Fifty Plus Advocate March 2021

fiftyplus advocate

FREE | Published monthly

Central Edition | Vol. 47 | No. 3 | March 2021

Rev. Lee Atherton Marlborough-based End-ofLife Coach Driven by Faith

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tom caron Boston broadcaster relishes role sharing sports with rural, suburban New England fans Story on page 10

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AARP analysis shows rate of COVID-19 deaths and cases in nursing homes increased in three months

By Mike Festa, State Director AARP Massachusetts

T

WE MAY BE APART, BUT WE'RE NOT ALONE SOMEONE WHO CARES IS JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY. If you or someone you love is feeling isolated or anxious in these challenging times, a friendly phone call may help. That's why we created the AARP Friendly Voice program—a trained, caring group of volunteers standing by ready to chat, listen, or just say hello.

It's easy. Request a call by dialing AARP at 1-888-281-0145 for English or 1-888-497-4108 for Spanish, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. local time.

he latest release of AARP’s Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard depicts a worsening crisis from coast to coast, including Massachusetts. In the fourweek period ending Dec. 20, 47.6% of nursing homes in the Bay State reported residents with confirmed cases of coronavirus, and 84.8% with at least one staff member diagnosed.

In Massachusetts, the rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths in nursing homes have increased. Since the start of the pandemic, nearly 95 percent of the deaths from COVID-19 have been among people 50 and older. Nursing home deaths account for 35% of all COVID-related deaths in the Bay State.

From Nov. 23 to Dec. 20, Massachusetts nursing homes had: • 5.7 new COVID-19 cases per 100 residents, up from 4.9 Mike Festa in the previous four-week period • 1.0 COVID-19 deaths per 100 residents, up from .59 • 5.4 new staff COVID-19 cases per 100 residents, up from 4.8 Shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) have declined slightly over the same period, from 12% of nursing homes without a one-week supply in December to 8.2% in January. Meanwhile, staffing shortages remain a concern, with 6.5% of facilities reporting a shortage in the most recent dashboard, and little change going back to June 2020.

Almost a year into the pandemic, nursing home residents and staff remain trapped in a petri dish, nearly defenseless against coronavirus. While vaccines will not make nursing home residents safe overnight, this dashboard underscores the urgency of vaccinating residents and staff as quickly as possible. Also, given that nearly every nursing home reported staff infections and resident cases, it is alarming that so many facilities still do not have adequate PPE. The continuing coronavirus crisis in nursing homes also spotlights the life-anddeath need for fundamental reforms, now. For years, the nursing home industry in Massachusetts has struggled with poor infection control, understaffing, and quality care issues.

AARP continues to urge elected officials to act immediately, focusing this year on: • Enacting or making permanent the components of AARP’s five-point plan: – Prioritizing regular and ongoing testing and adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for residents and staff—as well as inspectors and any visitors.

– Improving transparency focused on daily, public reporting of cases and deaths in facilities; communication with families about discharges and transfers; and accountability for state and federal funding that goes to facilities.

– Ensuring access to in-person visitation following federal and state guidelines for safety, and require continued access to virtual visitation for all residents.

– Ensuring quality care for residents through adequate staffing, oversight, and access to in-person formal advocates, called long-term care Ombudsmen.

– Rejecting immunity for long-term care facilities related to COVID-19.

• Establishing minimum nursing staffing standards • Ensuring progress is made so that in-person visitation can safely occur and facilitating virtual visitation • Creating a pathway for single occupancy rooms in nursing homes The AARP COVID-19 Nursing Home Dashboard analyzes federally reported data in four-week periods going back to June 1, 2020. Earlier this year, AARP fought for public reporting of nursing home COVID-19 cases and deaths. Using this data, the AARP Public Policy Institute, in collaboration with the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University in Ohio, created the dashboard to provide snapshots of the virus’ infiltration into nursing homes and impact on nursing home residents and staff, with the goal of identifying specific areas of concern at the national and state levels in a timely manner.

The full COVID-19 Nursing Home Dashboard is available at www.aarp.org/ nursinghomedashboard. For more information on how COVID is impacting nursing homes and AARP’s advocacy on this issue, visit www.aarp.org/nursinghomes.

Mike Festa is the State Director for AARP Massachusetts. For more articles visit www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.

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Dr. Todd Ellerin

Infectious disease specialist offers insights into pandemic

By Bonnie Adams Managing Editor SOUTH WEYMOUTH – As a physician specializing in infectious diseases, Dr. Todd Ellerin has worked with patients who have had a range of illnesses from HIV/AIDS, Lyme disease, and hospital acquired infections, among many others. Now as the coronavirus ravages the country, he has become a go-to expert on the pandemic, offering his measured, science-backed insights and commentary on local and national news programs.

A calling to concentrate in infectious diseases Ellerin, who grew up in Lynnfield, admits he did not always want to be a doctor, in spite of the fact that his father was one.

“He was a dermatologist who did cosmetic surgery, and was really visionary in that field,” Ellerin said.

“He was inspirational to me.”

But after Ellerin attended Tufts

Dr. Todd Ellerin

University as an undergrad, he took some time off and then decided to attend the university’s Medical School, graduating in 1998. He then did three years of residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

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“It was incredible,” he said of his experience there.

“The training was second to none.”

Working with many HIV/AIDS patients in East Baltimore convinced him that he wanted to concentrate his practice in infectious diseases.

After Johns Hopkins, he did fellowships at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. For the past 18 years he has served as the director of infectious diseases and now also serves as vice chairman of the department of medicine at South Shore Health in South Weymouth. There he treats patients with a host of bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic conditions.

He is also an associate physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School, and does clinical research as well. And he is currently a principal investigator in the phase 3 clinical trial of a novel COVID-19 therapeutic.

During the pandemic Ellerin has served as a medical contributor for ABC News, appearing regularly on WCVB in Boston as well as national newscasts.

When he is able to take time away from his practice and media appearances, Ellerin enjoys spending time with his two children, Ruby, 15, and Brett, 12.

“I enjoy being with them and forgetting about COVID for a while,” he said. “That’s huge, just getting to be their dad. Love those kids!”

‘An unbelievable vaccine’ In January, Ellerin received the second of his two COVID-19 vaccines.

“The first shot I had zero side effects, the second just mild, maybe a 3 out of 10,” he said.

“It is really unbelievable,” he said of the vaccine’s efficacy. “No one was ever thinking it would be over 94%.”

For those who are hesitant to receive it he notes that “over 40,000 volunteers were enrolled in trials. And millions more have received it since it was approved. Very few people have received any significant side effects.”

That being said, he does remind people that while you might feel more comfortable once you receive the vaccine, it may not prevent the transmission of the virus; therefore standard safety protocols should still be followed.

He cautions that not all masks are created equal. Most 3 ply masks (such as the common blue surgical ones) are fine. Those with more compromised health issues should consider an N95 or KN95 mask.

“A single layer cloth mask is not good enough anymore, unless you put a filter in the pocket of it,” he added, “or you should consider wearing it over a disposable one.”

Concern regarding variants Another concern in the fight against the coronavirus is the emerging spread of different strains of the virus, such as the so-called UK, Brazil, and South Africa variants.

“We are in the early stages of seeing whether or not the vaccine will be effective against some of these variants,” he said. “These variants may not necessarily in themselves be more deadly than the original strain, but because they are more contagious, that will increase the number of cases.”

And that, he added, may increase the number of hospitalizations and deaths.

While the rollout of vaccines being administered in Massachusetts has been slower than many other states, Ellerin is hopeful that the Biden administration will accelerate the production of the vaccines and that staffing will increase so that more Americans can get vaccinated.

He is also hopeful that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which will only require one dose and does not require a freezer, will receive emergency authorization from the FDA in February.

“That would be a huge game changer given our current logistical challenges,” he said.

Preparing for possible future pandemics “History does help us prepare for emerging infections,” he said. “But the US was not prepared for this; a number of other countries were better prepared than we were.”

“We need to learn from this and have domestic readiness such as PPE, testing and other equipment.

We cannot rely on other countries,” he added.

“And the only way we will get through this is working together.”

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Conway Campbell Ed.D.

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Helping Worcester’s Assumption University’s students focus on success

By Jane Keller Gordon Assistant Editor

C

onway Campbell Ed.D. knows the value of education. Immigrating here from Jamaica when he was 14, he entered the 10th grade in Bridgeport, Conn. He followed a path towards his own education thanks to a caring teacher and a guidance counselor. Now he works at Assumption University as the vice president for student success, something that he knows a lot about.

His journey “I went to a big inner-city high school that did not do a lot of college-prep. Like many students there, I wanted to go to trade school. Actually, I wanted to be an auto mechanic like my favorite uncle. My math teacher Mr. Markle asked me if I had ever thought about attending college. When I said I ‘d give it a try, he connected me with Mr. Johnson, a guidance counselor who was also a Black male.

Because of that experience, I know what it means to face barriers,” said Campbell.

The mentorship of Mr. Markle and Mr. Johnson led Campbell to a successful run at the University of Connecticut. In his second year, he became a resident assistant, which covered room and board.

“I was always struggling to pay the bill. I understand what students go through,” he said.

Campbell went on to earn a Master of Edu-

Conway Campbell

cation from University of Massachusetts at Lowell (UMass Lowell), and an Ed.D from Regis College in May 2019.

Prior to joining Assumption in 2013 — first as dean of campus life, then dean of students, now his current position — Campbell held several positions relating to resident life at Bentley University, UMass Lowell, and Connecticut College. At UMass Lowell, he was also involved with new student orientation programs.

Assumption is a small liberal arts college with graduate programs that became a university in June 2020. According to Campbell, about 80% of the student body is Catholic and about 20% are Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC).

Finding a calling and purpose “Twenty-years ago colleges mostly focused on granting access to as many students as possible.

Now we are mainly focused on success. Student Success as a campus division is one of the fastest growing segments in higher education today,” said Campbell.

“We focus on retention, persistence, graduation, and employability. But more importantly, we want our students to find their calling and purpose in life by the time they leave Assumption,” he added.

There are a variety of programs designed to enCampbell | 19

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“Boiler Plate” wills you get online.

Americans aged 55+ are at the greatest risk for serious complications and death from COVID-19. The mistake of using cheap or free online legal forms can cost your family thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars and much more in terms of aggravation. (See our blog at DSullivan.com for more information.)

Estate and life planning is always essential but in the midst of a pandemic, it is mandatory!

COVID-19 has taken much from us all. Don’t let a lack of planning jeopardize the financial future of your family and loved ones.

Remember, a will is only effective when you die. You need to be protected while you are alive, not only from COVID-19, but just as importantly, in the event of disability which is six times more likely than death itself.

Yes, there is a light shining at the end of the long, arduous COVID-19 tunnel. Let us all be safe and well protected together on our journeys.

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From admissions director to school founder

By Elizabeth Rose Contributing Writer HAMILTON - Like many magical tales, this one begins with a child.

Christine Ozahowski had three daughters. Over 20 years ago they attended a beloved elementary school where Ozahowski was the Director of Admission.

“What I loved about the school was that it valued the whole child, the child’s well-being, the out of doors, community and the infusion of music and art in their school life,” she said.

The older daughters did well at school, but her youngest wasn’t learning. She complained of stomach aches and many days she begged off from school.

“By third grade it became clear my youngest child was learning differently.

I had her evaluated and found out she had learning difficulties that made the instruction in that school not appropriate for her or other kids with learning disabilities,” said Ozahowski.

Searching leads to a new personal direction Ozahowski began a quest for a school that could educate her young-

Christine Ozahowski

est daughter. During her search for the right school, she transitioned in her own career to a school where the curriculum was designed specifically for kids with learning challenges and disabilities. While there, she travelled and visited more than 100 schools across the country.

“I began to dream of starting a school,” she recalled.

Windham Woods middle school student in the school garden.

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www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + MARCH 2021 + fiftyplus advocate And at age 60, she decided she wanted to study for a master’s degree.

Many of her friends and associates were skeptical.

“They said, ‘Why go to school now? You’re already a success in your field.’ But I had this strong feeling I wasn’t finished yet. I had more to do in life and I wanted to learn more.”

Despite resistance, she pursued a degree in Educational Counseling at Burlington College in Vermont, writing her thesis about “resilient students”

or those with significant learning challenges who achieved personal growth beyond their predicted capacities.

A dream is realized Ozahowski dreamed of a school where students were excited to attend every morning, and every child had the opportunity to learn by meeting their learning challenges in ways that would help them thrive.

“What if I could just start an excellent school? I shared my dream of starting a school with friends and people I was meeting for the first time.”

One day, she unwittingly shared her dream with the head of an educational foundation.

This eventually led to an offer to a small group of educators to start a new school.

“We were fortunate to encounter someone who had an extraordinary 250-acre property, three miles of trails, and a gorgeous 20,000 square foot green energy building. For me, that opportunity arose out of having a vision and articulating it. It was a 20-year vision,” said Ozahowski.

In July 2019, Ozahowski, as one of a group of five founders, began a new job as the DirecWindham Woods upper school student tor of Admissions of Windworks on an essay.

ham Woods School, a school for students with learning challenges. They began with 48 students and 17 faculty and staff in September 2019. The school has grown so quickly that an addition was added in the spring of 2020 and the school is now on its way to enrolling 110 students.

Like many magical tales, this one ends with children. Ozahowski enjoys sharing stories about the students at Windham Woods Ryder is joyful at the Windham Woods School.

School as well as their growth.

One example is the school steps that first day. His Ryder, a student who was not thrivmother captured the image in a phoing in school and needed a differto and sent it to Ozahowski. When he ent approach to learning. During the was asked recently what he liked about summer of 2020 he toured Windham the school, he said, “I know how to Woods School with his parents. He learn here.” arrived reluctant to leave his parents’ “Take the next step and do the car. An hour later, Ozahowski acceptnext possible thing that allows you to ed him. feel passionate about your life. Believe “If you want to come to Windham in yourself at any age,” Ozahowski said.

Woods School, we would love to have To learn more about the Windyou!” she told him. ham Woods School visit https://www.

He jumped with joy, leaping off windhamwoodsschool.org/

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Fifty Plus Advocate accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or materials and does not return them to sender. Retractions for any inaccuracies will be printed when necessary.

Unsolicited letters to the editor become the property of this newspaper and can be reprinted in part or in whole unless otherwise stated. Fifty Plus Advocate columnists writing under a byline are expressing their personal opinions and not necessarily those of the newspaper.

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Marlborough-based End-of-Life Coach Rev. Lee Atherton: Driven by Faith M A R L BO RO UGH –

By Deborah Burke Henderson, Contributing Writer

R

everend Lee Atherton is a professional officiant and life coach.

She offers highly personalized services for anyone facing one of life’s momentous transitions.

Inclusive and welcoming, Atherton believes that no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome.

An ordained minister and former hospice chaplain, she founded CoachRev@The CrossRoads nearly a decade ago to help others navigate and honor life’s transitions and milestones — meeting them at whatever crossroad in their lives.

Helping people live their dying As a trained end-of-life coach, Atherton “helps people live their dying, make decisions and choices that honor their unique values and beliefs, and navigate the white waters of grief with hope and grace.”

Atherton remarks that her work is tremendously fulfilling. She calls it powerful. Amazing.

“It is such an incredible honor to be invited into someone’s end-of-life journey,” she added. “It is hard to put

Workshops on the ‘Five Wishes’ Atherton also conducts workshops centered on the “Five Wishes” advanced medical directives and offers customized retreats, workshops, and

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ton last fall to visiting hours for a 21-year-old woman who had taken her life. There were people so shocked by this young woman’s passing they couldn’t speak or intermingle.

“Shadow senses anxiety and stress. He sat next to several guests and put his head on their laps. He helped them relax. They opened up to him about how they were feeling.

That’s what I call a ‘God incident,’ when something bigger is at work.”

words around the experience.”

She coaches those grieving both in-person and online. Her monthly online newsletter “Stepping Stones” and daily emails (under the header “Tossed Pebbles”) offer messages of comfort, encouragement, and thoughtful reflection.

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“It is so important to make these critical decisions in the living room, not the hospital room,” Atherton said.

Service dog Shadow — an integral partner Atherton’s Black Lab service dog, Shadow, is an integral partner in the CoachRev team, helping others in desperate need.

Shadow accompanied Ather-

Atherton as Fire Chaplain In her “spare” time, Atherton volunteers as chaplain for the Hudson and Littleton Fire Departments, is a member of the Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains and serves on a Critical Incident Stress Management Crisis (CISM) team. CISM teams throughout the state and the country respond to first responders who have experienced a crisis.

Certified as a CISM response dog and an instrumental partner in the CoachRev team, Shadow is also present, helping firefighters and other first responders, as well as other individuals and family members touched by tragedy.

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It’s never been more important or easier to create or update your estate plan Estate plan | from page 5

your family?

The most important phone call you can make today is to call our discovery line at 800-964-4295 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) or 781237-2815 weekdays to register for your personalized review and counselling session. You can also register online at DSullivan.com. Due to the COVID-19 emergency we are doing our best as essential service providers to help those who qualify by understanding how much they can and should do for their family now.

Book a free online discovery session with us today. You’ll see how easy and feasible it is now to protect your family, home, legacy, and life savings. You and your family will benefit from the peace of mind of knowing you have done everything you can to protect yourself and your loved ones for generations. Call now 800964-4295 or register for a free meeting at www.DSullivan.com.

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Rev. Lee | from page 8

Methods of self-care “Staying grounded has a lot to do with family and the outdoor world,” Atherton said, adding, “I love gardening, growing things, and watching the koi in my fishpond.

She advises others, “Take care of you in the midst of it all. Be aware of how you feel and what you need.

Don’t be afraid to step back. Pause when you need that moment of stillness. Do things for yourself that will help keep your emotional well from running dry.”

Shadow would probably add, if they haven’t already done so, discover the unconditional love of a pet.

To learn more about Lee Atherton and CoachRev @The CrossRoads, visit www.CoachRev.com or email Lee@CoachRev.com.

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10 •

fiftyplus advocate + MARCH 2021 + www.fiftyplusadvocate.com

tom caron

Boston broadcaster relishes role sharing sports with rural, suburban New England fans B OSTON –

By Dakota Antelman, Contributing Writer

B

oston sports anchor Tom Caron speaks fondly of his now longtime employers at the New England Sports Network (NESN).

That’s because, to him, they aren’t just a TV station, but, rather, a lifeline to die-hard working-class Boston sports fans too far from the city to regularly see games in person.

“It’s a very unique region because there are not really other places like this where you have five and a half states all rooting for the same teams,” he said of the broader New England sports scene in a recent interview.

“That’s really cool.”

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Caron | 11

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Tom Caron (left) sits with broadcasters and retired baseball stars Jim Rice (center) and Steve Lyons (right).

Roots as a New England sports fan in Maine Caron grew up in Lewiston, Maine. A small city, Lewiston sits roughly halfway between Portland and the state capital of Augusta. The community is set back from the coast but remains closely connected to the old shipbuilding hub that is the town of Bath.

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www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + MARCH 2021 + fiftyplus advocate who played his entire career with the Red Sox, calls Caron throughout each winter to compare notes on new crops of baseball talent.

Then there’s Eckersley, another Hall of Fame player who pitched his way into baseball history through the 1980s and 90s as one of the most successful relief pitchers to ever take the mound.

These relationships, Caron says, pass on content to viewers.

“That’s what makes the show work,” he said. “It’s the reporter and the fan dynamic [between me and those guys.] A lot of times, they’re so in the weeds in breaking things down from their experience as a pitcher or hitter, I’m the one trying to keep it focused on what people are going to talk about tomorrow morning.”

Tom Caron (right) poses for a selfie with Rex Sox veterans Jerry Remy (left) and Pedro Martinez (center).

Tom Caron poses for a selfie with Red Sox star David Ortiz at a charity golf tournament

Caron | from page 10

War II veteran who worked in one of those shipyards and came home nightly to a house seemingly transplanted from downtown 1980s Boston.

“He was a huge sports fan, and we all grew up in my household with the Red Sox on [TV] every night and football games on [TV on] the weekend,” Caron said of his father. “It was really cool growing up in that environment.”

As much time as they spent watching games, though, Caron says it wasn’t always easy to follow Boston sports on a day to day basis, especially before NESN launched.

Even today, furthermore, Caron says he sees a stark difference in the availability of TV news coverage of Boston teams outside of the 495 corridor, compared to the coverage seen within the immediate Boston metro area.

That, again, is where NESN comes in.

NESN, then and now Caron graduated from college and then spent a few years bounc-

ing between TV stations in New York, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. He covered minor leagues across all his reporting gigs. In New York, he often then headed south to also cover more obscure sports like luge at the old Lake Placid Olympic Park. For a time, finally, he headed north to broadcast Montreal Expos baseball back to American audiences.

In 1996, though, he finally landed a job in Boston, joining the then upstart NESN team just over 11 years after that company’s founding.

At the time, the station had just over 40 employees and still worked out of a converted parking garage near Fenway Park. This was Caron’s dream come true.

“I was going to Fenway Park every day to work,” he said. “I’d think, ‘The fact that I’m sitting here doing pregame and postgame shows with Jim Rice or Dennis Eckersley...how cool is that?’”

A lifelong fan, Caron says he remains blown away by his vaulted place in the Boston sports world.

Rice, a Hall of Fame slugger

Sharing love of all sports with fans across New England Now 40 years removed from those childhood days back in Maine, Tom Caron relishes his chance to share Boston sports with people across New England.

He praises NESN leadership and touts his own network as one of the premier regional sports channels in the country.

Likewise, he’s looking forward to the future.

Caron enjoys covering college

• 11

hockey, serving as a play-by-play announcer for the Beanpot tournament each spring.

Saturated with big league success, he says, Boston often ignores those college teams.

“I love helping shine a light on those teams and sports that don’t get enough attention,” he said.

As colleges push forward, bigleague teams, he acknowledged, do have work to do following disappointing performances in pandemic shortened seasons this year.

Finally, though, he says he’s also looking south to Gillette Stadium and the New England Revolution.

Long a supporter of professional soccer in New England, Caron says he’s excited to see New England’s major league team suddenly in contention for a league title that could offer new fame in a sports market that has historically ignored them.

“Over the last five or seven years, Major League Soccer (MLS) has really found its footing here in the US,” he said.

The ongoing pandemic means many things are uncertain. But having had his part in nearly three decades of local media and sports histories alike, Caron says he’s grateful for it all.

“It’s just been amazing to be along for the ride,” he explains.

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12 •

Explore Historic New England’s website

By Jane Keller Gordon Assistant Editor

REGION - For more than a century, Historic New England — founded in 1910 as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities — has preserved stone walls, thousands of artifacts, and beautiful properties located in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. During COVID-19, the organization has altered its protocols to provide socially distant access to a limited number of its 37 properties and 1,284 acres. In addition, its website has become a virtual online historical mecca for its 9,000 plus members and other visitors. cepts Vin Cipolla, the organization’s Group new president and CEO, said, “This past year was a testament to the New England spirit of innovation and vised adaptability, and to our shared commitment to celebrating what makes this region special. We are connecting with our audiences in different ways, and their passion for preservation, conservation, and storytelling has been shining through.”

Jennifer Kent, vice president for advancement at Historic New En-

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Scan this QR code to access the Historic New England website.

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gland added, “… We found a tremendous ability to adapt. Our audiences are engaging in online conversations with authors and historians about immigration, racial injustice, the fight for women’s suffrage, and LGBTQ history. They are heading outside

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to experience historic landscapes, wearing masks and joining socially distanced tours. They are contributing photos and stories to ‘A Time to Remember,’ our project that documents life in New England during the COVID-19 pandemic and our national reckoning on race.”

Here are some highlights from Historic New England’s website: VISIT: HOMES, FARMS & LANDSCAPES Historic New England continues to welcome pre-registered visitors to three of its 22 historic sites properties in Massachusetts that are open year-round: the Eustis Estate in Milton, Gropius House in Lincoln, and the Lyman Estate Greenhouses in Waltham. Most of the open spaces and landscapes in Massachusetts remain open to the public from dawn to dusk, including the Codman Estate in Lincoln, Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm in Newbury, and Cogswell’s Grant in Essex. The website provides information and photos on these

properties.

EXPLORE: COLLECTIONS The Collections database features architecture, art, books and periodicals, clothing and accessories, decorative arts, furniture, jewelry, ephemera, photography, textiles, manuscripts, and wallpaper.

EXPLORE: EVERYONE’S HISTORY According to Kent, “This awardwinning series of documentary films, exhibitions, books, and public programs developed over the past ten years tells diverse stories of life in New England from the twentieth century and beyond.”

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We are family

Explore Historic New England’s website Historic | from page 12

By Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. Executive Director, Colony Retirement Homes In the famous song from 1979, the pop disco group Sister Sledge sing:

“All of the people around us they say Can their symptoms be that close?

Just let me write down a record So my doctor will know the dose!

We are family I’ve got my history with me!”

Ok, so no, they did not actually sing this, but maybe they should have, and I have recently learned why.

One evening after dinner, I developed a severe stomachache. A quick check with Dr. Google and it seemed I may have been suffering from a gallbladder attack. I texted my brothers to see if either had experienced this before, neither had, but one remembered that gallbladder issues ran in the extended family.

I posted to our family’s Facebook page, and sure enough, five aunts and three cousins had had their gallbladders removed. When I finally spoke to my doctor, I was able to give a comprehensive family history. While this may not have swayed my doctor’s diagnosis, it could not have hurt. And in fact, if I had to go to the emergency room to be treated where every second counts, it may have helped.

You are probably used to doctors asking you about your family history. Most of us realize that some illnesses can have a genetic component and it is important to write down your own health issues (for an emergency) but also those of your family members as it may help doctors figure out what is going on with you.

Such documentation does not just help you. Since my audience tends to be elderly, I am writing this article to convince you to write down your history for the benefit of your family. This gallbladder attack was the first time I had had a medical issue and did not have my mother to rely on. My mother was the note taker and the family historian.

Granted, I had Google and Facebook, but she may have had even more information for me that might have been helpful. I urge my readers to write down their own diagnoses and treatments for the next generation.

The exact format does not matter, but if it is easier for you to fill something in rather than write it out yourself, the Centers for Disease Control offers an easy to follow format at www.phgkb.cdc.gov and then scroll down on the left hand side to My Family Health Portrait.

And here is another reason to document your history — because you can. My cousin was adopted. She knows nothing about her genetic makeup. She now has a son and a grandchild who have their own medical conditions. The only information she can offer them is what she knows about her own body. And, so, she is documenting everything now. Since we are all still limited in going out, I urge you to use your quarantine time to give your family a gift that they can get nowhere else.

I will leave you with Edward Everett Hale’s famous quote about the impact you can have on your family with this project: “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”

Stay well.

Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. is the executive director of Colony Retirement Homes. She can be reached at 508-755-0444 or mdelorey@colonyretirement.com and www.colonyretirementhomes.com. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www.fiftyplusadvocate. com.

• 13

Gropius House

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ly owned homes.. The site defines preservation easement as, “… a legal agreement used to protect significant building and landscape features of a historic property…

Easement prohibits demolition of historic resources and can prevent lot subdivision.”

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money matters

How are you doing?

A reverse mortgage may allow you to do better

By Alain Valles, CSA, MS, MBA Managing Director, Powerhouse Funding Corp.

W

hen asked “How are you doing?” do you answer truthfully?

I hope you are doing fine healthwise, emotionally, and financially.

And, more often than not, we know someone who might be worse off than us. So how dare I complain or want. But when we really stop to take account, we may find that our financial pillar needs strengthening.

Every study shows that when we have cash flow pressure that our stress levels increase which has a direct correlation to poorer health, strained

relationships, and overall worry. It takes the smile off of our face.

Maybe you can be doing better I find that the majority of my clients are only short $300 or $500 a month but have over $150,000 in home equity that continues to grow and grow especially in today’s hot real estate market. The disconnect is “I only need a relatively small amount each month and want the peace of mind of having access to a large sum of money if ever needed but don’t want to sell. And emotionally, moving is more than a chore and where would I really move to anyway?”

For those fortunate homeowners age 62 or older, a reverse mortgage may be an option to be able to afford to live financially independent for the long term and provide cash when needed.

You truly may have the opportunity to be doing better.

Get the answers Before being able to decide if a reverse mortgage is right for you, you should know the answers to: • Do I qualify?

• How much money is available?

• What is the cost?

• What happens if a spouse is under 62 years old?

• Do I have to take all the money upfront?

• May I sell my home without penalty?

• Do I lose my home to the government?

• What are my children’s responsibilities at the end of the day?

• May I not use the money today and just have it available if ever needed?

• Does a condo or multifamily home qualify?

• Do I need lot of income?

• Do I have to tell my children?

• May I tell my children?

• What protections does the govern-

ment provide?

• How long does the application process take?

• Do I qualify if I currently have a mortgage?

• Are there options if I am behind on my taxes or have poor credit or lack of income?

• Where do I go to get unbiased information? Below is the answer.

Get the facts. Take action today.

A great place to get information is the free “How to Use Your Home to Stay at Home” 36-page book. This is the official reverse mortgage consumer booklet approved by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development and published by the National Council on Aging.

I am also available to go over your specific situation. It only takes about 10 minutes to calculate if you qualify and how much money is available.

No credit report is required. The only personal information question asked is your date of birth.

SUPER CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Reverse mortgage | 15

“BACKUP FUNCTION” (answers on page 15)

www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + MARCH 2021 + fiftyplus advocate

viewpoint The Grammy and Granddaughter Book Club

By Janice Lindsay

W

as it legal for a grown-up to have this much fun in a bookstore? To smile and even chuckle as she turned pages of a potential purchase? To wish she could share these children’s books with other grownups who passed by on their own searches?

Part of my delight was this: I had become a Grammy. I wasn’t sure that I would ever own that coveted title, but there she was, a beautiful granddaughter. I wanted to do something special for her, something representing my own loves and my aspirations for her, something nobody else would think to do for her.

Solution: a book-of-the-month club, in which I would choose the books.

Answers to Super Crossword (puzzle on page 14)

Thanks to being Grammy, I had a new reason to buy children’s books. Once more, I had an opportunity to help encourage a little one to love books.

For a long time, I had had no reason to buy bunches of children’s books.

I began reading to our son, the baby’s father, when he was 6 weeks old.

I thought there might be a window of opportunity for each child: Capture his imagination at the right moment and create a fellow book-lover. I didn’t want to miss that window. Apparently, I didn’t. He loves books. But he’s a grown-up. It had been years since I read his Little Golden Books picture book about baby animals.

Thanks to being Grammy, I had a new reason to buy children’s books.

Once more, I had an opportunity to help encourage a little one to love books. That’s the good news. The bad news: We live on opposite coasts and rarely see each other. So each month I put a new book in the mail to California. Anybody can go online and register a child for a book club, but why should I pay somebody to choose books when I can have so much fun doing it myself ?

Two years after I became a Grammy, I became a double-Grammy, with the arrival my granddaughter’s baby sister.

Now, two books go in the mail every month. I’m told the girls love getting books from Grammy.

I don’t think children had book clubs when my sister and I were little.

How are you doing?

Reverse mortgage | from page 14

Please give me a call at 781-724-6221 to receive your free copy of “Use Your Home to Stay at Home.” At no time will you ever feel any pressure to move forward. My passion is helping people maintain and hopefully improve their quality of life by sharing factual information about reverse mortgages so that you may make a fully educated decision on what is best for your family. Stay safe. Thank you!

Alain Valles was the first designated Certified Reverse Mortgage Professional in New England. He obtained a Master of Science from the M.I.T. Center for Real Estate, an MBA from the Wharton School, and graduated summa cum laude from UMass Amherst. He is the senior reverse mortgage loan officer MLO#7946 at Powerhouse Funding Corp. NMLS #1740551. He can arrange but does not make loans. Alain can be reached directly at (781) 724-6221 or by email at infoaboutreversemortgages@ gmail.com. For more articles visit www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.

As I grew older, I read the grown-up books my grandmother received in hers – after she had checked their suitability, of course. But when we were teenagers, someone enrolled our younger siblings in a children’s book club. What a sweet surprise for all of us each month when that package arrived: to unwrap a new treasure with a new story to love. Some of those books sit on my shelves even now.

Our son enjoyed them. Once in a while, I send one to the girls.

One of my first delightful bookstore discoveries, after I became Grammy, was the Indestructibles

• 15

series from Workman Publishing, described as “books babies can really sink their gums into.” They’re non-toxic, they won’t rip or get soggy with drool, and they’re washable. It’s the kind of book I chuckled over in the bookstore. When I bought some of these books, the clerk quietly confided that she had tried to rip one and could not.

But that was eight years ago. Indestructibles are still available but I no longer have a reason to buy them.

My purchases have become more sophisticated as the girls have grown.

March 2 was annual Read Across America Day, sponsored by the National Education Association, on the birthday of Dr. Seuss, beloved author of children’s books. The purpose is to get kids excited about reading. My granddaughters and I, living near opposite oceans, are reading “across America” in almost a literal sense. I can’t speak for the girls, but Grammy sure is having fun.

Contact jclindsay@tidewater.net.

16 •

fiftyplus advocate + MARCH 2021 + www.fiftyplusadvocate.com

Susanne Liebich

Living a life of purpose through dance C O N C O RD –

By Peg Lopata Contributing Writer

S

usanne Liebich took her first dance class when she was only two years old. After all, what else could a mother do once she saw her baby had climbed out of her crib? At 61, Liebich’s still dancing.

As a child, Liebich studied ballet with the Boston Ballet and performed in their annual Nutcracker Ballet.

“This was such an exciting time of my childhood,” she said. “I met some of my dance icons, as well as Arthur Fiedler,” the famed former conductor of the Boston Symphony.

Though a shy child, Liebich found she could express herself on stage.

Susanne dancing using the Nia Technique. The Nia technique is a cardiovascular fitness practice set to music which blends dance arts, healing arts, and martial arts.

I learn from my students every day and their influence impact the way I live. Teaching my students, feeling their gratitude and love for what I do is really what makes this work so rewarding.

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“I loved performing,” she said.

But being a ballerina wasn’t in the cards. When she was full-grown at 5’7”, she was too tall.

Discipline learned from dance helps make strides in other areas Later, she went to college, paying for her education and dance classes as a work-study student plus having three part-time jobs. She majored in business finance.

“I wanted to make sure I could pay my own bills after graduation,” said Liebich.

Her working-class background made her practical and hard-working.

“Ballet training informed my sense of discipline,” she said.

Throughout, she continued performing.

After college she worked at a bank during the day and in the eve-

nings attended Boston University to obtain an MBA. While there she met her husband, Karl. Liebich considers getting married and having children the best decisions she’s made in her life.

After she had her two children, she taught dance and choreographed.

“Eventually,” she explained, “I studied and taught somatic movement, Pilates and yoga — all of which created a broader vocabulary of movement for me.”

Teaching as well as learning from her students About 15 years ago she created a wellness programs for women and girls (GirlPower! Be Who You Are).

She is one of the few accredited Dance for Parkinson’s disease instructors in the world. A donation to Liebich by one of her students with Parkinson’s

www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + MARCH 2021 + fiftyplus advocate

• 17

Susanne dancing using the Nia Technique. The Nia technique is a cardiovascular fitness practice set to music which blends dance arts, healing arts, and martial arts.

Susanne Liebich

was used to fund free dance and music programming for Dance for Parkinson’s classes at the Steinberg Wellness Center at Emerson Hospital in Concord.

As detailed on the center’s website, Liebich has also “taught classes to atrisk teenage girls who reside at the Metro Youth Services Facility in Dorchester, served as development chair for BalletRox, and volunteered extensively for the Concord Public Schools. Most recently, her classes include instruction in both dance and injury prevention to disabled children, older adults and other special population groups with limited mobility.”

“It can be difficult enough to navigate the world when the body doesn’t

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respond the way it used to. To not let physical issues prevent one from participating in life, to me, is incredibly inspirational,” Liebich said. “I learn from my students every day and their influence impact the way I live. Teaching my students, feeling their gratitude and love for what I do is really what makes this work so rewarding.”

Though most of her classes are now online, she recently begun teaching an in-person class at a senior living community, Newbury Court in Concord.

“I want to use my gifts to help others as well as continue to live a life of purpose.”

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fiftyplus advocate + MARCH 2021 + www.fiftyplusadvocate.com

Bolton grandmother’s pandemic letters become children’s book series

By Ed Karvoski Jr. Culture Editor

Now with COVID, people are out of work and really struggling.

People are stepping up to help and I want to be a part of that.

BOLTON/HUDSON – Elizabeth Tewksbary, a Hudson native now residing in Bolton, is the mother and grandmother of a blended family of six children and six grandchildren.

Now, she’s also an author.

Her five-part children’s book series is based on handwritten letters that she sent during the 2020 stay-at-home advisory to her granddaughter Cohen, now age 3.

“I’ve always preferred handwritten letters,” Tewksbary noted.

“When I see handwriting, I recognize it and think of that person. It’s definitely more personal.”

‘Letters from My Heart’ Cohen began getting letters when Tewksbary was quarantined in April 2020 with her husband recovering from his surgeries and their youngest daughter home from college. Meanwhile, Tewksbary received grateful phone calls from Co-

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hen’s mother and encouragement from her husband to publish what is now known as the series’ moniker: “Letters from My Heart.”

Self-described as “not a digital person,” Tewksbary researched various publishing options online.

Among her reasons to self-publish is to give 30% of the series’ proceeds after costs to Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress. Three generations of her family have volunteered for the organization’s annual fundraiser.

“My goal was never to make money from the books,” she explained. “My nephew’s 5-year-old daughter, Jenna, has Down syndrome. When she was born, we got involved with the Buddy Walk in Westborough.”

Tewksbary is also giving 20% of each of the series five books’ proceeds to other charities. Additionally, books are being donated to multiple nonprofits including Cradles to Crayons, which provides essential items to children living in low-income or homeless situations.

Geared for children age 2 to 6, the books are being released throughout several months. The first two were published in 2020.

Sharing family memories The series debuted with “Just Like Me” in which Cohen discovers and befriends her shadow. It’s benefitting Camp Sunshine for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Tewksbary has volunteered at the camp.

A timely pandemic topic gets an age-appropriate spin in “My Mask and Me.” Cohen learns how her eyes express the smile behind her mask. It’s benefitting Champs Café, where students with special needs work side-by-side with neuro-typical fifth-graders.

Tewksbary ushered in 2021 with the January release of “Smile with Me,” benefitting Friends of Bolton Seniors. She formerly served as a Friends board member.

The series’ final two books are scheduled to be released by spring.

www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + MARCH 2021 + fiftyplus advocate In the fourth book, Cohen gets to play with a variety of balls – and learns a lesson along the way.

“There are so many different types of balls and they all have a purpose,” Tewksbary noted. “People are like that, too.”

In the fifth book, Cohen learns about family responsibilities as she paints a birdhouse where the mother bird’s nest protects her eggs. Tewksbary also learned a lesson while observing Cohen’s painting project.

“Cohen had paint running down her arms and all over the place,” Tewksbary relayed, describing her granddaughter’s visual image.

“I’m looking at her and thinking that we hold onto memories like this.”

Tewksbary headlined her website “I Took a Picture with My Heart.”

The website was built by her nephew Justin D’Angelo. He also trained the internet novice how to maintain it.

‘Stepping up to help’ Benefitting from the final two books are nonprofits that assist people with food insecurity in several towns: Hudson Community Food Pantry (serves Berlin, Bolton and

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Hudson) and the Clinton-based WHEAT Community Connections (serves Berlin, Bolton, Clinton, Lancaster and Sterling).

“Now with COVID, people are out of work and really struggling,” Tewksbary said. “People are stepping up to help and I want to be a part of that.”

Illustrated by Kim Soderberg with graphics by Mark Collins, the books can be purchased and/or donated to nonprofits online at lettersfrom-my-heart.com. They’re also sold in Bolton at Colonial Candies, Bolton Orchards and The Quilted Crow.

• 19

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Conway Campbell Ed.D. Campbell | from page 5

gage students in university life. “One example is Students Involved in Bettering Success (SIBS), a program that was developed by our student government association. It’s designed to help first year students better engage within the university. Student ambassadors reach out to first-year students, present options for engagement, and accompany them to meetings to ease the transition,” said Campbell.

Success In addition to his work at Assumption, Campbell is a pastor as the Grace Baptist Church in Shrewsbury, and a father to three musically talented children.

“Our goal is that students leave Assumption thinking about their purpose of life informed and guided by their faith… In my own life, I’m doing what God called me to do, serving in ministry and higher education. That’s my purpose and that’s what I’m meant to do,” he said.

For more information about Assumption’s focus on success, visit www. assumption.edu/people-and-departments/organization-listing/division-student-success.

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