayaking, cookoffs and outings for every major sporting event. They have a summer stroll, Christmas party, and even sponsored a wedding reception for one of the Pines couple who were recently married.

WHILE THE TREND HAD ALWAYS BEEN TO FIND MANY RETIREES MOVING TO FLORIDA, MANY NOW STAY LOCAL SO THEY CAN BE CLOSER TO THEIR FAMILIES AND GRANDCHILDREN Marrazzo said much of the construction include two-car garages that make it more convenient for people and the cost of that construction has come down over the years, making the option more affordable for people wanting to downsize but still maintaining the house feel. “Many people worry that when they sell their home, they are giving up on a lot of things, like having their own land or places to garden and that’s not the case. They have everything they need or want without having to do all the work,” said Marrazzo. “The sense of community in places like this is just wonderful and it’s definitely like owning your own home, a quiet place near the water; an absolutely wonderful experience.” Denis DaSilva, principal broker for Revolv Real Estate, which covers Bristol county and the Cape Cod region, said baby boomers are focusing on securing one level

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The Pines

at Hathaway Pond Circle Rochester,MA A beautiful Adult Community offering Condos in Cottage-style, Duplex, and Single-Family homes. Choices are: 1,200 sq. ft. and 1,950 sq. ft. and 2,000 sq. ft. (approx). All have garages, access to clubhouse and pool, and rights to Marion beaches. Some units on the pond. Starting at $319,900, $355,900, and $409,900. Only 6 homes left for sale!

List with us, and we will sell your home. Look with us, and we will find your home.

Jack Conway & Co, Inc. 508-317-5207 or 508-758-4944 • dmarrazzo@jackconway.com • 6 County Rd., Mattapoisett

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16 CRESTWOOD DRIVE, OAKWOOD WESTPORT PHOTO COURTESY OF EQUITY R EAL E STATE

of living while still trying to retain their independent living. “Some are going into over-55 communities while others are majorly downsizing especially on Cape Cod. They are looking for one level, with far less square footage, on average around 1,500 square feet, with a master bedroom on the first floor,” said DaSilva.

NO STAIRS “You’re finding many with three bedrooms and two baths on the first level in order to avoid any stairs. Some have gone to two bedrooms but we’re finding that they want to keep a good number of bedrooms so that sons and daughters and grandchildren have a place to stay when they come to visit.” DaSilva said while the trend had always been to find many retirees moving to Florida, he’s seeing many now staying local so they can be closer to their family and grandchildren as they grow up. “It’s common sense really. As they get older, they are looking for less space and a smaller yard but still an area where they can tend a garden,” said DaSilva. “They want the square footage all on one level and they do not want any home that requires work. A fixer-upper is just out of the question. They don’t want to handle things like that anymore, and they are looking for scenic views”.

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BUYING A LIFESTYLE When it comes to many of the amenities that DaSilva described, the luxury homes and condos in Tiverton, Rhode Island’s The Villages at Mount Hope Bay, on the water of Mount Hope Bay, cover it all. It’s a new development with waterfront living and some single-level living. “People today are looking more for a lifestyle than a piece of real estate. They are looking for a community that offers things they like to do,” said Bridget Little Torrey, of Water Edge Properties and broker for The Villages of Mount Hope Bay. “People no longer want to take care of the lawn or maintain the house. They don’t want to settle into a place that has an exclusively clubby atmosphere; they just want to be around people that share their

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interests.” Like DaSilva, Torrey said people are trying to stay closer to where they once owned a home and the appeal of a place like Mount Hope is that it has a variety of sizes of homes to fit anyone’s needs, from small, medium to large spaces ranging from 1,000 square feet to 4,500 square feet. “We satisfy the whole gamut in the need for space while we also put the master bedrooms on the first level so that these people won’t have the need to climb stairs,” said Torrey. “This is not assisted living or even a retirement community; this is convenience living.” Activities include bridge, poker, a garden club, yoga, and ample parties in its clubhouse, a pool, tennis, and so much more. “We don’t have a marina or a golf course because we found many of our people already belong to existing clubs,” said Torrey. “A lot of the people that are interested in coming here already had water views and didn’t want to give that up. We have something to offer everyone here.” Lauren Cardin is the manager of Conway in the Bay in Onset, a Jack Conway Real Estate company, as well as a senior specialist. She said with baby boomers making up 35 per cent of the population these days, the real estate industry has certainly had to adjust and will continue to do so in the future. “There are certainly a lot more over-55 communities available now versus 10 years ago, giving seniors more housing options,” said Cardin.

PEOPLE TODAY ARE LOOKING MORE FOR A LIFESTYLE THAN A PIECE OF REAL ESTATE

“Also, in-law apartments have become much more popular than they were years

lagging well behind the southern states that have been satisfying this need for

THE DESIRE TO DOWNSIZE WILL CONTINUE FOR THE RETIREES AND THEIR ABILITY TO DO SO WILL BE DRIVEN BY AVAILABILITY, AFFORDABILITY, AND THE SALE OF THE LARGE, DATED, COMMONLY INEFFICIENT, MULTI-STORY HOME

ago. The reason is the senior population is now the largest age demographic in the US.” Cardin said baby boomers may be downsizing in size but not necessarily financially. They tend to make a lateral move financially because they want all the bells and whistles available in the new over-55 communities. “Today, with all the independent and assisted living facilities available a senior has more options to choose from,” said Cardin.

STAYING INDEPENDENT “It’s not just about going into a nursing home anymore, there are so many more options giving a senior more opportunities to stay independent.” James Sabra of the Westport-based Equity Real Estate said people approaching retirement find that they are much more budget conscious, particularly about their housing and the future expense of it. “We have had particular success in selling to the 55-plus market by offering a combination of free-standing, single-level homes in a condominium setting at Oakridge 55+ in Westport,” said Sabra. “We have satisfied a niche of buyers that are looking for ownership, privacy, low maintenance and utility costs, with the freedom of knowing that all aspects of the exterior and site will be taken care of by a professional management team for a low monthly fee.” Sabra said that while the trend of downsizing has been around for many years, the northeast market has been slow to adapt until recently with 55-plus communities,

many years. “I think the desire to downsize will continue for the retirees,” Sabra added, “however their ability to do so will be driven by availability, affordability, and the sale of the large, dated, commonly inefficient, multi-story home.”

CAREFREE AND SOCIAL Swansea-based Oakwood Estate is an adult living community for people 55 and over. Oakwood features 120 rental residences located in four, two-story buildings with elevators. On-site amenities include a gazebo, walking trails and outdoor sitting areas for socializing with neighbors, all designed to provide a carefree lifestyle for its residents, according Melissa Karam Panchley, senior property manager for Karam Financial Group. “Social opportunities are plentiful, where new neighbors quickly become close friends in this active adult community,” Panchley stressed. “Most people that come to the properties managed by Karam Financial Group are looking to lessen their load. They like that we take care of the lawn and the snow,” said Panchley. “They can just call us for a light bulb change or stamps, and get a free ride to the bank, grocery store or doctor. We give our residents, who worked hard all their lives, a chance to enjoy time with friends, hassle-free.” JAY PATEAKOS has been a freelance writer for more than 10 years including daily and weekly newspapers and monthly magazines. A native of New Bedford, he currently lives in Marion and has three children.

Berkley, MA – 3 Bedroom raised ranch in great area. Home features eat-in Kitchen, living room with ﬁreplace, full bath, basement with woodstove. Excellent location for the commuter who wants the privacy of the country yet less than a mile to route 24. $157,777

Sandwich, MA – One-ﬂoor living with the privacy you need. Completely remodeled in 2006 by some of Cape Cod’s ﬁnest craftsmen, this 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch is complete with a 2-car garage with storage above. Master bedroom has new en suite bathroom addition. $325,900

Plymouth, MA – You belong in the PineHills! This pristine Bradford model home is among the most sought-after of Thorndike’s designs. This home has what you’ve been looking for: three generous bedrooms including a first floor master with tray ceiling and a private en suite bath, two and-a-half bathrooms, gleaming hardwood floors, and gourmet kitchen. $535,000

508-813-6875 broker@reavolv.com www.reavolv.com

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PRIME LIVING

THE UPSIDE

OF DOWNSIZING ELIZ ABETH MORSE READ

Let’s say you’ve entered the “empty nest” years, where the kids have all graduated and moved out of the sprawling family home. Or maybe your widowed mom can’t manage living on her own any more. Or maybe you’re heading toward retirement and you’re tired of shoveling the driveway, driving on black ice, and paying exorbitant fuel bills.

What do these scenarios all have in common? Sooner rather than later, you’re all going to have to downsize from your current home setting to something smaller and more suitable to your new lifestyle.

or a houseboat. But whatever you decide, here’s the catch: you can’t take it all with you. You need to shed many of the belongings and plain-old junk you’ve accumulated over the years—and the sooner you start on that, the easier your transition will be.

location, at least try to picture in your mind what you really MUST have, like a fireplace or space for growing tomatoes (even if it’s just a south-facing balcony), or a workshop/storage area for puttering and hanging your bicycles, or being able to walk to work. Do you envision yourself in a winterized hunting/skiing cabin in Maine, or bopping around in the town center or in a crowded city neighborhood? Do you enjoy four seasons or do you want to work on your tan at a golf course or a tropical marina? Keep that daydream in your mind as you sift through your current belongings. You’ll need to keep certain things for different scenarios, like a chainsaw for the woods (but not the city), but get rid of whatever

THE EARLIER YOU BEGIN TO PURGE, THERE’LL BE LESS STRESS AND MUCH LOWER MOVING AND STORAGE COSTS, PLUS, YOU CAN POCKET THE PROFIT FROM SELLING AND DONATING! Maybe you’ll decide on a condo or a townhouse in a retirement community, or maybe you’ll move to another state or even another country, or maybe you’ll trade in your McMansion for a top-of-the-line RV

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“WHAT A DAY FOR A DAYDREAM…” Daydreaming of the “perfect day after we’ve moved” is a great motivator when you’re downsizing your current home. If you haven’t already decided on an exact

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else doesn’t belong in that picture, like guest room furniture for a loft, or an aboveground pool for the RV. Be realistic about what you should hang onto for your new living space: can that

BBQ grill or lawn furniture in an apartment building, or a rototiller in an assisted living facility.

“LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND…” Take a detailed visual inventory of every “thing” in every space and room in your current home, starting with the catch-all areas like the attic, basement, closets, garage, porch and shed. Make a quick decision about whether this coat or that chair or this plug-in item deserves a place in your future. You don’t have to take any real action until you have a dedicated time to do the physical sorting and disposing. But having some suggestions for doing this room-by-room downsizing might help.

RULE #1:

If it’s broken or damaged, figure out a way to get rid of it.

RULE #2: If it’s still wearable or usable but it’s outdated or no longer needed, give it away to someone who would really appreciate and use it.

RULE #3:

If it’s valuable, either sentimentally or cash-wise, decide whether you should keep it, sell it, or give it to family.

RULE #4: If you find something that belongs to someone else (usually

relatives), whether it’s yearbooks or ski racks or lava lamps or the dead ’68 Ford Mustang on your side lawn, and it’s been taking up free storage space for 10 years, give the owners a firm deadline for getting it out of your hair. Do not get conned into taking it with you.

floor-to-ceiling mahogany entertainment center really fit into a trailer? Will you really need that snowblower if you’re moving into an assisted-living community or a Florida condo? Should you really keep all those kitchen gadgets if your new cottage or townhouse has a galley kitchen? If your goal is to simplify your life and reduce your living expenses, do you really want to pay for a storage unit here for stuff you’ll never need there? Keep that daydream in your mind.

“BREAKIN’ UP IS HARD TO DO…” Sure, it’ll be difficult to decide what to do with sentimental items like photo albums or your son’s first hockey skates or the bronzed baby shoes or a departed loved one’s golf clubs. This is when you enlist a family member or friend who can talk you through the decisions, and maybe they can store some of your smaller treasures in their attic. But that doesn’t mean you have to pack away your Nana’s doilies or your father’s war medals. No matter how much smaller your next home will be, there’s always vertical space (walls, windows, doors) for shelves, shadow-boxes and framed items. But what about your current pets? They’re part of the downsizing equation, too! Most people consider them to be part of the extended family, but your new landlord or rental agent might beg to differ. Your

beloved Irish wolfhound is just not going to fit on your dream houseboat, folks. And just try moving to another state with a pet ferret (or flying squirrel or python), or crossing an international border with a macaw or wolf-dog, without doing your research first. On the flip side, is it really worth the cross-country shipping, insurance and moving costs for a cellar-full of fish tanks or a pot-bellied pig and all their supplies? What are you going to do about your vehicles? Will you really need or have room for two cars, the John Deere riding lawnmower, the ATV, the Harley, the Boston Whaler and/or the jet-ski? If you’re moving to Santa Fe or Boise, the Whaler and jet-ski will probably be hard to sell out there once you’ve paid to ship them. Sell them now for the best price and invest that money in your new truck or mom’s new scooter. What about all your electrical appliances and outside equipment? Can you sell that wheezing second refrigerator in the basement, or should you donate it for a tax-deduction letter? Can you even install your current washer and dryer in your next home? Would your window air-conditioners and basement dehumidifier even fit in your next home? You might make extra money on your current home’s sale price by including many of these as bonuses. And, if you’re honest with yourself, you won’t have much need for your propane

SPREADING THE WEALTH Whatever you don’t throw away or give away to family and friends, put it up for sale. It may seem heartless to sell your now-28-year old daughter’s French provincial bedroom set, or that Coco Chanel suit that hasn’t fit you in five years, but the money you could make selling stuff looks a lot better in your pocket than it does in paying for a storage unit. Clothing can go to a consignment shop, housewares and electronics can be sold on eBay or Craigslist, collectors’ items can go to an auction house, or you can hold garage sales or attend flea markets. Your downsizing can also be a way to help out your community. Just about any non-profit organization would be glad to give you a tax deduction letter in return for your itemized donation. A vocational school could use all those power tools or that clunker car you’d be embarrassed to sell. A homeless shelter would gladly accept your extra linens, towels, blankets and children’s winter clothing. Many organizations will pick up your furniture and housewares for free; try My Brothers Keeper, Catholic Social Services, Salvation Army, or the St. Vincent de Paul Society. If you don’t know where to donate something, call a local church, or give away online at freecycle.org. And don’t forget that most town, city and county websites have information about how and where you can recycle large appliances, consumer electronics or hazardous materials such as bags of fertilizer or house paints. You can also call your utility company, local board of health or search online. So, don’t wait until you’ve signed a contract on your new home to begin downsizing your current property. The earlier you begin to purge, there’ll be less stress and much lower moving and storage costs, plus, you can pocket the profit from selling and donating! It took you a lifetime to accumulate all those soon-unneeded belongings. It takes thoughtful planning to distribute and dispose of them meaningfully.

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GOOD TIMES

A “Y” for all ages SEAN MCC ARTHY

Last September, at the age of 91, Wareham’s Ernie Webber was in a wheelchair at a rehabilitation hospital after undergoing prostate surgery. Four months later, he and his walker are at the Gleason Family YMCA’s Wellness Center, working out an hour-and-a-half Monday through Friday.

But his determination is no aberration; local exercise facilities such as the Y’s are filling up with seniors and middle-aged people striving to improve their health or maintain it. The average American life expectancy is 78 years. That’s a lot of time to feel lousy— or, pretty good.

lost its oldest member, Mary DeCosta, who passed away at 102 years of age. By now you’ve heard the standard advice: exercise or else. But the reality is that only 10 minutes of exercise a day will improve your quality of life, regardless of age or size.

SUCCESS STORIES “If it wasn’t for the Y I wouldn’t be around anymore,” Webber admits. He has been working out at the ‘Y’ for 10 years. “I’ve been able to move beyond my therapy.” A significant number of seniors are at the Y to work on health problems, and finding success. Maggie Sweeney, 75, of Marion, enjoys her workouts two or three days a week to help deal with the arthritis in her back. “I feel so much better with so much energy,” she says. “I’m more mobile and healthy enough to do the things I want to do.” One year ago the Gleason Family YMCA

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And since energy will breed more energy, you can eventually extend your workouts and begin to enjoy the proven rewards of exercise. For seniors and middle-aged people, there are opportunities to get invigorated. The way you want to feel may not be that far away. You don’t have to be Michael Phelps in the pool or Arnold Schwartzenegger in the gym. Becoming healthy is done one day at a time, one workout at a time: just ease your way into it. Marathons are run one stride at a time, and there are people to help you take those strides.

THE GLEASON FAMILY YMCA HAS WELLNESS PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES. E XERCISING IN SWIMMING POOLS PROVIDES LOW-IMPACT WORKOUTS.

PHOTO BY JOYCE ROWLEY

MUTUAL INSPIRATION A lot of seniors surprise themselves with how athletic they can be and they’re happy to see themselves gaining strength,” Brito says. “The body has an incredible way of healing itself. It’s a snowball process; good habits follow good habits.” “These people are a great inspiration to me,” says Dick Dias, a 61-year old retired teacher who is a wellness instructor at the Gleason Family YMCA. “It doesn’t take long for me to see them make tremendous progress.” According to Mary Beth Gamache, Wellness Director of the Greater New Bedford YMCA, baby boomers have made the health and wellness industry what it is today. “Many of our baby boomer clients don’t have athletic backgrounds,” she says, “but it doesn’t seem to make a difference. They’re the ones that we see mostly filling the group exercises and populating the Wellness Center.” And with older citizens passing along their health and exercise lifestyles to those younger, getting into shape and staying there looks to be a trend that will only increase in popularity.

YMCA SOUTHCOAST

more energy. Some days I’ll even go for walks on days when I don’t go to the gym.”

It’s happening every day at the Y — people of all ages are getting healthier and living better through fitness, sports, fun and shared interests. Join us.

There are wellness instructors who are at the facility to assist you, and use their knowledge to figure out what you should do to get started and explain which set of exercises will work best for you. The climate is usually not competitive and the levels of intensity among the people working out varies widely. Nobody’s scrutinizing your workout or handing out trophies. You’re there to take care of yourself. But at the same time the Y appreciates its community atmosphere. “The socialization piece is huge,” says Lu Brito, senior program director for wellness at the Gleason Family YMCA. “The participants become a family. Some people may not have much family left so this is good for them. Some people get here a while before their classes and stay a long time afterwards to socialize.” Neale Birdsall, 83, of Marion, has had an active life, but 10 years ago he developed arthritis in his knee. He claims that his decision to come to the Y prevented him from needing surgery. He works out two or three days a week for 40 minutes to an hour. He also says that it helped him spend the summer playing golf with his friends. “You need to be active or you’ll stiffen up,” he says. “You’ve got to keep moving.” Lydia Sherman, 67, of Wareham, has had a complete turnaround on her view of exercise.

Each day at the Y, people of all ages are coming together to get and stay active. Seniors are engaging in social activities and meeting others who share common interests and passions. They’re participating in group exercise and aquatics classes and learning about proper nutrition. And they’re working side-by-side with our Wellness Coaches to develop more active, productive lives.

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‘A lot of seniors surprise themselves with how athletic they can be and they’re happy to see themselves gaining strength,’ Brito says. ‘The body has an incredible way of healing itself.’

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“Before I started exercising it was a four-letter word,” she says. “In 2009 I had bariatric stomach staple surgery so I knew then that I had to go to the gym. Three months after the surgery I started with exercise classes three days a week. When I came here I didn’t feel out of place, there were people of all different sizes and ages, a big mix of people. Coming to the Y helps me get out of bed and I know I’ll have

FITNESS FUN & FRIENDS

With your first experience at an exercise facility, you may feel like you’re in a fitness jungle, surrounded by all sorts of people moving in all sorts of directions on all sorts of machines. There’s a bunch of people in the pool, and people walking the track, and people doing aerobics. Chances are that the barrage of questions running through your head have been asked and answered many times before.

SEAN MCCARTHY has been a freelance journalist for 25 years. S OU TH C OAST P R IME T IMES

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HUMOR AND

HEALTHY AGING BY JILL H. G ARVEY

“WHEN I WAS A BOY, THE DEAD SEA WAS ONLY SICK.” --GEORGE BURNS My family enjoyed a good laugh. We were totally dysfunctional on a cellular level, rich in unexpected and self-inflicted sorrow and united in our core belief that guilt makes you a better person—thanks, Ma. All fodder for a good laugh. Right up there with a hearty hunk of cheesecake, wit was our preferred form of self-medication. We weren’t a happy people, but we were smart. We knew enough to embrace ‘funny’ when it paid us a visit.

COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE So, now here I am, a few years past earning my AARP card—relating to my work in an intensely more personal way— and finally wise enough to understand that laughter is quite powerful. From a healthcare perspective, it’s highly infectious—in the best way possible. I’ve read that the sound of a genuine belly laugh is almost as contagious as any Novo microbe. No shots required. A recent article cited a quote

by LaVona Traywick, PhD, an assistant professor of gerontology at the University of Arkansas, “Humor and the subsequent laughter have many therapeutic effects on the body. Laughing not only improves your mood and emotional state, it also has many social and physical health benefits. Most of us don’t take humor seriously enough. We need to use it effectively and make it part of our life.” Huh! So life really is too important to take seriously—even a PhD said so! Intrigued, I did a little research. What I found explains why having a sense of humor has enabled me, and many others, to survive the times when I’d rather hide under the bed with the dust bunnies than deal with life’s complications. This is good stuff.

PHYSICAL WELL-BEING Laughter improves cardiovascular health and respiration. It lowers our blood pressure, re-

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duces the sensation of pain and enhances our immune system. A good guffaw can decrease our stress hormones and relax our muscles.

EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING The mental benefits of laughter include improved brain function and better general disposition. It releases pent-up feelings of anger and frustration and reduces tension. Humor can also decrease anxiety, increase energy and enhance creativity.

SOCIAL WELL-BEING Laughter makes us feel good, helps to curb loneliness, can positively impact behavior and boosts our ability to connect with others.

INTELLECTUAL WELL-BEING Laughter is a powerful tool in the quest to retain strong intellectual function—it keeps us engaged and gives the brain a good workout. The more we adopt a light-hearted approach to life, the better equipped we are to deal with inevitable challenges in thoughtful and resourceful ways.

NOTEWORTHY Through studies it has been determined that one of the first changes caregivers notice when a loved one has early Alzheimer’s disease, is a conspicuous difference in the patient’s sense of humor. Okay for the “Reader’s Digest” version—as we travel through life in the grumpy fast lane, it’s a gift to know that for most of us, dancing the two-step with a good sense of humor can stimulate healthy aging in mighty and measurable ways. So let’s remind ourselves, and others, to laugh (it’s free); to socialize with funny people (they’re out there); to catch an old episode of “I Love Lucy” (the chocolate factory…hilarious). Go forth, take a stand for silly…a good laugh really is serious business! JILL H. G ARVEY is the Director of admissions and marketing for The Home for Aged People in Fall River, MA, a non-profit organization which operates Adams House, The Freeman Borden Transitional Care Unit and Bay View. She can be contacted at 508-679-0144 or jgarvey@thehomelcc.org.

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Attention

GOOD TIMES

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PETS EAT TOO!

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There’s something warm and fuzzy about having someone warm and fuzzy demanding your attention that just keeps the blues away. And it’s true. Study after study shows that seniors who have pets are more positive, more engaged in life and live longer. It’s no secret that owning a pet can be an expense, too, one that may make seniors have to choose between their own needs and those of their pet. But in tough economic times, pets need to eat, too. Around the country Pets Eat, Too! programs have sprung up to help seniors feed their cats and dogs. The programs act as pet food pantries for seniors with companion animals. Here on the South Coast, New Bedford is kicking off a Pets Eat, Too! pet food pantry at the Buttonwood Senior Center this month.

A GROWING CONCERN Laura Campbell said that her son Travis wanted to do something important for

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his thirteenth birthday last summer. He already had everything he needed. So instead of receiving birthday gifts, he asked his friends and family to donate pet food to a seniors’ pet food pantry in Fall River run by Howie Galitsky, a Bristol Elder Services case manager. Campbell said the family had brought home a rescue black Labrador retriever that influenced her son greatly. “Knowing how having a dog made a difference in his life, he never had a second thought or regret about giving up his birthday gifts,” said Campbell. “Travis learned that he can help creatures and help others. He really loved collecting pet food for his birthday.” But it didn’t stop there.

“My background in elder care, combined with my love of animals led me to the Humane Coalition for Animals in New Bedford,” said Campbell. That led to the Coalition’s September pet food drive that donated pet food to both Fairhaven and New Bedford Council on Aging (COA) services. And that led to a second food drive that combined with the local people food pantry effort “Cans Across the Park” sponsored by radio station WBSM Fun 107 last November at Buttonwood Park.

Coastline Elderly Services, which runs the lunch program at the senior center, will pick up pet food from the Buttonwood Senior Center and deliver it to case managers who know of seniors that could use the help.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Pet food donations can be made at Hazelwood, Brooklawn and Buttonwood Senior Centers. But Buttonwood is a central location and has the storage area, said Main, and so distribution will be from that center. STARTING IN NEW BEDFORD Pets Eat, Too! donation boxes are also Campbell collected at least 300 pounds located at City Hall and the Council on for those events, but wanted to do someAging. thing lasting. That’s when she contacted “We need cat food more than dog food the Karen Main, senior center coordinator right now,” said Main. at the Buttonwood Senior Center in New Main asked that donors think small. Bedford. “Seniors may not be able to lift large bags, Main, an animal and divvying it up makes lover herself, directed storage harder. Also, it’s KNOW THERE S difficult to open bags, so Campbell to the COA director Debra Lee. Lee smaller bags of dry cat or A LOT OF CITIZENS dog food are better,” said not only approved the program, she assigned Main. What’s needed WHO WOULD Shelley Carvalho to work are three- to five-pound on the project with Main. bags of dry cat food or BENEFIT FROM Carvalho does the COA’s dog food, cans of cat program outreach. or dog food, and small THE PROGRAM “I know there’s a lot bags of cat litter. Treats of citizens who would AND WHO WOULD such as scratching posts benefit from the program and chew toys, or dental DONATE SAID and who would donate,” treats for cats are also said Carvalho. She will welcome. CARVALHO be promoting the project, To request food, seniors seeking sponsorships can apply directly at the from local businesses, senior centers or through and scouting out new locations to place a Coastline Elderly Services case manager donation boxes. or they can apply at Hazelwood, Brook“I couldn’t do it all myself, and run the lawn or Buttonwood senior centers. senior center,” said Main. “They help brainAny New Bedford resident over 60 years storm ways to make it happen.” old is eligible for free pet food through New Bedford Pets Eat, Too! Seniors need to A FEBRUARY START be income eligible to receive pet food, but Carvalho, Campbell and Main comshouldn’t bring financial information, says bined forces and will officially launch the Main. All that’s needed is a driver’s license New Bedford Pets Eat, Too! program this or other photo ID, and other eligibility month. Pet food will be collected at three verification that they receive fuel assisNew Bedford senior centers: Hazelwood, tance, farmer’s market coupons, or an EBT Brooklawn and Buttonwood. Buttonwood card. The only other restriction is that the Senior Center will be the central storage senior must be the only person responsible and distribution point. Main has already for the pet in the home. collected a closet full of pet food, and beTo be a corporate sponsor or to sponsor gan making connections to distribute it. a donation box at your business, contact Existing partners, like Mellissa Raposa, Shelley Carvalho at 508-991-6250. president of the Coalition, created and donated the Pets Eat, Too! food boxes that JOYCE ROWLEY is a freelance writer and are stationed at the senior centers, New regular contributor to “The South Coast InBedford City Hall and the Council on Agsider” and “South Coast Prime Times.” ing offices at 181 Hillman Street.

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PRIME LIVING

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HEATING YOUR PERSONAL SPACE My mother is the only person I know who can keep her house toasty in winter for a modest monthly bite; it’s a small house, tight and properly insulated. Ten minutes of heating and the place is comfortable for hours. Would that we were all so fortunate. DAN L OGAN

Most of us don’t want to invest in a major overhaul of our homes to save money on heating. As a result, portable electric space heaters intended for indoor use have become popular devices for heating small areas. “Spot” or “zone heating” they call it. Manufacturers have been steadily developing safer, more attractive and more efficient models that can take the chill from a room for a couple of hours. Keep in mind, immediate and temporary comfort is the point of using a space heater, not huge savings on your heating bills. Small electric heaters are fairly efficient, but electricity is an expensive means of heating large areas in a house for extended periods. In and of themselves, electric space heaters are not money savers. The ConservingElectricity.com web site runs the numbers for you to show there’s no magic happening with an electric space heater. Any savings come from greatly reducing the size of the area you want to heat, and keeping that area a little warmer only for a fairly short time. An electric heater is ideal if you’re using a small (preferably closed) space—bedroom, office, TV room—you’ll be using for a few hours, or if one person in the house always gets cold while everyone else is comfortable. With a portable heater you don’t have to bring the entire casa to a boil in order to heat one small area.

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CONVECTION HEATERS There are three main types of space heaters. Convection heaters do their job by heating the oil in the unit, which in turn heats the air around it. They take a little longer to warm up, but the oil retains heat for quite awhile and the unit doesn’t cool down immediately as soon as it is turned off. These retro-styled units look like old-fashioned radiators and are about the size of a medium-sized suitcase. They can be wheeled around the house to where they are needed. They’re appropriate for evenly heating an entire room, and they’re quiet. If you want to warm up a room where you’re entertaining guests, the convection heater is a good choice.

CERAMIC TOWER HEATERS Ceramic tower heaters stand tall and slim and are probably what come to mind when you think of space heater these days. These units heat up quickly, don’t take up much space, and use fans to quickly disperse the warmed air into the room. Some units also oscillate to help spread the warmth. Ceramic heaters warm up quickly, and they’re directional. The fans can be a bit noisy, but you usually have several fan speed settings from which to choose on most models.

R ADIANT HEATERS Finally there are radiant heaters that use infrared energy to produce heat. These radiant heaters are very directional: you aim

them, almost like a flashlight. When the energy hits clothing or skin, the clothing or skin is warmed. It’s a very cozy solution if you’re staying in one spot for awhile. In fact, sitting in front of a radiant heater in a cold room will probably encourage you to stay in one spot for awhile, like being near a campfire on a cold night. Safety is a key consideration with portable heaters, since, depending on the model, its surfaces might be hot enough to burn the skin. The US Department of Energy (Energy.gov) recommends choosing only from space heaters carrying the Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) label. General safety considerations include shutting off the heater while you’re away from the room or out of the house; keeping the heater well away from flammable surfaces; and keeping it away from water. It wouldn’t hurt to remind members of the household not to bang into the heater, and to keep pets away from it. If you want to use a space heater in your bathroom, be sure to pick an appropriate model, since electricity and water don’t mix well. Many portable heater models have safety features such as overheat protection, a kill switch that automatically shuts off the unit if it tips over, a timer, and a thermostat that shuts off the unit when the temperature reaches the desired level.

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PRICE DOESN’T SUGGEST According to “Consumer Reports,” space heaters are one device where higher price doesn’t suggest a better unit, and several recommended models can be had for well under $100. There are also propane and kerosene-based portable heaters, but these are meant for well-ventilated outdoor areas such as screened porches or garages. If you’re really out to save money on heating, invest in a tighter structure and a more efficient heating system for your entire house. Ask your gas or electric utility about a free energy assessment to find out where your house is bleeding energy that you’re paying for. Using that information, you can come up with a strategy for a heating system with a lot of flexibility that also won’t bust the budget. While redoing the entire system might be too big a project, supplementing the existing system could be an effective approach. Such area companies as Ash Away (www.ashawaycompanies.com) in Dartmouth and Middletown offer built-in gas and wood-burning fireplaces and pellet stoves that will heat larger areas for longer periods, and give a that fireplace coziness to your home. Ash Away will design and install the system, and handle the permitting. The web site lists the details of what has to be considered in the installation process. But while a powerful and more efficient home heating system may have its appeal if you just need to take the chilly edge off a room, an electric space heater may be all the supplemental heating you need. DAN LOGAN is a freelance writer and photographer from Fairhaven, MA. He also teaches classes about Nikon cameras and software at the Learning Connection in Providence. E-mail him at dlogan@thegrid.net.

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PRIME SEASON

DON’T BE A ‘TAX-SEASON VICTIM’ SHERRI MAHONEYBATTLES

As an enrolled agent specializing in tax preparation for small business owners I often find myself meeting with new clients who use our session as an opportunity to expresses their disgust at what they interpret as their being victimized by the Internal Revenue Service.

It’s a sad and often-told story. “ I work, work, work and all they do is take, take, take. “ They will often ask, “Why should I bother to work at all? The more I make the more they take!” First let’s look at some of the ways that a taxpayer can be made to feel like a victim of the IRS. Most of these people share common traits.

CURING THAT HELPLESS FEELING First and foremost they feel powerless. They are also usually somewhat uninformed and uninvolved in their tax situation on a regular basis. Some taxpayers operate their business during the year with their head buried in the sand. Their bookkeeping method might mean throwing receipts into a box in a corner of a room or sweeping them off the floor of their truck every few months. They may have worked with preparers in the past who worked only from February to April advising clients to drop off their tax papers in February and pick them up in April with three checks: one for the federal government, one for the state government and one for the preparer. Another common feeling is that just when they start to feel their business is moving forward, a huge tax bill for which they were totally unprepared sabotages them. They believe that the government is totally at fault. Many of these taxpayers have gone all year long with the mentality that they would save whatever money was leftover

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to pay their taxes. The problem is that this money is usually spent long before tax time, and the taxpayer is left with a huge tax bill and the money to pay it long gone. Second, let’s find some ways to take control of your tax situation. The best way to avoid feeling victimized is to be armed with knowledge. Learn what your tax deductions are. Learn also what your filing requirements are and find a tax advisor that you trust who will keep you informed about deadlines and tax law changes. Ask your tax preparer to provide you with estimated tax payment vouchers so that you can pay the tax you owe as you earn it. This serves another purpose since the IRS will penalize you if you should have been making payments but did not.

‘BABY BEAR’ TAX ESTIMATES Consult with your preparer during the year for tax planning. Use this session to adjust your estimated payments accordingly. If your estimated payments are too high, you are needlessly lending your money to the IRS. However, if your estimated payments are too low, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise at tax time. Tax planning allows you to make beneficial decisions that could end up saving you thousands of dollars on your tax return. When you learn how you are being taxed you will learn how the business purchases that you make before the end of the year

can drastically reduce your tax bill. A large focus of my tax practice has been devoted towards educating taxpayers, helping them gain some insight as to how they are taxed, what their deductions are, and what steps they might take to legally reduce their tax bill at filing time. I most clearly remember the accountant who early in my practice told me to never let the clients learn too much about what we do. His philosophy, which he clearly stated to me, was that the more our clients learned, the less they would need us.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER I, in my own practice, have learned quite the opposite. The more I have educated my clients and other taxpayers the more I have developed long-lasting and trusting relationships. Clients call me with questions and we meet regularly to review their tax situation. Most importantly, I view each client’s tax situation as an opportunity to plan and inform.

TAX PREPARATION IS MORE THAN JUST THE FILING WE COMPLETE DURING TAX SEASON: IT’S THE PLANNING WE DO DURING THE YEAR Tax preparation is more than just the filing we complete during tax season: it’s the planning we do during the year that culminates in a successful filing during tax season. A successful tax filing can be defined as one in which the client does not feel like a victim. When a taxpayer is informed and prepared for the tax liability that results from the filing prior to the filing time and has had the opportunity to elect to make changes that would affect his liability prior to the end of the calendar year, he is no longer a victim. SHERRI M AHONEY-BATTLES, of Taxing Matters specializes in income tax preparation for small businesses and individuals. As an Enrolled Agent, licensed by the IRS, Sherri has been representing clients for over twenty-five years in cases of audit, collections, and appeals and does extensive work with non-filers. Visit her website at www.taxingmatters.com email Sherilyn@taxingmatters.com or call her at 508-636-9829.

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Fixing traffic nightmares ROUTES 44, 18, AND 28 CONVERGE ON THE MIDDLEBOROUGH CIRCLE NEXT TO I-495 TO CREATE SOUTHEASTERN M ASSACHUSETTS’ WORST TRAFFIC NIGHTMARE

BY STEPHEN C. SMITH

Sitting in traffic is one of life’s unavoidable irritations. We can respond with patience, cursing, or attempt an unknown shortcut, neither of which is likely to get us to our destination on time.

And when we encounter the same delays at the same locations day after day, we want to know, “Why don’t they fix this problem?” Transportation planners share the same frustrations and are in a position to do something about it. Unfortunately, the solutions never seem to come quickly or cheaply. Here are some of the region’s worst traffic nightmares and what’s being done (or not) to fix them.

PROJECTS UNDERWAY Fall River’s “Spaghetti Ramps” connecting Route 79 to I-195 and the Braga Bridge are a traffic nightmare that is truly scary (as in, “will these ramps collapse on me?”). The good news is that the problem is now

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being caused by the solution: detours and road closures. MassDOT has embarked on a three-year major construction project to remove the ramps and replace them with a more manageable (and safer) set of surface connectors. Best advice for the next three years? Find alternate routes. Fall River’s I-195 ramps at Plymouth Avenue are a safety and congestion problem that results when you dump interstate highway traffic directly onto busy city streets.

of the highway overpass, the bottleneck in this instance. But help is on the way. MassDOT will commence construction in the spring of 2014 to widen the overpass to six lanes and make ramp improvements. The area where Route 140 ends at Route 6 in New Bedford also suffers serious congestion, and MassDOT is proceeding with needed improvements to the intersection. These are scheduled to be undertaken in early 2014.

If there’s a silver lining here, it’s that the congestion has gotten worse as the economy has gotten better. To complicate matters, the nearby intersection of Plymouth and Rodman Streets is the region’s number-one crash location. Construction is underway to make turning lane modifications and upgrade each signalized intersection to add capacity. This may not be the ultimate silver bullet but it should help considerably. Planning on shopping at the Dartmouth Mall? Traffic at I-195 / Faunce Corner Road might make you reconsider. This is a problem that has gotten worse with new development occurring both north and south

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The segment of Route 6 between Hathaway and Faunce Corner Roads in Dartmouth suffers serious congestion that will be relieved with a relocation of the Tucker Road intersection to the east. The project is in design and funding is programmed for a future year.

PROJETS IN PLANNING STAGES The region’s worst problem is at the Middleborough Rotary, where Routes 44, 18 and 28 all converge. The backups during the morning commute can sometimes reach a mile in length. A local-state

SERVICES on the SOUTH COAST consensus seems to be emerging to build a “flyover” to relieve the problem, but construction is still several years away. Route 24 around Taunton and Raynham. If you commute from the South Coast on Route 24, you probably use all your curses when you arrive at the Route 140 / 24 interchange in the morning and I-495 on the afternoon return trip. The six-mile stretch of two-lane Route 24 between these two points simply cannot handle the volume, especially the southbound merge. Unfortunately, there is no immediate help on the horizon. South Coast Rail will remove autos from Route 24, so that will help when the time comes. A redesign to upgrade the 24 / 140 interchange is now being considered, and this will also help some, but the solution is complicated by the possible Wampanoag Casino. The permanent fix lies in widening those six miles from two lanes in each direction to three, a project long advocated by SRPEDD and included in the Regional Transportation Plan. It is not officially part of MassDOT’s plans, but it is under discussion.

DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge: this section of the Route 6 corridor is a big problem when the bridge opens for maritime traffic and the road is closed. Traffic backs up into New Bedford and Fairhaven. The current bridge also impedes development in the upper harbor. The long-term solution is a higher or relocated bridge. This project has not advanced beyond the talking stage, although it is part of SRPEDD’s Regional Transportation Plan. The historic Taunton Green also functions (very poorly) as a traffic circle, causing congestion many hours a day. The square does not work well as a circle. There are no easy solutions that maintain the historic nature of the area, so this problem is likely to remain congested for years to come. Congestion at President Avenue and North Main Street in Fall River has been exacerbated by a new middle school, but is scheduled to be addressed only when South Coast Rail and the nearby Davol Street station are built. If there’s a silver lining here, it’s that the congestion has gotten worse as the economy has gotten better. But that’s no excuse for inaction. We pledge to keep working to awaken you from any and all traffic nightmares. STEPHEN C. SMITH is the executive director of SRPEDD

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E XTRA! E XTRA!

IN BRIEF… ELIZ ABETH MORSE READ

Bundle up and hope for an early spring! Enough already of “The Big Chill,” frozen pipes, the flu season, black ice, and sky-high heating bills. Get ready for school vacation week, Mardi Gras and St. Patrick’s Day, then start looking for signs of spring in your garden!

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

Head for the 10-day-long 26th Annual Newport Winter Festival February 14 through 23. Call 401-847-7666 or go to www.newportevents.com/winterfest. A partnership between Peter Pan Bus Lines and the MA Department of Transportation will add a stop in Somerset to the new round-trip Providence-Fall River-Bos-

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ton route. Pater Pan has also expanded its Woods Hole-Falmouth-Bourne-Buzzards Bay-Wareham-Boston route. Can spring be far behind? Don’t miss the Rhode Island Flower and Garden Show February 20-23 at the RI Convention Center. Learn more at www.flowershow.com or call 401-253-0246.

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Then get a taste of spring during Daffodil Days April 1-27 at Blithewold Gardens in Bristol. Go to www.blithewold.or or call 401-253-2707. The casino compact between the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe and the state of Massachusetts has received final approval from the federal government, and is now in full effect.

The cable sports network ESPN has leased office space in the Cherry & Webb building in Fall River for the duration of Aaron Hernandez’ pre-trial appearances and trial across the street at the Fall River Superior Court. Massachusetts State Attorney General Martha Coakley recently filed suit in federal court to immediately remove fishing quotas on New England fisheries, which many feel are crippling the fishing industry. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has certified that the scallop fishing industry is “sustainable.” This will allow South Coast scallop companies to display the coveted blue MSC label on their products, which is required in many countries around the world.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

If you’re 62 or older, check out the trips sponsored by the New Bedford Senior Travel Program: there’s the Rhode Island Flower Show February 21; March 10 is Parker’s Maple Barn. Upcoming multi-day trips include Penobscot High Stakes Bingo April 4-6; Savannah GA and Charleston SC May 11-17. Call 508-991-6171. “Senior Scope” newspaper is offering a San Antonio TX Getaway May 11-15. Call 508-9791544.

STRANGE, BUT TRUE

A Berkley resident was arrested in Fall River for shooting a deer on the side of the road from inside his pickup truck while waiting at a traffic stop. (Quick thinking, dude!!) A minor (1.9) earthquake rattled the greater New Bedford area in January. In December, the South Coast was surprised by a rare invasion of juvenile Arctic snowy owls.

A SIGHT TO BEHOLD

Can spring be far behind? Don’t miss the Rhode Island Flower and Garden Show February 20-23 at the RI Convention Center. Learn more at www.flowershow.com or call 401-253-0246. Catch the action with The Harlem Globetrotters March 28-29 at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence. Go to www. dunkindonutscenter.com

SOUTH COAST STARS

or call 401-331-6700. Check out the Fort Taber-Fort Rodman Military Museum in New Bedford. Free, open daily. www.forttaber.org. Get a taste of spring during Daffodil Days April 1-27 at Blithewold Gardens in Bristol. Go to www.blithewold.or or call 401-253-2707.

FOOD! FEASTS! FESTIVALS!

Head for the 26th Annual Newport Winter Festival February 14 through 23. Call 401-847-7666 or go to www.newportevents.com/winterfest. Don’t miss the Mid-Winter Clam Boil February 15 at Redman’s Hall in Wareham. Call 508-291-0882 for more info. Dartmouth will celebrate its 350th birthday in 2014, and there’s a full schedule of activities and events. To get involved, go to www.dartmouth350.org, 350@town. dartmouth.ma.us, or call 508-984-1359. Wareham’s “Summer of Celebration” starting in June will be a six-week event marking the 200th anniversary of the British invasion, as well as the town’s 275th birthday.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Sharpen your ice skates and head for the Newport Skating Center at the Yachting Center. For info, call 401-846-3018 or visit www.skatenewport.com. Take everyone to Maple Sugaring Weekend at Coggeshall Farm in Bristol, February 22-23. Enjoy “Hearth Cooking Workshops,” with farm-to-table dinners every Saturday. Call 401-253-9062 or go to www.coggeshallfarm.org. There’s always something happenin’ at Tiverton Four Corners—the Winter 2014 Film Series starts this month, and The Little Compton Band plays at the Meetinghouse February 15. For details call 401-624-2600 or visit www.tivertonfourcorners.com. Enjoy free family entertainment at AHA! Night in New Bedford. The March 13 theme is “All Sewn Up.” April 10’s theme will be “Sustainable South Coast.” Go to www.ahanewbedford.org or call 508-996-8253.

Acushnet Firefighters Thomas Farland, Paul Frysinger and Adam Hebert were honored with citations for meritorious conduct at the state’s Firefighter of the Year ceremony, for their rescue of a woman from a burning building in 2012. When $500 worth of holiday food was stolen from the food pantry at St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Bedford, good folk stepped in to help, including the Massachusetts Bankers Association, which donated $2,500. At the recent 100th Lighting of the Green in Taunton, more than 1,000 Tauntonians gathered to create the world’s largest human Christmas tree, according to the Guinness World Record, beating Bangkok, Thailand’s previous record of 852 people. Xi Nan, an international graduate student at UMass-Dartmouth, suffers from cerebral palsy and relies on her scooter to get around. When her old scooter died in December, her UMD classmates rallied and raised enough money online in just a few days to buy her a new one. “My Brother’s Keeper” in Easton and Dartmouth is looking for volunteers and gently-used residential furniture for families in need. Free pick-up. Call 774-3054577 or visit www.MyBrothersKeeper.org.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Bundle up and go on a seal watch boat tour from Newport’s Long Wharf! Now through April. Go to www.savebay.org or call 401-324-6060. Find out what’s going on at New Bedford’s Buttonwood Park Zoo. Go to www. bpzoo.org or call 508-991-6178. The Westport Land Conservation Trust will host a series of free Wild Winter Talks at the library. On February 22, it’s “Wildlife in Your Backyard.” For info, call 508-6363643 or contact rmann@westportlandtrust.org. Enjoy the great outdoors at the Lloyd Center for the Environment in Dartmouth. Walk the trails, sign up for a canoe or kayak excursion, visit the Nature Center. Free admission. Visit www.lloydcenter.org.

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Paula Poundstone

BIZZ BUZZ

Providence Mandolin Orchestra

A new firm which designs unmanned aerial vehicles (aka “drones”) is moving into UMass-Dartmouth’s Advanced Technology Manufacturing Center in Fall River. The legendary Lees’ Market of Westport’s Central Village has been sold to Clements’ Marketplace of Portsmouth, another family-operated business. The Swansea Mall, the town’s largest taxpayer, is up for sale. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees the national school lunch program, has added dried cranberries, a major South Coast crop, to its official list of healthful ingredients. The Stop & Shop Distribution Center in Freetown has received town approval to build a 12,000 square-foot “clean energy processing facility” for unsold or outdated food materials that can’t be re-sold or donated. The product-recovery operation will create a clean, odorless gas that will produce electricity for the distribution center starting in 2015. Both Morton Hospital in Taunton and St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River have been recognized as a “Top Hospital” by the Leapfrog Group. Only nine hospitals in Massachusetts have been so recognized. According to “Bon Appetit” magazine, the Cloumage cheese made by Shy Brothers Farm in Westport is one of the “coolest cheeses” to watch in 2014. Congrats! Longtime South Coast pharmacy chain Sedell’s closed its last three stores in Carver, Assonet and Lakeville. Construction began in Wareham’s Tihonet Technology Park on a 1.4 megawatt solar energy project which will supply energy for the Plymouth Public Schools. The solar project will save the town of Plymouth up to $800,000 a year. After surviving the 2008 financial crisis, Taylor Cultured Seafood of Fairhaven is back with an expansion plan to triple the size of its oyster and bay scallop hatchery/ harvesting site off West Island. If approved, it would become the largest aquaculture farm on the East Coast and the largest producer of cultured bay scallops in the world.

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LISTEN TO THE MUSIC Chase away the winter blues! The Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River has a stunning line-up. There’s Red Molly February 21, Aztec Two Step February 22, Forever Young March 8, Jefferson Starship March 18, Paula Poundstone April 5, Leon Russell April 17. For a complete schedule, visit www. narrowscenter.com or call 508-3241926.

Follow the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra! They will perform Tchaikovsky’s “Pathetique” on March 22 at The VETS in Providence. Call 401248-7000 or go to www.riphil.org. Head for Common Fence Music in Portsmouth for performances by The Gnomes February 15, Peter Yarrow at Channing Church March 1, The Sweetback Sisters March 8, The Carper

The New Shanghai Circus March 1, Celtic Nights March 8, “The Giver” March 27, Tao: Phoenix Rising April 4, Jim Belushi April 6, Motionhouse April 19 – and more!. Call 508-994-2900 or visit www. zeiterion.org.

The proposed marijuana zoning bylaw has been sent to Fairhaven’s Town Committee. The old Lottery building could soon become a dispensary for medical marijuana.

“Angel on My Shoulder” is playing at the Newport Playhouse from February 20 to March 23. Go to www.newportplayhouse. com or call 401-848-7529.

Beginning next summer, Wareham will be an official stop on the Cape Flyer train from Boston to Cape Cod. A new platform will be built behind the old Getty station, and it will include a new GATRA bus stop. For info, go to www.capeflyer.com.

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE

It’s all happenin’ at the Z in New Bedford! Don’t miss 3 Doors Down on February 15, Catarina Avelar February 20, “Frederick Douglass” February 28,

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Head for the Providence Performing Arts Center to see the Festival Ballet’s performance of “Man of La Mancha” through February 16, “Peter and the Starcatcher” February 25-March 2, “A Bronx Tale” at the VETS March 1, Tony Bennett March 8, “Mamma Mia!” March 14-16, Flashdance March 25-30, Heart April 2, Kathy Griffin at the VETS April 13, We Will Rock You April 15-20. Call 401-421-2787 or go to www.ppacri.org. Don’t miss “Twelve Angry Men” at Your

The Rafters

Jefferson Starship

Tom Rush

Family April 5, Tom Rush April 26 -- and more. Call 401-683-5085 or visit www. commonfencemusic.org. Follow “Arts in the Village,” the classical concert series at Goff Memorial Hall in Rehoboth. The Providence Mandolin Orchestra will perform on February 22; March 22 will be “8 Strings & A Whistle.” For info, call 508-252-3031 or visit www. carpentermuseum.org.

Theatre in New Bedford March 20-30. Call 508-993-0772 or visit www.yourtheatre. org. “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” plays March 20-23 at Fall River’s Little Theatre. Go to www.littletheatre.net or call 508-676-1077. Check out Trinity Rep in Providence. “Intimate Apparel” plays through March 2, and “Oliver!” will be performed February 20 to March 30. Call 401-351-4243 or visit www.trinityrep.com. Bristol Community College Theatre Rep, in partnership with the BCC Portuguese Dept., will present a production of “Fire in the Sea,” a play adapted from the book “Saudades,” by Frances Dabney,” and translated by Professor Jose Costa of the Portuguese Department. The performances are at 7:30 p.m. February 27, 28 and March

Andrius Zlabys

Don’t miss the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra perform “A Feast of Three” on April 12 at the Zeiterion in New Bedford. Go to www.nbsymphony.org or www. zeiterion.org. The Sandywoods Center for the Arts in Tiverton will present Fellswater February 22, The Elderly Brothers March 21, Cantrip March 28, Lenny Solomon April 5, Furlong & Caron April 11, the Rafters April 19 –

1 at the Jackson Arts Center. Tickets are $12 for the public, $10 for BCC staff and faculty, and $6 for students and seniors.

SCHOOL DAZE

New superintendent of the New Bedford schools, Pia Durkin, has initiated a sweeping and highly controversial turnaround plan for the underperforming New Bedford High School, which would replace the entire administration and half the teaching staff. (Fasten your seatbelts…) UMass Dartmouth will be offering a completely-online MBA degree program, as well as an online MS in Computer Science program. Starting this fall, qualifying Wareham Middle School students will be able to take high school classes for credit. Bristol Community College has voted to

and more! Go to www.sandywoodsmusic. com or call 401-241-7349. “Concerts at the Point” in Westport will present The Boston Trio on February 23. On March 23, Andrius Zlabys and More Friends will perform. For details, visit www.concertsatthepoint.org or call 508636-0698.

arm the college’s Fall River campus police. The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center has awarded $70,000 to Bristol County Agriculture High School in Dighton towards the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment for its animal science program. The Massachusetts Maritime Academy has decided to arm campus police by 2015. This will be the eighth school in the ninecampus UMass system to equip its police force with firearms.

WHEN THE KIDDIES COME TO VISIT

Go for a walk at the Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro! There’s the Winter Zoocademy for kids February 17-21. Open daily, discounts for Attleboro residents. Go to www.capronparkzoo.com or call 774-2031840.

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CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE Check out the free crafts and activities for kids during February vacation week at the Whaling Museum in New Bedford! For info, go to www.whalingmuseum.org or call 508-997-0046. Head for Fall River’s indoor skating arena at FMC Ice Sports! Visit www.fmcicesports.com or call 508-679-3274. Get the kids out of the house -- join in the fun at the Easton Children’s Museum. Go to www.childrensmuseumineaston.org or call 508-230-3789. Take the kids to the February “Fun Farm” Vacation Program February 18-21 at the Soule Homestead in Middleboro. Call 508947-6744 or visit www.soulehomestead. org. Beat cabin fever! Check out the Children’s Museum of Greater Fall River. Go to www.cmgfr.org or call 508-672-0033. The Ocean Explorium in New Bedford is a great vacation-week destination, now offering Saturday afternoon programs in Spanish and Portuguese. To learn more,

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call 508-994-5400 or go to www.oceanexplorium.org.

$32,000 state grant to support college- and career-readiness programs.

When the kids get bored, find out what’s happening at the Providence Children’s Museum. Go to www.childrenmuseum.org or call 401-273-5437.

Fall River received a $2,500,000 state grant to restore and expand the Father Travassos Park in the Flint neighborhood.

Explore the Winter Wonder Days through February 28 at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence—call 401-7853510 or visit www.rwpz.org.

K A-CHING!!

An anonymous donor gave $1,140,000 to the Leduc Center for Civic Engagement at UMass Dartmouth, in honor of longtime activist Reverend Robert Lawrence, pastor emeritus of the First Congregational Church in Fall River.

The Southcoast Hospitals Group has donated $100,000 to the town of Wareham to support the purchase of new defibrillators for the Wareham EMS.

Wareham received a $165,000 state grant to repair and restore the Parker Mills Pond Dam, which supplies water for the area’s cranberry bogs.

BayCoast Bank has donated $100,000 to New Bedford’s Whaling Museum toward the construction of its new Education Center and Research Library.

The federal SAFER grant (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) of $12,270,000 will finance 63 New Bedford firefighter jobs that were in danger of being eliminated. It was the second-highest SAFER grant in the country.

For the second year in a row, an anonymous donor has given $25,000 to the Sippican School in Marion. Wareham Public Schools has received a

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Marion Antiques Auctions recently sold a rare first edition of “The Scarlet Letter” for more than $1,000.

Is this an early April Fool’s joke? BY MICHELLE D. BENESKI, ESQ

omedian Jerry Seinfeld said it best when he said, “there is nothing common about common sense.” I couldn’t agree more. In fact, common sense has almost become a super power! I would like to tell you about our client “Joe” and his dealings with MassHealth for his mom, “Rose.” Joe was his mom’s eligibility representative. I say “was” because she unfortunately passed away. Shortly after her passing, MassHealth sent both Joe and his now-deceased mother a denial notice of eligibility. What was the reason for the denial? Because she was dead, of course! I am sure the family was well aware of that fact. Clearly, Mass Health was aware of that fact, but still took the time, money and resources to send a deceased woman a notice of her ineligibility! Fortunately, Joe has a great sense of humor and took it in stride. All kidding aside, these types of actions are not funny and are rather frustrating. MassHealth is both illogical and unpredictable, making it very difficult for clients to file applications on their own. Even to seasoned professionals like an elder law attorney, MassHealth seems to create more work for themselves. More often than not, they request information that has already been submitted or making an applicant wait until the fair hearing is scheduled before changing a denial into an approval when the “missing” information was already submitted! So if you, or someone you know, are having difficulty dealing with the complexities of MassHealth, we can help! Although we can’t bring back your loved ones, we do have a red cape in the office that has the word “common sense” stitched on it. Just be sure to bring your patience and a sense of humor, and we will help you navigate through the process! This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific questions you should consult a qualified attorney. MICHELLE D. BENESKI is an Attorney at Surprenant & Beneski, P.C. For specific questions call her at 508-994-5200 or send an e-mail to mdb@nbelderlaw.com

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The myths of aging There are many misconceptions about growing older. I know because I am and harbor many misconceptions about the process myPAUL K ANDARIAN self. For one, I think I’m actually getting younger. With every passing year, I find my mental age hovering around age 12, and in fact going backwards more rapidly than ever, until I’m sure I’ll reach the point where I’m back in diapers and babbling incoherently. Oh, wait. That IS part of growing older. Okay, that’s not a misconception. But there are many others, and I am here to dispel those notions from information and experience gleaned from several decades on this earth trying to figure it all out and failing that, just making stuff up on the fly. 1. Our eyesight worsens as we get older This is false. Our eyesight isn’t getting worse, everything else is getting smaller. I make this observation based on what I actually see, not stuff I don’t, like scientists doing research (if I see a guy in white coat with a clipboard in a grocery store watching old people trying to read food labels, maybe I’ll change my mind). No, I base this on seeing (and occasionally being) an older person squinting at a menu or the information on a pill bottle as they hold it either a millimeter from their eyes or at arm’s length and grumbling “When did they start printing this stuff so damn small?” Answer: When you started getting older. It’s a conspiracy, I tell you, a conspiracy. 2. Old people believe in conspiracies This is true. If nothing else makes sense, if you can’t make neither hide nor hair out of something, and think it’s just plain balderdash and takes the cake or any other expression old people use, it’s a conspiracy.

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Those damn young people in pants hanging down around their butt cracks crossing the street at the speed of a sloth? A conspiracy to make you look like you’re going too slowly. Your mailman not delivering your pension check on time or those mailorder stretch slacks that you wear snuggled up just under your sagging man-boobs? A conspiracy to keep you poor and make you look like a homeless person. The latest polar vortex that makes you crank the heat past your usual 85 degrees or heat wave that makes you put your airconditioning just below it? The conspiracy of global warming fostered by the evil left to make you spend all your money on energy costs which benefits the evil right power companies, so now you’re really confused. Years ago, when my late father was well into his grumpy old-man years, we were watching TV one day and they mentioned something about a hurricane headed toward America that had spun into life off the coast of Africa. My dad shook his head and grumbled “Africa,” with a look that suggested someone just sprinkled sand in his corn flakes. I was about to ask him what he meant by that but realized to him, it was a conspiracy by Africa to send us killer storms to wipe us out so they could take over. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of that myself, but then again I wasn’t his age then. I’m approaching it now and suspect that soon, I’ll start looking at Africa in a whole new way. 3. Old people are always angry No, no, no, this is simply not true! Old people, as they age, get all wrinkly and their faces often pucker into shapes that look like a pumpkin left out on the stoop for so long, the carved face collapses into a grotesque visage of anger. They are not angry, they are all warm and cuddly on the inside! Unless you cross the street in front of them too slowly or give them a menu

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that is purposely so small it would take a microscope to read it. Then all bets are off, at which point you’ll find out why: 4. Old people are dangerous This is true. And not just because of the way they drive, all scrunched down so low they can barely see through the wheel, which isn’t their fault anyway, it’s the damn car manufacturers making the damn seats so low these days (see: Conspiracy theory). And not because they’re physically dangerous, though those wheeled walkers can make very effective ramming devices in crowded supermarket aisles where senior citizens gather and do the telescopic-arm thing back and forth trying to read labels. No, they’re dangerous because if you cross them, you will get a lecture, a very long boring lecture, about respecting your elders and how when they were young and didn’t respect their elders they were taken to the woodshed and a hickory switch was taken to their bottoms, neither of which exist today but still make handy lecture fodder. 5. Old people are rich repositories of experience and stories and should be listened to I’ll go out on a rare serious limb here and say this is dead-on true. I wish I’d listened more intently to my parents’ and grandparents’ stories and fastened them to my memory to pass along to my children and grandchildren. Whether they want to hear them or not. Which they do not. But will long after I’m gone. So listen to us now, kids. We have lots to say. When we’re not complaining about Africa, global warming and small print. Do not make me get out the hickory switch. You’ve been warned. PAUL KANDARIAN is a lifelong area resident and has been a professional writer since 1982, as columnist, contributor in national magazines, websites and other publications.

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Asthma Chronic Bronchitis/COPD/Emphysema Chronic Cough Respiratory Infections, including Pneumonia Sleep Apnea Pulmonary Function Testing

Pulmonary/Critical Care Division 508-679-4239

The Melcor Building, 191 Bedford Street ★ Fall River

Low-dose CT Lung Cancer Screening

www.prima-care.com

T O A DV E R T I SE I N S OU T H C OA S T PR I M E T I M E S C A L L 50 8 - 677-30 0 0

Local banking that goes where you go... eChoice Checking With e-Statement enrollment and at least one posted direct deposit during the statement period, we will waive the monthly service charge, all foreign ATM fees, and rebate ATM surcharges up to $15. • FREE Bill Pay • FREE Mobile Banking

• Rebated ATM Fees • FREE Internet Banking • FREE eStatements

1-888-MECHANICS (632-4264) www.Mechanics-Coop.com S

26th Annual

Greater New Bedford

HOME SHOW MARCH 8-9, 2014

Photo provided courtesy of Aaron Pools & Spas

Saturday March 8th & Sunday March 9th 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Greater New Bedford Regional Voc-Tech, 1121 Ashley Blvd., New Bedford, MA Find the answers to all your home, health & wellness, gardening and decor questions. Shop, compare and save at the Greater New Bedford Home Show. For more information on the show, call 508-999-5231 ext. 26 or visit www.newbedfordchamber.com. Sponsored by: 26th Annual

Greater New Bedford

HOME SHOW

$2.00 off admission

MARCH 8-9, 2014 regular price: $5.00

Greater New Bedford Regional Voc-Tech High School 1121 Ashley Boulevard New Bedford, MA 02745 www.newbedfordchamber.com

508-999-5231

Saturday, March 8th & Sunday, March 9th 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. One coupon per attendee. Not for Sale. Valid 3/8/14 & 3/9/14. Not valid with any other offer.

Your parents want to stay in the place they call home. We can help. Whether you are looking for someone to help an aging parent a few hours a week, or need more comprehensive assistance, Home Instead can help.

To you, it’s about making the right choice. To us, it’s personal.

• Companionship • Light Housekeeping . • Meal Preparation • Medication Reminders • Personal Care • Shopping and Errands • Incidental Transportation

Call for a free, no-obligation appointment

HomeInstead.com/673

T O A DV E R T I SE I N S OU T H C OA S T PR I M E T I M E S C A L L 50 8 - 677-30 0 0

Awards matter when they help people. Great care is important to you. We’re proud to be nationally recognized for it by Healthgrades®. This year, we received awards across 20 areas of care including heart, stroke, bariatric and prostate surgery. And we’ve been ranked among the Top 10% in the nation for Cardiac Care every year in a row from 2007 to 2014. To find a physician or learn more, visit Southcoast.org/AwardsMatter.

Charlton • St. Luke’s • Tobey

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12/19/13 9:42 AM

Clifton

ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY

The fireplace in the Library at the “Inn” at Clifton is just one of the places our residents stay warm during our cold New England winters.......

Winter at the “Inn”....... Brrrrrr.......Winter is here!! The winter season is upon us and snow is here in South Coast New England. Here at the “Inn” at Clifton we deal with the challenges brought on by severe winter weather. We do all of the shoveling. We clean off the frozen windows of your car. Your mail and newspapers are delivered inside. We face the bitter cold outside…while our residents can sit around the fireplaces in the Dining Room, the Parlor and the Library. With family, good friends, a cup of Hot Cider, Cocoa or Coffee, they can capture the special cozy, warm feeling that is unique to the traditional inns of New England.

Corporate vs. Family....... There is a corporate model of healthcare and there is a more traditional family model of care. “Clifton” is a fourth generation local family organization that, since 1954, has been providing the highest quality of healthcare services to your community which is also our community.

CLIFTON HEALTHCARE CAMPUS

CLIFTON ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY 444 Wilbur Avenue, Somerset, MA, 02725 508-324-0200

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Proud to be celebrating over 50 years of dedication to excellence.