For the prime of your life
MARCH 2015 • $4.00
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The Harold Alfond Legacy
BILL GREEN'S
MAINE
Inside: Proposed legislation to
support seniors
A Cure for the Fever Two classic Irish favorites
...and much more!
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• M A I NE S EN IO R S M AGAZ INE
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Publisher's Note
• MAINE SENIORS
For the prime of your life PUBLISHER
David. S. Nealley EDITOR IN CHIEF
Ellen L. Spooner EDITORS
Catherine N. Zub Lois N. Nealley Mark D. Roth CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Ian J. Marquis
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Tom Mason Carter Kates
SALES & DISTRIBUTION
Mark Carpentier Sam Rapaport Shari Parkins Kathleen (Taffy) Morgan Clyde Tarr Jim Gorham A. Peter Legendre Roseanne Bolduc Earla Haggerty WRITERS
Dr. Len Kaye Lois N. Nealley Jane Margesson Ellen L. Spooner Hunter Howe Donna Halvorsen Wanda Curtis John Christie Fia Fortune Paulette Oboyski SUBSCRIPTIONS
10 issues for $24.95 by making a check, payable to Maine Seniors Magazine. Mail to Maine Seniors Magazine, 87 Hillside Avenue, Bangor, Maine 04401. BUSINESS OFFICE
87 Hillside Avenue Bangor, Maine 04401 Phone: (207) 944-6888
Maine Seniors Magazine is published in the State of Maine by Maine Seniors Magazine, L.L.C. in association with Maine Media Consulting, L.L.C. All information herein represents the views of individual writers and their understanding of the issues at hand, and may not represent the views of the Maine Seniors Magazine, its management, or editorial staff. For more information about Maine Seniors Magazine, visit www.meseniors.com.
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• M A I NE S EN IO R S M AGAZ INE
Who can think of Maine without thinking of the great contributions of Harold Alfond and Bill Green?
H
arold Alfond’s philanthropy has touched every part of Maine from healthcare to athletics and, in fact, will be a part of each newborn Mainer’s college fund… his legacy lives on. Bill Green, with his upbeat Bill Green's Maine, promotes Maine’s way of life (with genuine passion for his home state) in ways that make his program the most enjoyable news segment in Maine. Both of these stories remind me of my father, in that he had the same overthe-top passion for Maine and maybe I'm thinking of him now because he was born in March. He also died in March. My Dad died at age 54. This March, I turn 54 and I realize more than ever how young that is… and how foolish it is to give a black balloon or card that says “over- the-hill", when one turns 50 years of age. Now let’s “March” forward to the first day of spring and leave the cold winter behind us. Even though this sounds good, it may be tough sledding for a while longer. We can relate this concept to a few proposals that will be considered by our Maine State Legislature. One significant proposal is a $65 million Maine Seniors Housing Bond that the Speaker of the House, Mark Eves is promoting. Read about this bold initiative in a Special Series column by Ellen Spooner.
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Bodie: Therapy Dog
Plus: • Theater in Maine • The Lady behind the Maine Civil War Trail • Senior Power ...and much more!
Paul Reiser: Entertainer & Comedian
Another couple of proposals in this ongoing series are being presented by the LePage Administration. Commissioner Mary Mayhew sat down with us and discussed some savings in the Department of Health and Human Services that she and the Governor would like to apply to nursing home and stay-at-home care. Yes, there may be tough sledding ahead in Augusta for these new bold proposals. Yet, the important takeaway, is that our state government has seniors' issues in their focus. This Special Series column will be ongoing as we follow the developments in the public policy arena. As Dr Len Kaye has said, "Maine’s greatest natural resource is Senior Power!" To all of our senior partners, remember the world needs us to stay in the game.
Here’s to senior power!
—David S. Nealley, Publisher
In addition to all the other great stories, MAINE SENIORS Magazine will be following the developments of legislation that could benefit Maine's seniors. Our staff will do its best to provide an enjoyable media which will inform and entertain as we strive to make Maine a better placefor all it's senior partners. You can visit our website at meseniors.com and subscribe to the magazine to "read all about it". And, for even more information, visit YouTube and search for "Maine Seniors".
MARCH 2015 • 2
MAINE SENIORS •
Contributors
Donna Halvorsen
Wanda Curtis
Lois N. Nealley
Paulette Oboyski
John Christie
Dr. Lenard W. Kaye
Ellen L. Spooner
Fia Fortune
Hunter Howe
Jane Margesson
OUR CONTRIBUTORS DONNA HALVORSEN Donna, a longtime journalist, has
language pathologist who lives in Brewer. Her hobbies include reading, knitting, cooking, sporting events, and traveling to the coast where she enjoys visiting lighthouses.
HUNTER HOWE Hunter’s Maine roots run deep. He has
JANE MARGESSON Jane Margesson has worked for
written for the Cape Courier and penned a column called Senior Moments for the Senior News, a publication of the Southern Maine Agency on Aging.
AARP for over 20 years in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and now, Maine. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Parade Magazine, and other publications.
DR. LENARD W. KAYE Dr. Kaye is the Director and Professor for the Center on Aging at the University of Maine. He has been in the forefront of promoting and planning elder issues at the state level.
LOIS N. NEALLEY Lois graduated from high school in Massachusetts then moved to Maine to go to nursing school. She later went on to earn her BS in Education from the University of Maine. Lois is a resident of Bangor.
PAULETTE OBOYSKI Paulette worked as an electronic
WANDA CURTIS Wanda Curtis is a Master's-prepared nurse
maintenance engineer for NBC NY for twenty years. She retired early at 45 to a farm in Washington, Maine, and edited ten fundraising cookbooks for non-profits in town and cocompiled the book, Washington, Maine People and Places, for the town’s bicentennial. She now lives in Brunswick with her husband.
JOHN CHRISTIE John Christie is a native of Camden and an
outdoor columnist. He is a former ski racer, ski area manager and owner, a ski historian, and member of the Maine Ski Hall of Fame.
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ELLEN L. SPOONER Ellen Spooner is a retired speech-
received numerous awards for her writing from many organizations, including the Maine Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists. She lives in South Portland.
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and journalist who specializes in health and family-related articles. She moved to Maine from a suburb of Washington, D.C., and currently lives in Gardiner.
FIA FORTUNE Fia is a food blogger and member of the Maine food scene. A Maine native and mother of one, she lives in Portland with her fiancé—Maine Seniors Magazine Creative Director Ian Marquis.
Contributors
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FEATURED
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For the prime of your life
DECEMBER 2014 • $4.00
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MAINE SENIORS Magazine is very proud
to have a talented group of contributors, and will be featuring one in each issue. This feature is about Michael LaRiccia Michael LaRiccia moved from New Jersey to Maine and now lives in Lewiston with his family. He is a graphic designer, illustrator, comic book artist, and writer. Mike received a BFA and MFA in printmaking.
Waldo Clark
Inside:
Morrill Worcester and
Wreaths Across America
In 2005 he was a recipient of the Xeric grant, an award for comic book self-publishers.
Embracing A Blue
Christmas
A Christmas Angel
...and much more!
Mike has published several titles including: Black Mane, TOO FAST: The Story of Blood Billin, and Tangled Planet. His work has been featured in numerous indie comics anthologies. Currently, he is working on multiple comic book and illustration projects. Mike periodically teaches cartooning for children and exhibits at alternative comics conferences on the east coast. At MAINE SENIORS he is the creator of the Waldo Clark and Joan Clark illustrations. He also created the Santa Claus cover of our December Issue. You can enjoy more of his work at michaellariccia.com. MARCH 2015 • 4
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For the prime of your life MARCH 2015 ISSUE 3 Contributors 4 Featured Contributor: Michael LaRiccia
Page 7
7 Prime Mover: Harold Alfond 21 Prime Mover Too: Bill Green 33 Sage Lens: The Importance of Growing Old
in the Right Place
37 Health Treasures: Understanding Osteoporosis 41 Just Pondering: Ike the Interrupter
Page 21
43 Katy's Chronicles: Mincemeat and
David Letterman
45 Special Series: Introduction 47 Special Series: Proposed Legislation
Addresses Housing Needs of Maine Seniors
51 Special Series: Budget Initiatives Focus
on Seniors
53 Bridging Generations: Living at Home
Page 45
55 The MAINE Point: Love and Taxes 57 Outdoors: Tension 61 Food for Thought: Stout Fare 63 Here,There & Everywhere: A Cure for the Fever 69 From the Porch: Just One More Time Page 47 Page 55
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PRIME MOVER • Harold Alfond
Harold Alfond. Photo by Ron Simons.
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Harold Alfond • PRIME MOVER
HAROLD ALFOND The Man Who Loved to Give
BY WANDA CURTIS One of Maine’s greatest philanthropists was the late Harold Alfond who founded Dexter Shoe Company and established the first factory outlet shoe store.
A
lfond was born in Swampscott, Massachusetts on March 6, 1914. His parents Simon and Rose Alfond were Russian Jewish immigrants. He had five siblings: David, Anne, Bertha, Gladys, and Grace.
According to http://lib.rollins.edu/olin/oldsite/archives/ golden/alfond.htm, Alfond exhibited a spirit of giving even as a child. The author of that website reported that his mother had trouble keeping him clothed because he’d leave home dressed in a nice sweater and good shoes but many times came home without those if he met another child in need. Alfond had a passion for sports and was an outstanding athlete in high school. His love for sports was later demonstrated by the generous contributions that he made for the construction of sports facilities. Some of those that bear the Alfond name include the Colby College ice arena and athletic center; the University of Maine sports stadium,
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PRIME MOVER • Harold Alfond
hockey arena, and arena clubhouse; the Husson College baseball diamond; the Thomas College athletic center; the artificial athletic turf at Maine Maritime Academy; Kents Hill School athletic center; University of New England Athletic Center; the Eaglebrook School ice arena (in Massachusetts); as well as the sports center, swimming
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Alfond credited much of his success in life to lessons he learned while engaging in sports as a youth. pool, baseball stadium, and boathouse at Rollins College in Florida. According to www.maine.gov/msl/maine/notables/alfond. doc, Alfond credited much of his success in life to lessons he learned while engaging in sports as a youth. His biography on that website states that, “Sports nurtured Alfond’s competitive spirit and taught him how to get along with people, traits that defined his success in business and philanthropy.” Though he was the recipient of honorary degrees from five colleges and universities, Harold Alfond never attended college. After graduating from high school in 1934, he got a job at Kesslen Shoe Company in Kennebunk, where his father worked. Alfond was a hard worker and did whatever odd jobs were assigned to him. Within a very short time, he was promoted from a shoe boy making 25 cents per hour to factory superintendent. At Kesslen, Alfond learned to manufacture Goodyear Welt shoes which were heavy leather shoes known for their durability. He said that after learning to make Goodyear
Harold Alfond • PRIME MOVER
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information which changed both Alfond’s immediate and longterm course. He told Alfond about a shoe factory for sale in Norridgewock. Alfond never made it to the fair but instead ended up touring the abandoned factory.
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Welt shoes, he could make anything. His experience there would prove valuable to him in the future. In 1939, Alfond stopped to pick up a hitchhiker while en route to the Skowhegan Fair. That hitchhiker shared some
About a year later, he purchased the factory for $1,000 with the proceeds from the sale of his car. Alfond and his father founded the Norwock Shoe Company where they manufactured mid-priced sturdy leather shoes, similar to the ones they had made at Kesslen’s. In 1944, he sold the company to Shoe Corporation of America for $1.1 million. Realizing that Alfond could be an asset to their business, the new owner retained Alfond as company president for the next 25 years. In 1956, U.S. Senator Margaret Chase Smith and former Maine Governor and U.S. Senator Owen Brewster approached Alfond about helping to create jobs in
MARCH 2015 • 1 0
PRIME MOVER • Harold Alfond
Harold and Bibby Alfond.
Brews-ter’s hometown of Dexter, Maine. Two years later, Alfond purchased a vacant woolen mill in Dexter for $10,000 where he founded the Dexter Shoe Company. He began producing shoes for the private label catalog market supplying Sears, JC Penney, Spiegel, and Montgomery Ward. Later he developed Dexter brand shoes and began selling to independent shoe stores throughout the nation. According to www.maine.gov/msl/maine/notables/alfond. doc, Alfond’s nephew Peter Lunder joined him at Dexter 11
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in 1959. The author of that website reported that, together with Alfond’s three sons who later joined the business, they built a business that, at its peak, manufactured over 36,000 pairs of shoes daily and over 7.5 million annually. Alfond is credited with the creation of the first factory outlet store which he opened in Skowhegan during the 1960’s. They sold “seconds” or “factory damaged” products at a reduced price. He also included shoes that didn’t sell in the whole-sale market which increased the inventory of shoes
Harold Alfond • PRIME MOVER
Alfond purchased a vacant woolen mill in Dexter for $10,000 where he founded the Dexter Shoe Company.
at the outlet stores. Soon, Dexter’s log cabin outlet stores could be found throughout New England. They eventually stopped building stores and leased stores in outlet malls. As Dexter Shoes continued to grow, corporate buyers approached Alfond seeking to purchase the familyrun business. Many of those were retail chains which emphasized foreign production that didn’t line up with Dexter’s philosophy of a family-run business. However, at
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PRIME MOVER • Harold Alfond
the transaction made the Alfond family the second largest shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway. Buffet asked Alfond, his nephew, and his three sons to continue working at Dexter. Alfond reportedly continued working there until age 87 when the company merged into HH Brown Shoe Company. The same website states that Alfond said he wouldn’t retire “until at least 10 years after I’m dead.” Maine Senator Justin Alfond said recently that he remembers his grandfather still being involved in the business when Harold supported athletics all over Maine. He enjoyed baseball so much that he became one of the owners of the Red Sox for a period of time.
age 79 Alfond decide to sell the business to Warren Buffet for Berkshire Hathaway stock. Buffet agreed to allow the Alfond family to continue managing the business. According to maine.gov/msl/maine/notables/alfond.doc,
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Alfond once said he wouldn’t retire “until at least 10 years after I’m dead.” he was in his 80’s. He said that his grandfather instilled a strong work ethic in his grandchildren. He recalls that when the grandchildren went to his grandfather’s camp in Belgrade their grandfather would wake them at 7:30 AM each morning by tapping a golf club against the bedroom door. Then he would put them to work picking weeds out of the pond and pay them one dollar for each weed picked there.
Harold Alfond • PRIME MOVER
From left to right Susan Alfond, Peter Alfond, Ted Alfond, Barbara Martin and Bill Alfond all standing around Harold. MARCH 2015 • 1 4
PRIME MOVER • Harold Alfond
The senator said that one of his grandfather’s favorite sayings was, “Don’t tell me what you’re going to do, show me.” The senator attributes a big part of his grandfather’s success to his grandmother Dorothy “Bibby" Levine who grew up in a prominent Waterville family. Harold and Bibby had four children of their own—Ted, Susan, Bill and Peter. They made their home in Waterville where Bibby was very active in both the local and the Jewish community. “She [Bibby] made him what he was both personally and professionally,” said the senator. Both Harold and his wife were especially concerned about not only the education but also the health of Mainers. A
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two-decade cancer survivor himself, Alfond contributed $7 million towards the construction of the Alfond Cancer Center in Augusta shortly before his death in 2007. (Bibby predeceased him in 2005.)
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PRIME MOVER • Harold Alfond
Also dear to the Alfonds’ hearts were Maine children in need as reflected in their generous giving to youth-related causes. According to a November 16, 2007 boston.com article, Senator Susan Collins commented after Alfond’s death that, "Though he battled cancer himself for 17 years, he was still thinking of others as he led the effort to build a place where Mainers struggling with the disease could go to receive the best possible care close to home.” Also dear to the Alfonds’ hearts were Maine children in need as reflected in their generous giving to youth-related causes. Their generosity to Maine children will live on for
Endowed Alfond Funds held at the Foundation provide ongoing support for UMaine athletics thanks to the generosity and foresight of Mr. Harold Alfond.
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PRIME MOVER • Harold Alfond
years to come through the Harold Alfond Foundation www. haroldalfondfoundation.org .
every baby to have the $500 Alfond Grant –not just the opportunity to receive it.”
On what would have been Harold’s 100th birthday, foundation officials announced that all babies born as Maine residents (Maine resident babies) will be awarded a $500 Alfond Grant for College. Prior to that, a NextGen College Investing Plan® account had to be opened before the child’s first birthday to receive the grant.
According to to maine.gov/msl/maine/notables/alfond.doc, one of Harold Alfond’s favorite pastimes, when he retired, was visiting the Alfond Youth Center in Waterville unannounced where he would sit watching the children eating their after-school snacks and participating in afternoon activities. The website states that the 72,000 square foot facility serves over 8,000 children and hundreds of families each year.
Chairman of the Harold Alfond Foundation Greg Powell offered the following comments, regarding the grant, in a March 6, 2014 press release. “Since 2009, the Harold Alfond College Challenge has funded nearly 23,000 grants, investing almost $11.5 million on behalf of Maine’s children. But it is not enough. To meet the future workforce needs of Maine’s economy, we need
Thank you Harold and Bibby for the wonderful legacy that you left and for your generous giving to the state of Maine. MSM
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PRIME MOVER TOO • Bill Green
BILL GREEN
OF “BILL GREEN’S MAINE” BY DONNA HALVORSEN
Bill Green knows where Lake Pohenegamook is. He might even know how to spell it.
B
ill Green is a happy man. Each day he knows exactly what he’ll be doing: celebrating Maine, where he has lived for all of his 61 years. On his half-hour show “Bill Green’s Maine,’’ he tells feel-good stories that his many fans have come to expect at 7 p.m. each Saturday on WCSH6 in Portland and WLBZ2 in Bangor. Did you see the one about Cal the calico lobster, who got caught by the same lobsterman twice? About the woman in far northern Maine who, because of a tiny accident of
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geography, sleeps with her head in the U.S. and her feet in Canada? Or the 10-year-old boy who won Maine’s Grand Slam award for shooting a turkey, a bear, a moose and a deer? Green always looks for stories like these that lift people up and make them smile, stories that show the pride he has in his native state. “I grew up thinking Maine was some kind of second-class place, and it’s not,” he says. “We have an extremely high quality of life here. I want people to feel good about being from Maine.” He’s respectful of his subjects and their stories, and he knows first-hand that if you work hard, Maine will give
Bill Green • PRIME MOVER TOO
Bill Green
MARCH 2015 • 2 2
PRIME MOVER TOO • Bill Green
Bill with Steve Clifford - Classic Bill Green story since Steve was born in Maine, played basketball at the University of Maine at Farmington and now is Head Coach for the NBA's Charlotte Hornets.
you opportunities. For a kid who worked his way through college, and now can’t make it through the grocery store without being recognized, that’s pretty darn good. Green’s determination and winning manner have served him well. He has been inducted into the Maine Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Maine Sports Hall of Fame and has been voted Maine’s most popular local TV personality by readers of Down East Magazine the past three years. Green grew up in Bangor, one of five children of a railroad brakeman and a housewife who came to the United States from England as a child. Green was an average student but a very good high school baseball player. And, of course, he 23
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remembers everything about his glory days, though more modestly than most. “I played third base, couldn’t run,” he says. He batted .429. “No power. I could put it in play and pray it came down between two fielders.” With no money for college, Green started night school and went to work at McDonalds, which soon fired him for discounting the price of fries for his girlfriend.“That was on Tuesday, and on Friday I got a job as a studio cameraman on Channel 2, WLBZ in Bangor. When the pilot light on my camera for the 6 o’clock news came on, I thought it was the most exciting thing imaginable.” And why wouldn’t it be exciting? It was 1972, and Green
Bill Green • PRIME MOVER TOO
Bill Green has been inducted
into the Maine Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Maine Sports Hall of Fame. was just 18. He was so determined to succeed that he worked full time for five years in order to graduate from the University of Maine at Orono with a major in speech and a concentration in broadcasting. For 2 ½ years at WLBZ, Green ran the camera for Eddie Driscoll, the legendary Bangor broadcaster whom Green once called “the most brilliant TV person I ever worked with by a mile.’’ Driscoll was one of his role models. The other was Bud Leavitt, a Bangor Daily News outdoors columnist
Two of Bill's role models: Bangor Daily News outdoors columnist Bud Leavitt, top, and Bangor broadcaster Eddie Driscoll, bottom.
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“Eddie and Bud were so talented, and I use some of their tricks every day,” Green says. “I remember Bud saying one day, ‘There’s more beauty in my backyard than there is in the whole Province of Labrador as far as I’m concerned.’ It really made me kind of proud. It helped me develop a cocky attitude toward Maine.”
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In 1975, just 21, Green went out front to become the WLBZ sportscaster Monday through Friday “and just loved it. I had no skill. My voice was about E above high C, and I was scared to death. I’m sure I did some of the worst sportscasts ever done. But I was enthusiastic. I had a MARCH 2015 • 2 4
PRIME MOVER TOO • Bill Green
Bill talking with Jim Shaffer— a media executive and later dean of the USM School of Business, retired in 2012—in a beautiful room at the house on the coast that his wife, Lynn Shaffer— an architect—designed.
local perspective. I worked all day, every day. I just couldn’t imagine anything better.” The most embarrassing moment of his entire career was when he swore on air during a commercial break, thinking the microphone was off. He was suspended for a week.“The general manager was graciously trying to keep me employed by suspending me,” he recalls. “I made a lot of reckless mistakes. I left a camera on top of a car once and drove off. It didn’t break too badly. I was trying so hard. All of the mistakes young people make, I made every one of them.” 25
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In 1981 he moved to Portland, where he anchored weekend sports statewide for WCSH, covering outdoor and recreational sports. It was there that he discovered he was a better feature reporter than a sports guy. His gig was participating in the events he covered: “I almost killed myself on a water-ski jump. I flew off the top of the jump and cleared the top by just inches. When I parachuted, I landed in the woods. I smashed up a stock car in a race.” After 12 years Green gladly left weekend sports to work on “Color Me Green,” an outdoors/environmental show, for five years. Then in the late 1990s, WCSH was bought by
Bill Green • PRIME MOVER TOO
“Eddie Driscoll and Bud Leavitt were so talented—I use some of their tricks every day,” Green says. and that gets him some respect. His interviews are like neighborly chats over the back fence. In the recent 2nd District Congressional race, he knew Republican victor Bruce Poliquin through high school baseball. They lived and coached in the same town, and their sons had played on neighboring teams. He knew Democrat Emily Cain, Poliquin’s opponent, because she sang at his sister’s wedding. What does it take to do his job besides carefully nurtured connections? “Years of practice,” Green says. “I wasn’t a very good writer. I wasn’t a very good student. I do think I have a
For Maine’s veterans, spouses, and gold-star parents Gannett (the larger Gannett, not the company that owned the Press Herald and Evening Express) “and they were looking for a way to make a corporately owned TV station look local. They wanted to do a local show.” Green jokes, “They said, ‘Who’s expendable?’ So that’s when we started ‘Bill Green’s Maine’ in 2000–2001.” The show suits him to a tee. He didn’t have the toughness to be a hard-news reporter. “I beat a couple of people up a couple of times, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t like being that guy.” He chose to be who he is: Bill Green, nice guy, good reporter. He has met every statewide elected official dating to 1966,
Rehabilitative & Skilled Nursing Dementia/Alzheimer’s Care Long-Term Care Residential Care
MaineVets.org 1-800-278-9494 Augusta Bangor Caribou Machias Scarborough South Paris
You were there for us... we are here for you. MARCH 2015 • 2 6
PRIME MOVER TOO • Bill Green
A striper caught on a Sluggo in Casco Bay.
high energy level. I have great endurance. I can kind of take a beating and continue on. I’ve worked pretty hard over 43 years.” Green makes a point of doing a story in every Maine county every year. He thinks he’s been in every inhabited town except, perhaps, a few townships up around the St. John River, and he intends to get to those. He wants to make those connections, to not leave anyone out. It can be grueling, but the show always beckons. In a two-week trip last year, he and cameraman/editor Kirk Cratty went to Bath, Auburn, Jackman, The Forks, Bangor, Sydney, Gardiner and Augusta. “He’s an amazing person,” Green says of Cratty. “He’s an optimist of the first order, cheerful guy. He’ll work anytime. One of the keys to what we do is being able to work anytime. If a good story is overnight Wednesday, we’ll do it. If a story 27
• MA I N E S EN I O R S M AGAZ I NE
“I didn’t have the toughness to be a hard-news reporter. I didn’t like it. I didn’t like being that guy," says Green. is Saturday, we’ll do it. We’ll take time off later.” Besides “Bill Green’s Maine,” he and Cratty do a Monday night “Green Outdoors” feature. Maine hunters and fishermen know he’s one of them.“I try to use as much of any animal as I can,” he says. “I think that’s just philosophically sound. Sea ducks are not very edible, so we end up grinding them into dog food and feed it to the dog.”
Bill Green • PRIME MOVER TOO
Top: Sea Duck hunting is Bill's favorite sport…sitting on a rock in Casco Bay waiting for the sun and the ducks. Middle: A moose Bill shot about 2008 in Mars Hill with his close friend Denny Denham. Bottom: Bill's daughter Emily’s first turkey shot last spring.
He once shot a 700-pound bull moose that yielded 350 pounds of meat. “My family ate moose roast, moose steaks, mooseburgers, Mooseburger Helper, and we’ve eaten about 30 pounds of red meat.” He did the cooking, and it was delicious, he’ll tell you, like free-range beef. “I was giving it away as fast as I could: ‘Would you like to try moose?’ ’’ His wife Pam eats very little red meat, but she’s tolerant of his foraging instincts. Or so he says. One thing’s for sure: He won’t go moose-hunting again. Green enjoys traveling around Maine for his job. He doesn’t mind autograph-seekers, even if they think he’s Angus King. The two have a running joke. As Green tells the story:
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MARCH 2015 • 2 8
PRIME MOVER TOO • Bill Green
A thirst for adventure; Bill whitewater rafting.
Bite Me.
Apples shouldn’t be forbidden fruit.
“Angus arrives at the airport, he’s signing an autograph, and the person looks up at him in disappointment and says, ‘I thought you were Bill Green.’ ” Green adds, “I don’t think we look very much alike.” But he admits he has signed King’s name a time or two.
Green enjoys traveling around
Maine for his job. He doesn’t mind autograph-seekers, even
if they think he’s Angus King.
(207) 781-5900 202 US Route 1, Falmouth, ME 04105
www.portlandmainedentists.com 29
• MA I N E S EN I O R S M AGAZ I NE
To celebrate Maine, Green evokes its history, with stories, for example, on Ed Muskie on the 100th anniversary of his birth; on the 150th anniversary of the bloody Civil War battle of Chancellorsville, in which Maj. Gen. Hiram Barry became the highest-ranking Mainer to die in the war, and on the Maine women who served as nurses in Vietnam.
Bill Green • PRIME MOVER TOO
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Have you noticed he’s changed? Hearing loss is… an invisible handicap that creates feelings of depression and social isolation. the 3rd most prevalent chronic health condition facing older adults. an attributable risk factor for dementia.
If you’ve noticed his hearing is worse, talk about it. Research has shown improved quality of life when individuals with hearing loss receive support from family.
Schedule an appointment today with an experienced doctor of audiology.
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PRIME MOVER TOO • Bill Green
Bill and Kirk on top of Katahdin.
31
• MA I N E S EN I O R S M AGAZ I NE
Bill Green • PRIME MOVER TOO
Bill Green inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame shown with his son, Sam his wife, Pam, and his daughter Emily.
And, of course, he celebrates living Mainers, including Lynn Merrill, whom he accompanied last year to the top of Mount Katahdin. Green is a Registered Maine Guide and has climbed Katahdin three times, but last year’s trek — nine miles to the top of Maine’s tallest mountain — was special. Lynn Merrill is blind and had a lifelong dream to hike to the top. With her German shepherd, Libby, at her side, she did it.“We’re doing this, Libby,” she said amid tears. “I didn’t expect to do this. I need a good sob.” “That day, when we got to the top, it was all cloudy,” Green recalls.“The person who saw the most was Lynn. It was very moving, very memorable.”
Green, who lives in Cumberland and has two grown children, says a secret to his success is his wife, Pam, who is director of member services for the Maine Bankers Association. “She is the organizer, and I am the entertainment in our house,” he says, laughing. “She’s an email away when I’m looking for a phrase and a rock when I’m going through hard times.” He says he’s thinking of working until his 66th birthday in 2019 and is sad that his career is winding down. “People will call me a legend or an icon, and it’s embarrassing,” he says, adding in his self-deprecating way: “They must be so disappointed when they meet me.” MSM
MARCH 2015 • 3 2
SAGE LENS
On the Importance of
Growing Old Over the past year the attention of town and state officials, legislators, and many others has remained sharply focused on the importance of doing what even can be done to help older Mainers age and thrive in their own homes and local communities.
T
hat’s what elders want. In fact, that is what we all want. No matter what our age, I don’t know anyone who would want to be forced to pack up and leave the comfort and security of their own home for reasons beyond their control such as declining health, financial difficulties, or dangerous living conditions.
But I am thinking more recently that my stance on the idea of aging in place should not be conceived in overly simplistic terms. I am refining my take on this. I have been influenced significantly by a recent book by a colleague I respect 33
• MA I N E S EN I O R S M AGAZ I NE
in the Right Place BY DR. LEN KAYE highly, Dr. Stephen Golant. His book is titled Aging in the Right Place (Health Professions Press, 2015). In this book, Stephen reminds us of the profound influence that where we choose to live can have on our ability to age successfully. Stephen believes that we can thrive as we age in not just our own homes but rather a variety of living arrangements as long as where we live is tailored to match our personal situations, interests, and choices. He believes that just as or more important as remaining free of severe disabilities and illness is living in places where our lifestyle and vulnerabilities are closely matched. In other words, remaining in our own homes is not always going to be the answer because if we are doing that without adequate physical and emotional supports it could end up keeping us, more than anything, from being satisfied as we grow old. I take from this the overriding importance that one’s home (wherever it is that we choose to call home!) be able to satisfy
SAGE LENS
a wide range of our basic human needs including meeting our emotional, social, and physical needs and expectations. If, where you live, falls short in any of these areas, your life is going to be less satisfying that it could be. Stephen has coined the phrase “residential normalcy” as the state of affairs everyone strives for and that it is well worth our while to make sure that wherever we are living we are feeling
The takeaway message is that there is no single route you or I should feel compelled to take in order to thrive in our later years.
7
Myths About Teeth & Aging
1. I’m going to lose my teeth anyways, why put money into them? 2. I’m too old for orthodontics, my teeth can’t be straightened now. 3. My dentures will never be tight enough. 4. Teeth whitening is only for the younger crowd. 5. I’m too old for veneers and crowns.
we have large measures of residential normalcy. Because we all have diverse lifestyles and interests, it stands to reason, then, that achieving residential normalcy can be realized in a wide variety of places including our own homes, the homes of relatives, in assisted living or continuing care retirement communities, or even a nursing home or long term care facility for that matter. What is crucial regardless of where we call home is that as many of the variety of common human needs are being satisfied as possible not the least of which are our often overlooked emotional needs. The takeaway message is that there is no single route you or I should feel compelled to take in order to thrive in our later years. To a considerable degree, residential normalcy is going to be individually determined and defined by each of us (likely somewhat differently) on a personal level. Don’t assume your standard of residential normalcy will be the same as the next persons, or, for that matter, the standard
6. Implants won’t work in my mouth, so I’m stuck with what I have. 7. The health of my teeth and gums doesn’t matter at this age.
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SAGE LENS
of your spouse or partner. That means, of course, that if you share your life with others there may well need to be compromises and tradeoffs agreed to in choosing your joint living arrangements in old age. What is most important is that each of us takes seriously the importance of being truthful with ourselves as we figure out what is needed to meet our own personal standards and definitions of being physically and mentally secure and, ultimately satisfied in our later years. MSM
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• MA I N E S EN I O R S M AGAZ I NE
thanks to our media sponsors:
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LAUREN ADEY, MD
Dr. Adey is a golfer, tennis player, skier, and distance runner. In fact, she ran the 2014 Boston Marathon.
You need a surgeon who understands WHY you want to get back to normal. “Our bodies are made to move. I like to run, ski, golf, and play tennis. Exercise makes me feel good, physically and mentally. I empathize with patients who have lost mobility and enjoy helping them restore it.” Dr. Lauren Adey specializes in surgery of the hand, wrist, and elbow. She is fellowship-trained and also one of very few surgeons in Maine to hold a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Surgery of the Hand. Dr. Adey’s patients can testify to her ability to get them back to the golf course, tennis court, snowy mountain, or back road.
Learn more about Dr. Lauren Adey and her specialty in surgery of the hand, wrist, and elbow. Visit www.oicm.cmmc.org/dradey
The Orthopaedic Institute of Central Maine (OICM) is a partnership, with a dedicated surgical unit at Central Maine Medical Center and eight practicing surgeons from Central Maine Orthopaedics. Learn more on our website. Or, if you want to get yourself up and running at your favorite activities, call us now.
www.oicm.cmmc.org | 207.344.2288
HEALTH TREASURES
Understanding
OSTEOPOROSIS BY LAUREN P. ADEY, MD
If you’re feeling good and staying active, you figure your body is nice and healthy, right? Unfortunately, we can’t take anything about our bodies for granted, especially as we age.
I
’m an orthopaedic surgeon, which makes me very familiar with the mechanics of our bodies and I would like to share some information about our bones.
Your skeleton is the structure on which your body relies to stand, move, bend over, pick things up, and reach overhead. Over time, your bones change due to aging and wear-andtear. This can cause conditions such as osteoarthritis, which can be uncomfortable or even painful. However, your bones can suffer an even greater problem that can be “silent” right up to the point where a simple fall could cause a potentially deadly fracture. This “silent” bone issue is osteoporosis—which may begin with a milder condition known as osteopenia.
What are osteopenia and osteoporosis?
Losing too much bone can lead to osteoporosis, which means bones are brittle and can break with little effort. Osteopenia means bones are slightly less dense than normal but not in the range of osteoporosis. Most people’s bones are as strong and dense as they’ll ever be between the ages of 18 to 25. By the time you reach 35, bone density begins to gradually decrease until menopause. After menopause, bone loss happens more rapidly—as much as 20 percent in five to seven years. Risk factors
Everyone suffers some loss of bone mass over the years. However, you may be at higher risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis if you: Are a woman Are postmenopausal or have low estrogen levels Have a thin, small body frame Are a man older than 70 Are Asian or Caucasian
37
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Guest Article
HEALTH TREASURES
Have a family history of osteoporosis Have a history of broken bones Take certain medications, such as steroids Have certain diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, diabetes or a thyroid condition Don’t get enough calcium and/or vitamin D Smoke Are inactive Have more than three alcoholic drinks a day
For Maine’s veterans, spouses, and gold-star parents
Drink more than three cups of coffee a day Are shorter than you used to be Diagnosing osteopenia and osteoporosis
Rehabilitative & Skilled Nursing Dementia/Alzheimer’s Care Long-Term Care Residential Care
If you fit any of the categories listed below, talk with your physician about scheduling a test to measure your bone density. Women over age 65 Men over age 70
MaineVets.org 1-800-278-9494 Augusta Bangor Caribou Machias Scarborough South Paris
You were there for us... we are here for you.
MARCH 2015 • 3 8
HEALTH TREASURES
Anyone with a broken bone who is over age 50 Postmenopausal women under age 65 if they have significant risk factors The current best practices test is a DEXA scan (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry). It measures the amount of bone mass in the hip and spine and compares results to those of a healthy 30-year-old person of the same gender. The comparison—stated as a number—is called a T-score and can give a good indication of bone loss over the years. Below are some typical numbers. T-scores
-1 and above = normal Between -1 and -2.5 = osteopenia -2.5 and below = osteoporosis Preventing osteoporosis
Based on a T-score, your doctor can give you good advice about preventing additional bone loss—or even reversing 39
• MA I N E S EN I O R S M AGAZ I NE
some loss. The two best things you can do are to get enough (absorbed) calcium and exercise on a regular basis. It’s never too early or too late to take these two steps. Bones need calcium
Calcium needs to be ingested; the body can’t make it on its own. Women under age 50 and men under age 70 need 1000 mg a day. Women over age 50 and men over age 70 need 1200 mg a day. Calcium-rich foods include dairy, non-dairy beverages such as soy or almond milk, beans, soybeans, canned sardines and salmon and dark leafy green vegetables, such as kale, spinach and turnips. The list goes on and on. You can easily find more information on calcium-rich foods on the Internet or at your local library. To reach your daily amount, fill any gap with a calcium supplement, such as calcium carbonate or calcium citrate.
Guest Article
HEALTH TREASURES
Vitamin D helps bones absorb the calcium
People under age 50 need 400 to 800 IU a day. People over age 50 need 800 to 1000 IU a day. The best source of Vitamin D is sunlight. While you need to be careful, most doctors now recommend 10 to 20 minutes of sun exposure each day to boost your vitamin D. You can get some Vitamin D in wild caught mackerel, salmon and tuna and some fortified milk and orange juice. To reach your daily amount, fill the gap with a Vitamin D supplement. Most calcium supplements include Vitamin D. Exercise helps build strong bones
Regular exercise is proven to slow, or even reverse, bone loss. For preventing osteopenia and osteoporosis, the most important type of exercise is weight bearing, which uses your own body weight to work against gravity.
to add more calcium to your diet, more exercise to your day, and check in with your physician about testing your bone health. MSM About the author: Lauren P. Adey, MD is a board-certified, fellowshiptrained orthopaedic surgeon at Central Maine Orthopaedics (CMO) who specializes in surgery of the hand, wrist, and elbow. She joined the practice in 2005. Dr. Adey serves on the medical staff at Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC), St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, and Rumford Hospital. She performs surgery at CMMC in the Orthopaedic Institute of Central Maine (OICM), St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, and CMO’s Ambulatory Surgery Center. She is also available for consultation at the CMO Orthopaedic Clinic at Rumford Hospital.
Give us a call at 207-299-5358 to find out how you can tell your story to our readers in your very own Guest Article.
Examples of weight bearing exercises: Brisk walking Hiking Running Dancing Kickboxing Housework Yoga Tai chi Pilates Golf Racquet sports Take steps to help yourself
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Because of the high risk of bone fractures, especially hip fractures, osteoporosis is a disease that needs to be taken seriously. The next step is up to you! I mean that quite literally. If you want to remain healthy, active, and self-sufficient in your later years, you need
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MARCH 2015 • 4 0
Just Pondering
Ike the
Interrupter BY WALDO CLARK
Stop it! Stop what, Waldo? Stop
interrupting me, that’s what.
O
K, I’ve another Waldo Pet Peeve. No groans, please. My gripe is folks who constantly interrupt me while I’m talking. To no surprise, I’ve discovered that many of you feel the same way. Can you hear it, that grating, jarring sound of a voice freezing you in mid-sentence. Say, when Mr. Buttinski cuts you off, don’t you want to respond with, “Hey, let me finish. Butt out Buttinski.” An article in the Huffington Post echoed my feelings. Titled, “Enough, Stop Interrupting Me,” it read, ‘We’re living in an impatient, impulsive, instant gratification world. Interrupting, interjecting, and talking over has become the new norm. Seems like everybody wants to get a word in otherwise." The article refers to these people as the “Chronically Impatient.” To point, while researching this verbal social disorder, a tantalizing tidbit popped out, “When I interrupt people, I 41
• MA I N E S EN I O R S M AGAZ I NE
find myself wanting the pace of the conversation to fit into my packed schedule.” Well, that sums it all up, hurry up dear friend, I’ve got things to do. I’m interested, somewhat, but could you speed it up—I’d appreciate short blurbs, even sound bites. When I experience this, I wonder if I’m long-winded, a motormouth, a blabber, or worse yet, boring. I sense that restless body language from my antsy friend who sniffs the air like an agitated bird dog. The message, that I need to full throttle my words, pedal to the metal, or suffer a snitty conversational interruption. Then, I wonder what happened to that basic tenet of engaged conversation, that of good listening. Here’s a sampling of comments by those who disdain a seizure-inducing interruption. “It drives me crazy. It drives me insane. It drives me nuts. Tiresome. A conversational killer. Maddening. My pulse speeds up. I become irritable.”
Just Pondering
And my favorite, “Intruder.” Hmm, strong words eliciting negative emotions high on the Annoyance Spectrum. See, who wants Ike the Interrupter, that conversational killer, intruding on you. Not me. Heck, although I’m a man of average intelligence—not qualifying for a Mensa membership—I’ve got something to say. Like Rodney Dangerfield’s famous lament, “I don't get no respect,” when speaking, I’d like some. Oh, he also said, “I haven’t spoken to my wife in years. I don't want to interrupt her.” Now, as I delved into this subject more fully, I found Hot Tips for dealing with Ike the Interrupter: talk faster and faster, don’t pause even to take a breather, don’t relax your body language, and give them the Power Stare, letting them know that you’re in charge. Ah, the Power Stare. Of course, ignoring Ike might work. Even better, sarcasm
sometimes startles the unsuspecting, like snarling and handing the offender a bottle of Super Glue to apply to her lips. Or, screaming the old sharp-witted retort, “Shut up!” Reminds me of a football game, the team with the ball, the talkers, employs a hurry up shotgun offense, struggling to gain conversational yardage against the tongue-wagging defenders, who try to tackle the talkers’ thoughts. Eventually, the conversation referee blows his whistle signaling a 15 yard yacking interruption interference penalty. Go Talkers. Don’t you find all this some disturbing? Are you riled up? Listen, I’m considering working with local architects to design the Waldo Clark Center for Conversational Courtesy. Hall monitors will toss anyone violating the no interrupting rule. And the gift shop will discount duct tape and pepper spray. Fun stuff. All kidding aside, when you think about it, most of us just want someone to listen. Is that asking too much? MSM
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A 21st century retirement community TM
www.oceanviewrc.com • 4 Schoolhouse Drive (off Lunt Road), Falmouth, Maine 04105 MARCH 2015 • 4 2
KATY'S CHRONICLES
MINCEMEAT and
David Letterman
Living in the country during the 40's and 50's meant, in part, that my husband bagged a deer each year.
H
e had hunted since childhood and helped his widowed mother feed her brood with his catch. It was the same with our family. We had meat, both fresh and set aside to put in the freezer, to see us through the cold part of each year.
When it came to the less palatable part of the meat, I gathered apples, raisins, spices, and molasses ...and made... what else...mincemeat. Our holiday desserts always included mince pies. I loved making the filling, although it was a tedious task to peel, stir and bottle. Times have changed; no longer do I create my own delicacy, since I have instant access to a supply that is probably more tasty and far less work intensive, at least for me. 43
• MA I N E S EN I O R S M AGAZ I NE
BY KATY PERRY
Boynton's Market on Hallowell's Water Street makes delicious mincemeat (using less exotic meat than venison). Customers buy it fresh as Jake and his crew mix their monthly batch, or frozen from the supply in the cooler. No fancy machines; this product is entirely homemade. There are a lot of stories about this taste treat. Jake bought Boynton's Market nearly 16 years ago. It's a family-owned corner market in a small community. Lots of supermarkets are nearby; one can drive less than two miles and be greeted by miles of shelves of foods from around the world. Service at these places is very good. They just can't compete, though, with the down-home, individual attention that you get at Boynton's Market. Jake and Lorraine have put a lot of trust and caring into their service.
KATY'S CHRONICLES
When Jake bought the market he found that the recipe for Arthur Boynton's mincemeat came with the purchase. Jake decided to retain the mincemeat service for those who were picking up a quart whenever they were in a pie baking mood. It was a good, tasty product. Little wonder news got about. Lorraine put together a modest recipe book featuring the many ways mincemeat could be used. A small item in a Boston paper swelled its fame. It was a quiet morning about three years ago when Jake answered the phone and discovered he was talking to a secretary in the television office of David Letterman. "David Letterman would like to invite you to appear on his show and talk about the mincemeat you make and how you make it. Would you like to come to New York?"
I spoke to Jake about the story a few weeks later. "You know, Katy, they tell me that David Letterman gets his laughs at others' expense. That didn't bother me. He could pan me all he wanted. But if he happened to pan my mincemeat, the fur might just have flown. David Letterman, NBC, CBS, ABC or wherever, I'm doing just fine where I am." And that about wraps up the story of Maine's almost nationally famous mincemeat and the man who said no thanks to his "15 minutes of fame". He has no regrets. Jake and his mincemeat are already famous in Hallowell, Maine. MSM [Excerpt from Pieces of Earth by Katy Perry, 1994]
Now Jake Baker is not a man to be impressed with a name unless he agrees with what the name represents. A business with long hours behind the counter leaves little time for T.V. What he knew of David Letterman was only what others had told him. "I'll have to think about it ", he said. "Call me back in a couple of days." I suspect the New York office had a hard time reconciling itself to a national opportunity to market a product, with such reluctance to jump at the offer. They didn't know Jake. When the second call came a few days later, Jake was ready with his counteroffer. "I'm far too busy making mincemeat and serving my customers. Let me invite Mr. Letterman to come to Maine and see for himself how I run my operation." That didn't fly either. Jake didn't go to New York for a national broadcast, and David Letterman denied himself the opportunity to see "Life As It Should Be" in Maine. So Jake generously packed up a box of mincemeat, a copy of Lorraine's recipes and a T-shirt depicting Jake's image merged with that of David Letterman. He sent it via UPS to the New York studio. \Nothing. No thanks, no comments. The line was dead.
MARCH 2015 • 4 4
SPECIAL SERIES Katy Perry, David Nealley, Governor LePage, SId Low, Jane Margesson, and Representative Richard Campbell
In the Summer Issue of 2013, Dr. Len Kaye, Director of the Center of Aging at the University of Maine wrote the following:
It’s Official: Maine Has A Special Day To Honor Our Seniors—Now Let’s Get to Work!
LD560—An Act to Establish Maine Seniors Day—has been signed into law by the governor. That is good news indeed. Now, let’s make sure that this official recognition at the state level translates into concrete actions taken throughout the state to acknowledge the wisdom and capacity that older adults have to offer in our communities. 45
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Thanks are due to the bill’s sponsor, Representative Campbell and his co-sponsors, Senators Boyle, Cain, Gratwick, Saviello, Woodbury, and Youngblood, and Representatives Brooks, Harlow, and Reed. Thanks, as well, to David Nealley for leading the charge to get this bill passed. Each year on the second Saturday in September this day of recognition will recognize with pride the contributions that older Maine citizens make to our communities and the richness they bring to family life in Maine. Of course, in a perfect world we would not need to pay special recognition to such a large segment of our state’s population. The establishment of Maine Seniors Day can and should be a wake-up call for all Mainers. It is a reminder, first and fore-
SPECIAL SERIES
States (29.4%) (Baby boomers are those of us born between 1946 and 1964 and who are now turning 65 years of age at the rate of 10,000 a day nationwide). These need not be statistics that cause worry nor signal dark days ahead for the state. Ever the optimist, these numbers tell me that while younger adults may grab the first opportunity to build a life elsewhere, Maine continues to be an extremely desirable place to retire and grow old. At MAINE SENIORS Magazine, we are pleased to report that both the Legislative and the Executive branch of Maine government have a focus on senior issues. David Nealley
most, that we have been and remain the oldest state in the nation based on median age (43.5 years) which is more than six years older than the U.S. median age (37.4 years).And, we have the highest percentage of baby boomers in the United
This Special Series is devoted to sharing with you the information that we have and will continue to secure over the next few months. Your Senior Partner,
David Nealley, Publisher
MARCH 2015 • 4 6
SPECIAL SERIES
Proposed Legislation Addresses Housing Needs of Maine Seniors Mark W, Eves, Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, has proposed legislation that would significantly impact Maine’s growing senior population.
H
is proposal is in the form of a $65,000,000 Housing Bond designed to provide1000 affordable energy-efficient housing units to be constructed or retrofitted throughout the state. As it now stands, at least one project would be located in each of Maine’s 16 counties, with preference given to communities where health care, public transportation, and essential goods and services are easily accessible. According to Eves, “The Maine Council on Aging originally approached me on this issue two years ago and said, ‘The 47
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BY ELLEN L. SPOONER timing is right, people are focused on it, the need is there. Would you be willing to work with us on it?’ We thought about it for about three seconds and said, ‘Yes.’” Since that time, Eves has devoted a great deal of time and energy gathering information relevant to Maine’s aging demographic. He and Maine Senator David Burns are forming a growing bipartisan coalition determined to identify and alleviate many of the challenges facing Maine seniors. Multiple meetings and open forums have been held throughout the State, including a Maine Summit on Aging held at the Augusta Civic Center in August of 2014. When Eves and Burns announced their intention to form a Caucus on Aging in the Maine Legislature. Many legislators
SPECIAL SERIES
Among the challenges faced
by seniors, housing is, perhaps, the most urgent. Even the most diligent people in our society are affected. “from both sides of the aisle” expressed interest and willingness to participate including, Representative Richard Campbell of Orrington. (It was Rep. Campbell, a longtime champion of seniors, who sponsored the bill that established the annual Maine Seniors Day.) Among the challenges faced by seniors, housing is, perhaps, the most urgent. In recent years, even the most diligent people in our society, those who have worked and
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MARCH 2015 • 4 8
SPECIAL SERIES
saved for their retirement, are finding that their “nest egg” is not sufficient to meet their needs.
In many cases, the death of one spouse significantly decreases income.
Many factors, alone or in combination, can deplete their savings:
For those on a fixed income, increases in the cost of living limit their ability to complete necessary home repairs, and, in too many cases, can force them to sell their homes.
People are living longer, thereby outliving their assets. Many seniors are providing financial help for their children and grandchildren. Catastrophic or chronic illness of one spouse can erode retirement savings
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Speaker Eves states that, according to a recently completed report, Maine currently has the need for over 9,000 affordable senior housing units; a number which is projected to rise to 15,000 units by 2022 as our large number of babyboomers reach retirement age. “So it’s a huge need that I feel very passionate about.”
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Taking on the matters that matter to you and your family.
You’re working hard to realize the American dream, and AARP is here to help you achieve your goals. AARP takes on the issues that are most important to you and your family, from affordable healthcare and retirement security to caregiving and community improvements. You want your voice to be heard, and AARP is listening. Find out more about us and how you can get involved at aarp.org/me or email us at me@aarp.org.
With regard to his $65,000,000 housing bond proposal, Eves says, “We’ve taken a bold approach, but it’s critical to start now. We have an opportunity to help seniors in Maine live independently longer and have a more secure retirement”. He added, “I think we have a relatively good chance of doing something big here this session.” MSM Editor’s Note: We will continue to follow this story as the housing bond proposal works its way through the legislative process.
SPECIAL SERIES
Budget Initiatives
Focus on Seniors BY ELLEN L. SPOONER
Attention, Maine seniors! The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has its sights focused on you.
C
ommissioner Mary Mayhew recently shared information with us regarding the Department’s newly found financial stability—for which she credits Governor LePage—as well as numerous initiatives the Department has put forth for consideration by the 127th Legislature. If these initiatives were to become part of an approved budget, an array of meaningful changes would occur in the type and range of services available to Maine’s senior population. Mayhew stated that services not covered by Medicaid have to be supported through state funding. The problem is that, “Medicaid is ‘antiquated’. It’s not keeping pace with the
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array of issues and potential solutions available.” In many instances, there are alternative ways of delivering services to seniors that are less costly and more effective but put the burden of funding totally, or at least partially on the state, “It’s penny wise and pound foolish.” Among the initiatives we will follow are:
Additional Funding for Nursing Homes—This proposal is for $24 million in additional funding. Presently, nursing homes are predominantly funded by Medicaid, not Medicare. Funding at Medicaid’s lower rate significantly impacts the economic viability of Maine’s nursing homes and limits availability for Maine seniors. Access to Primary Care—A total of $28 million which would replace expiring federal funds with state funds to
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Left: Commisioner enjoying the interview. This page: Commisioner Mary Mayhew with MAINE SENIORS Magazine Editor in Chief Ellen Spooner and Publisher David Nealley.
reimburse Primary Care Providers at 100% of Medicare rates. Many primary care physicians do not accept Medicaid, forcing some seniors to go to hospital emergency rooms for the treatment of chronic illnesses or relatively minor problems. This would allow them access to primary care physicians and decrease expensive emergency room visits and possible hospital admissions. The proposal also supports continuation of Health Homes. Health Homes—This is a community-based program that provides “coordinated physical, mental, and behavioral health care services for seniors living in their own homes or in other facilities." Homemaker Program—This program provides inhome support for seniors who need help with daily living activities, such as grocery shopping, preparing meals, doing laundry. Without these services, individuals may be forced into assisted living or nursing home settings before they truly need that kind of care. Giving up one’s home, not to mention one’s independence, before it is necessary can be an extremely traumatic event for any senior. At the
same time, the cost of their care in residential facilities rises significantly for the state. Unfortunately Medicaid covers medical services only; it does not cover in-home services for anything related to daily living needs. These are not the only issues that occupy Commissioner Mayhew. She is very concerned about the isolation many seniors face and is working to provided more funding and resources for senior day care programs. She is trying to increase pay rates for home care workers in an effort to recruit and retain more of them to fill the ever-increasing need. She also is aware of the need for more outreach programs and services that would follow patients after they are discharged from the hospital, possibly preventing the number of complications and readmissions. The challenges facing the State of Maine, DHHS, communities throughout Maine, and even we, as individuals, are many... as we plan for our aging population. MAINE SENIORS will keep you informed.
MSM
MARCH 2015 • 5 2
Bridging Generations HEALTH TREASURES
Living at
HO ME
BY JOAN CLARK
Maine Seniors are hardy New Englanders; my dad Waldo included!
T
hey choose to live on their own and do it well. It is so important to help seniors remain in their homes for as long as they can. There are many ways that you can help.
Grab bars at the shower, bathtub and toilet. Beds that have hospital grab bars and electrical reclining capability.
There are an abundance of home health care companies that offer daily assistance such as physical therapy, personal hygiene and nursing visits.
Exit ramps on the outside of the house are very helpful if a senior needs to be wheeled out for medical services or other needs.
Many seniors who live at home have medical alert systems installed so if need be, they can push the alert and the assistance company can phone a loved one and get emergency help.
Dining chairs with arms are helpful for ease of getting up and electric reclining chairs are useful because they can help a person easily get from reclining to a standing position with the help of a remote control. Most chairs will work even if the power goes out. They can make one more rotation to get a person out of the chair.
If the budget allows, have automatic gas powered generators installed in the home. Have all snow removal maintenance personnel lined up before the rough snow arrives so you can be assured the exits, vents, roof and paths will be cleared. 53
Occupational therapists can give advice with the selection and placement of the following in-home amenities and more:
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Most important of all is to remember to visit and call your senior family members as often as you can. I am going to call my Dad now. MSM
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THE MAINE POINT
Terry and Jack McGraw
Love and Taxes BY JANE MARGESSON
This month’s The Maine Point column shines a spotlight on a true and remarkable love story. Surprisingly, it all began with taxes.
"
Y
ou have to know how to use a computer, you know.” Gruffly spoken, these were the first words Theresa heard from her future husband, Jack. Theresa, a retired Administrative Assistant in the Political Science Department at USM, had decided to volunteer with AARP’s Tax-Aide program which prepares over 20,000 tax returns in Maine at no cost. “I had arrived for the training and the only seat left was the one opposite Jack,” Theresa told me.“He’s 6’5” so once you see him, you don’t soon forget him.” The computer Theresa had been given for the training session kept crashing, but Jack didn’t seem interested in lending a hand. A retired CPA and fifteen year veteran of the program, Jack kept to his own work. “He obviously failed charm school,” Theresa says. Off and on, the two worked together as volunteers during three tax seasons. One evening in 2007 as their volunteer
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work was coming to a close, Jack asked Theresa out for a coffee. “It’s too cold,” she said. “Ask me when it’s warmer!” Joan Jagolinzer, the AARP Tax-Aide State Coordinator in Maine, remembers the moment. “I do remember when Jack and Terry both first started volunteering at a couple of our tax preparation sites,” she said to me. “One day as all of the volunteers were leaving, I overheard Jack ask Terry if she wanted to go out for coffee. Her response was ‘No, it's too cold.’ But, just a few weeks later, Jack and Terry showed up together in Jack's antique car.” Following their coffee date the two sat in Jack’s car and just talked. Both formerly married, neither of them had expected to fall in love again, but that is exactly what happened. Soon after, Jack invited Theresa over to his charming 1835 home in Gorham for dinner. “He grilled salmon,” she remembers, “but he spread mayonnaise all over it beforehand. I remember
THE MAINE POINT
With tax season once again on the horizon, why not locate the nearest AARP Tax-Aide site (www.aarp.org/taxaide) to file your taxes? thinking, ‘how am I going to tell him I’m not going to eat that?’ It turned out to be the best dish I’ve ever had!”
“Jack is delightful, and he’s so bright,” Theresa says just a little proudly. I asked Jack what word he would use to describe her in return. "Caring,” was his reply. Theresa went on to mention a difficult time some months ago when Jack’s knee replacement became infected. She helped him, literally, with every step. “We have each other’s back,” she says.
Four months later, Joan and fifty other guests attended their beautiful lakeside wedding in Little Sebago.
With tax season once again on the horizon, why not locate the nearest AARP Tax-Aide site (www.aarp.org/taxaide) to file your taxes? The program is primarily for low-income residents over 60 and all returns are filed for free.
Now in their seventies, Jack and Theresa are inseparable.
Who knows? You might even fall in love.
MSM
The wedding party: cousin John, the maid of honor, and Jack's grandson Bradley as the best man.
MARCH 2015 • 5 6
OUTDOORS
TENSION BY JOHN CHRISTIE
Penobscot Bay Pearls
One of Maine's great native son poets, and perhaps my favorite, was born on Whitehead Island in Penobscot Bay.
W
ilbert Snow saw his first sunrise over the ocean in 1884, and in his more than four score lifetime he not only crafted great poetry, he became a noted educator and, for a short time, the 75th Governor of Connecticut.
I was first exposed to Snow's genius while at Bowdoin in the 1950's, the same school from which he had graduated in 1907. While immersing myself in his complete body of work, I stumbled on a few lines that so resonated with me that they've never been far from my mind. The sea is forever quiv'ring, and the shore is forever still And the boy who is born in a seacoast town is born with a dual will 57
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The sunburned rocks and beaches inveigle him to stay While every wave that breaches is a nudge to be up and away You see, I was that boy. And when I first read those lines I understood for the first time in my life the dichotomy explaining the pull and push that I'd been feeling since I was a little boy . . . the realization that I was in about as perfect a town as I possibly could be, but with the guilty feeling that there must be something more. I'd like to think that I might be speaking for all my Camden friends who grew up with me in the two decades between 1940 and 1960, and who had some of those same feelings that it took a few lines from the pen of Wilbert Snow to clarify for me.
OUTDOORS
Prescott's hot dog wagon in front of Carlton French & Co., Putnam's candy shop, the soda fountain at Boynton McKay, the Eager Beaver teen group at the Congregational Church, all conspired to pressure my friends and me to never want to abandon this little Eden of ours.
I was first exposed to Snow's
genius while at Bowdoin in the 1950's, the same school from which he had graduated in 1907. But the crashing surf and the relentless constancy of the incoming and outgoing tides were working on our collective subconscious in ways that I had never even realized. If I had,
“Great service in many ways.”
Round Pond
Our youth benefited from the dedication of numerous selfless people who built and kept the Snow Bowl going; from the works of the Civil Conservation Corp (CCC) boys who created Camden Hills State Park; from closeknit families and neighbors who looked out for each other; from local shopkeepers, contractors and others who gave us afterschool and weekend jobs; from teachers who genuinely cared about us and took an interest in our preparation for life after Camden; and from the generosity of summer folks who endowed the community with more than just their money. Yes, the pull of the sunburned rocks and beaches, the craggy cliffs on Mount Battie behind my home on Megunticook Street, the movie theater on Mechanic Street, George
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MARCH 2015 • 5 8
OUTDOORS
Wind wrapped round each last and living thing, A lighthouse like a diamond, cut and sharp, And all the trees like strings upon a harp.
I would never have been capable of putting into words, but for Wilbert Snow. I no longer feel guilty about bursting out of Camden's protective cocoon because, as Snow said, I was influenced by forces far greater than myself, and beyond my control. At least that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. And now that my seventy-eight years have brought me full circle back home after years astray, it delights me to see the same kind of community that I left fifty five years ago, and my sense is that not much has changed, or will change. The mountains will always meet the sea. The tides will always rise and ebb. And our youth will continue to be torn between staying and leaving. As they should. Snow's mentor at Bowdoin was the venerated native Maine poet, Robert P. T. Coffin, who captured perfectly what it is about our home state that makes it so special to all of us in these memorable lines: This is my country, bitter as the sea, Pungent with the fir and bayberry, An island meadow, stonewalled, high, and lost With August cranberries touched red by frost. Two hours of sun before the fog erases The walls on walls of trees trimmed sharp as laces. A house behind the last hill of them all, And, after that,the lonesome seagulls' call; A juniper upon a windy ledge, Splendor of granite on the world's bright edge, A heron on the beach and one on wing. 59
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These are my people, saving of emotion, With their eyes dipped in the Winter ocean, The lonely, patient ones, whose speech comes slow, Whose bodies always lean towards the blow, The enduring and the clean, the tough and clear, Who live where Winter is the word for year And the briar rose had best be brief, Where most trees wear a dagger for a leaf. These people are my kindred and my kind, They have a sort of lighthouse for a mind. Keeping lit inside, because the sun Is too low to be a trusted one, The cheerful, crystal people who have had The chance to know the taste of being sad.
MSM
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W
e see so many seniors who are forced to downsize their homes, or move into facilities where there is little or no opportunity to enjoy the natural world. The Hammond Street Senior Center is different.
Our facility has a beautiful urban garden on its rooftop. The plants, vegetables and herbs love all the sun and heat provided up there! This space is truly wonderful for all seniors who have a green thumb. The Center’s garden is run by volunteers and is comprised of high quality and organic product donated from local businesses.
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Stout Fare
March is Irish American History Month, as well as the month in which St. Patrick's Day falls (no coincidence, of course.)
I
t's also the time when Spring is so close you can almost taste it, but the chill outside is still so present that one wants hot, filling comfort food to bolster them for the final stretch to the all-too-distant warm weather. Irish pub food such as steak and stout pie, with a rich mushroom gravy and a crispy crust, and hearty traditional foods such as colcannon, are just the kind of meal you want for a chilly March evening. Steak pies, often made with ale or stout, are a popular pub food. Hot and rich, they can include any sort of vegetables one wants to include, for a more complete meal, but for my purposes—and because I was serving it with colcannon, 61
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BY FIA FORTUNE
Two classic Irish favorites
a potato dish containing cabbage and green onions— I stuck to mushrooms. They are most typically made with Guinness, but I opted for a local brew: Royal Tar Imperial Stout from Sebago Brewing Company. I recommend using your own favorite stout, but if you don't drink and prefer not to cook with alcohol either, you can substitute beef broth to build your gravy, but you will lose the depth of flavor that the stout brings. Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish, made with potatoes and either kale or cabbage, often eaten with ham or Irish bacon. I included the bacon in my dish, to give the cabbage a bit more flavor, and lend some texture. I also prefer to saute my cabbage, over the traditional boiling. This can also be a great dish to make with the leftovers from your New England boiled dinner, however, and you can take your own liberties with the ingredients—it would be delicious, if not necessarily traditional, with mashed carrots and rutabaga included. MSM
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Featured Recipe MINI STEAK & STOUT PIES INGREDIENTS: ½ package puff pastry (find in the freezer section of the grocery store) 1 pound chuck steak or other inexpensive cut, sliced thinly ½ cup flour 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 1 pint of your favorite stout 1 cup beef broth 1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and chopped 1 onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce ¼ cup maple syrup
5. When the gravy is thick, remove from heat and portion into ramekins. Top each ramekin with a square—or round—of puff pastry.
DIRECTIONS:
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a gallon-sized plastic zipper bag, toss the steak with the flour, salt and pepper. 2. In a high-sided saute pan, begin to heat one tablespoon of oil. Add steak and flour, and cook until crispy. Remove the steak pieces to a separate bowl and set aside.
6. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes, or until crust has puffed up and turned golden brown. COLCANNON INGREDIENTS: 1 pound potatoes, boiled and mashed 4 tablespoons butter ½ cup milk 6 slices bacon, chopped 1 pound cabbage, shredded salt and pepper to taste 4 chopped scallions
1. Add milk and butter to potatoes, mixing well. set aside. 2. In a large skillet, brown bacon until rendered. Add cabbage and cook until wilted. 3. Combine potatoes with cabbage mixture, remove from heat, and add scallions.
3. Add second tablespoon of oil, onion and garlic. Soften onion and garlic, while scraping up as much of the crunchy flour bits on the bottom of the pan as possible. Add mushrooms and cook until softened. Then, add beef broth and Worchestershire sauce. 4. Scrape up any remaining bits sticking to the bottom of the pan, and return your steak to the pan. Add the stout a bit at a time, simmering on low until the gravy has thickened. Add the maple syrup last, tasting to determine how much is necessary—depending on how bitter your stout is, you may choose to add more or less. MARCH 2015 • 6 2
HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE
A
Cure for the Fever
In mid winter in Maine, it is not uncommon for one to be afflicted with colds, the flu or the dreaded "cabin fever".
A
s miserable as these physical ailments may be, they are self-limiting and remedies are available to relieve or terminate them.
Not so with cabin fever, you are left on your own to deal with that. Your choices of cure are innumerable; joining bridge or cribbage clubs; swimming at the Y nearest you; building model boats, planes, or trains; taking painting or ceramic classes; joining yoga or aerobic classes; becoming involved in local theater groups; volunteering for neighborhood charities and nonprofits, and so on. These are just a few ideas, not to mention all the wonderful outdoor sports for those so inclined. 63
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BY LOIS N. NEALLEY
I, for one, have found my cure; it's a book. It's my personal "magic flying carpet". I can go wherever I wish to go, meet whomever I want to meet, learn whatever I want to learn, or just fly around immersing myself in the trials, tribulations, education, travel, experiences and joys of others. No matter where you are, as long as you can find a library, bookstore, supermarket, or pharmacy, you can find a book that will take you "here, there and everywhere ". Please don't counter with "I don't like to read." I hear that as "I'm not interested in anything", which I find hard to believe. In view of the billions of books available—more than we can read in a lifetime—I find it inconceivable that someone doesn't like to read. It's easy as going to your nearest library or bookstore and browsing. I guarantee you will find something that interests you. While you are in your library, remember it offers more than books. The children's section is always a special place to take grandchildren. Let them do lots of exploring, read
HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE
to them or have them read to you, and have fun. Ask about book clubs for adults, special speakers on the agenda, or classes being offered. You'll be surprised to find how truly versatile a library can be. So leave your "cabin" and fly. Let's start looking at popular best sellers:
Things That Matter: Three Decades of Passions, Pastimes and Politics by Charles Krauthammer—A collection of essays and columns from a forceful, intelligent and influential Pulitzer Prize winning columnist. All the Light We Cannot See—Award winning author Anthony Doerr interweaves the lives of a blind French girl and a young orphaned German boy during WW II. A moving story of their responsibilities to their countries and the harrowing moral decisions that face them.
While you are in your library, remember it offers more than books. You'll be surprised to find how truly versatile a library can be.
In the Kingdom of Ice—A spellbinding story of the voyage of the USS Jeanette's terrible Polar expedition by Hampton Sides will thrill readers with its heroism. Through the determination of the world's foremost cartographers to explore uncharted waters and the bravery of 32 young men, chapter after chapter of exploration in the "frozen Hell" unfolds. Michael Lewis, a well-known financial journalist and nonfiction writer gives informed and eye-opening exposés into the world of economics. A worldwide view is covered in Boomerang. There are many others worth reading, like Money Ball, Liar's Poker, The Big Short, and Flash Boy, to name a few.
Biographies and autobiographies can be wonderful reading and they, too, can take you to other countries, cultures, times and unique personalities. Again, your choices are tremendous. Are you interested in celebrities; historical figures, movie stars, political figures, sports?
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HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE
Here are some other biographies you might try:
John Adams by David McCullough The Autobiography of Mark Twain Churchill: A Life by Martin Gilbert Decision Points—George W. Bush candidly describes the major decisions of his presidency and his personal life . . . an absorbing read. Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig by Jonathan Eig Larry Bird, Earvin "Magic" Johnson: When the Game Was Ours by Jackie MacMullan Phil Jackson . . . Eleven Rings—The memoirs of an NBA coach with over forty years and 11 Championships Or, if you're interested in true adventures:
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson— A gripping novellike historic tale of an American ambassador and his family in Berlin in 1933.
Cross your t’s and dot your i’s Life is not a spectator sport, so be sure you savor everything it has to offer. And when you have all your legal issues well covered,
you’ll enjoy it even more.
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HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer—True story of disaster on Mt Everest. A fascinating tale of the ordeals of sherpas and climbers. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. There are some excellent books by Maine authors:
Suddenly, the Cider Didn't Taste So Good by John Ford Sr. A retired Maine game warden shares stories about his 20 years of experience in the woods with people and wildlife, and some humor. Spoonhandle—Ruth Moore, the well-known Maine writer, author of the classic novel, was often referred to as the 'Faulkner' of the area. She writes about the lives and lifestyles of ordinary Mainers. The reader becomes truly engrossed with her well-developed characters and storylines. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline—a truly engrossing novel of immigrant children during the late 1800's who were put on trains and sent to the midwest. In new homes, their experiences led to new and unusual lives .
Stephen King could almost go unmentioned because his works (books and films) are omnipresent He may be Maine's most prolific modern day author. His characters are truly impressive and feel real even when they are not. The first book I read was Dolores Claiborne. I have never forgotten it. Dolores became so alive to me, a character so typical of Maine. King is, indeed, the master of horror, supernatural and spine tingling suspense. You may choose from a huge list of his books. Perhaps some of these mystery and crime books are of interest to you:
Because they are among some of my favorite "reads", I will not hesitate to mention some of the best known authors of mysteries and crime stories: John Grisham, David Baldacci, P.D. James, Steven Martini, James Patterson, Agatha Christie, Stephen King, Dan Brown, Janet Evanovich, Dennis Lehane, Martha Grimes, Elizabeth George, Ed McBain, Umberto Eco, Vince Flynn, Daniel Silva, Clive Cussler, John le Carre, Gabriel Allon, and so many more. Most of them write well-researched novels with strong plots and characters. The books range in theme from; court trials, serial killers, hard-core detectives, soft-core mysterMARCH 2015 • 6 6
HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE
ies, possibly with humor, spies and foreign agents, to some with a little super-natural twist added—"page-turners"! These are a prolific group of writers whose claim to fame is well-deserved.
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Don't forget the many types of books I haven't mentioned. Sports, for example, can be found in biographies, in fiction and in instructional format. Cookbooks and recipes for beginners to gourmet chefs are available as well. How about needlework? Quilting, embroidery and needlepoint (A to Z) can be found in beautiful colorful books; mechanics, in detailed, illustrated format. Want to learn how to repair your own car or snowmobile? How-to books on how to make your own wine and brew your own beer are out there. Books on indoor and outdoor gardening are fun to read this time of year. You can learn how to play chess, mahjong, bridge or cribbage. Oh, so much to explore! I have to stop. There are just too many and all I want to do is pique your interest, whatever it may be. I want you to take your mind off you and the cabin. So, to repeat, go to your nearest library or bookstore and browse. Then fly away on your "magic carpet". Spring will be here in no time. MSM
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This Saint Patrick's Day, get Dad the gift he really wants... ...a subscription to MAINE SENIORS Magazine! For just $24.95 you receive 10 issues. Subscribe online at meseniors.com, or make checks payable to MAINE SENIORS Magazine 87 Hillside Avenue Bangor, Maine 04401
MARCH 2015 • 6 8
FROM THE PORCH
JUST ONE
More Time The word nostalgia gets a bad rap, negative nostalgia naysayers bashing any thought of crossing the boundary, back to the past.
S
imone Signoret said, “Nostalgia is not what it used to be.” And that wasn’t so good either. An article in the Association for Psychological Science, titled “More Than Just Being a Sentimental Fool” offered this disarming report: “In the 17th and 18th centuries, nostalgia was viewed as a medical disease, complete with symptoms including weeping, irregular heartbeat, and anorexia. By the 20th century, nostalgia was regarded as a psychological disorder, with symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, and depression.” I’ll tell you, I’ve never experienced any of those symptoms when I delve into my past. Sounds like those ads on TV warning you of the potential side effects of your new medicine, like vomiting, dizziness, swollen tongue, and brown urine. I wondered if the following were founding fathers of the 69
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BY HUNTER HOWE
Nostalgia Naysayer Club. Mare Ridot said,“I hate nostalgia, I want nothing to do with it.” Nicholas Haslan wrote,“I don’t do nostalgia. The phrase ‘the good old days’ never passes my lips.” Worse yet, Sherman Alexie penned, “Nostalgia is always doomed and dooming.” Please, toss the Kleenex. I believe these nostalgic naysayers paint with too broad a brush. If they were congressmen, they’d pass laws regulating nostalgia with watchdog committees screening our thoughts. Now, I regard myself as a nostalgic sentimentalist—actually the term is redundant in that the two words are synonyms for each other. In fact, my column often digs deep into the fertile ground of nostalgia, yielding fruitful crops of sustenance and hope. Some well-meaning friends--I call them the Don’t Go Back Crowd--tell me that I spend too much time cultivating these rich soils. Gee, you’d think that I was unearthing broccoli. In fact, the article in the Association for Psychological Science continued on echoing my stance: “Research suggests
FROM THE PORCH
But the nostalgia pulls us back, it tugs hard on our thoughts; it’s relentless glue. Go back. Go back. that nostalgia can provide psychological health … providing a link between the past and present selves … nostalgia has a long past and exciting future.” See, the crops are tasting better. I found other studies that suggested that happy memories let you take a break from negativity; and that when you’re facing serious issues, looking in the rear view mirror helps you get your bearings. Ah, perhaps we’ll call this a nostalgic compass. Another study suggested that nostalgia generates a number of psychological benefits relative to memory, emotion, the
self, and relationships. And another cited that nostalgia reduces stress and makes people feel energized, inspired, and optimistic about the future. So modern thinking on the subject presents a much more positive posture on nostalgia, one I embrace wholeheartedly. To point, Vladimir Nabokov said, “One is always at home in one’s past.” Sure, time does blur some memories. What’s wrong with that? I do wonder why some memories pop out of nowhere, some of these recurring. Is there some significance here or nothing more than your inner self tossing a random memory, no analysis needed. Seems like today everyone needs a reason—we’ll call these folk the frowning, disgruntled Hemorrhoid Crowd. Many of us develop a strong pull back to a special time in our life, a time in a special place. For Mainers, it may be a place called camp, that enduring tradition found in the
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FROM THE PORCH
Land of the Pines. For me, I often think back to my days vacationing in Jonesport, the birthplace of my mother. I’ll bet that the majority of us, using our nostalgic compasses, return to our special places, physically or mentally, because we must, because we want to feel good, because we relish the nostalgic nourishment from those fertile fields. Yet, when my grandmother died in 1993, I vowed that I would never return to Jonesport. It would never be the same. Too much sadness. I couldn’t imagine going into her house, now owned by an uncle. I’d miss her overwhelming presence and I’d miss the way she had her things just so—her reading chair, the cookie jar, the picture of the schooner above the couch, her dictionary for doing crossword puzzles, the binoculars in the kitchen, and more. I’d miss that certain smell that all houses have, particular to each family. My memories must rest in peace with her and the house. But the nostalgia pulls us back, it tugs hard on our thoughts; it’s relentless glue. Go back. Go back. No, it won’t ever be the same but the memory lives on. How often do we think, I’d like to Go Back, just one more time. I’d like to explore the woods with my former precious dog, a Springer spaniel called Chauncey, just one more time. I’d like to cut through the fairways, in the early morning dew, of the country club where I caddied, the fresh grass clippings clinging to my worn Converse sneakers, just one more time. And yes, I’ve decided that I must go back to Jonesport. Next
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summer, I’ll wander down the main street, past the former high school, past an old garage another uncle owned, past the library, past the old movie house, past the tiny building where another uncle snipped hair, past the creek, past Danny Hall’s store (the name changed now), past the one room building that served as the post office, to the head of the lane that my grandparents lived on, looking out to Sawyer’s Cove and beyond to Beals Island, just one more time. Jenny Lawson said, “Have you ever been homesick for somewhere that doesn’t actually exist anymore? Something that exists in the mind?” Time marches on, but the memories remain, for the present and for the future. You know, when I leave Jonesport, I’ll glance over my shoulder like I did as a lad, my Dad driving up the lane, leaving the house and my grandparents behind waving goodbye from the porch. I’ll glance back, just one more time. MSM
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Society of Thoracic Surgeons awards top rating for Cardiac Surgery to CMHVI The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) has recognized the Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute cardiac surgery program with its highest rating – three stars. Only 10 to 15 percent of heart surgery programs nationwide earn this honor. The STS comprehensive rating system compares the quality of cardiac surgery at some 750 hospitals in the U.S. CMHVI is among the top-tier cardiac surgery providers. The National Quality Forum has endorsed the STS quality measurement program.
300 MAIN STREET, LEWISTON
753-3900 or 1-800-760-6622 www.cmhvi.org Cardiothoracic surgeons Paul Weldner, M.D., (left) and Carmine Frumiento, M.D. 73
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