Senior Connection Feb. 2011 Hillsborough by Lifestyles After 50 Magazine

Online Dating VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2

HILLSBOROUGH

FEBRUARY 2011

Jeannie Robertson

Keeps You Laughing

• Matters of the Heart • Are You a Cougar? • Super Spices for Your Health • Early Onset Alzheimer’s

w.sisit our w rma ebs ga ite at zine : .co m

LOOK INSIDE... FOR PLACES TO GO AND THINGS TO DO!

When We Speak (Via Computer) Does Anybody Listen? BY JANICE DOYLE

Dear Readers,

ere’s my mantra for computer use: “Don’t ever tell me to JUST do anything Janice Doyle, on the computer.” Editor You may show me, guide me, teach me, enlighten me, prepare me, drill me and communicate well to me. I will, however, not JUST do anything on the computer. It will take me a while to absorb what I’m taught, and I will have to practice it over and over until an “aha” moment. Then it will be mine, and I will love it! It’s really a puzzle, this keeping up with technology. Publisher of this magazine Kathy Beck and I are “women of a certain age”—I’m in my late 60s (very late 60s!) and she’s more than a decade younger. We were talking one day about how much social media presence we need to have since we are, after all, in the print media and senior events business. After some discussion, Kathy said, “When is it going to slow down so we can catch up?” Her comment showed where she and I are now—we’re staggering to understand even the basics of social media! By definition, social media means the use of Internet-based technologies to turn communication into interactive dialogue. (Translation: We put something on the Internet and you interact with us via your computer.) Or something like that.

In reality we know technological development is not slowing down soon. The last few years I was a middle school teacher, I struggled to learn computer use through workshops and a young co-teacher’s help. At that time I also worked nights and weekends following a dream to become a writer by working as writer and proofreader for Kathy. I went with her from page layouts on old-fashioned cut-and-paste “boards” to doing the whole job on computers. So, in many ways we learned together. Translation: We both had to have someone around who could JUST do this or that on computer. I remember one night more than 10 years ago when the only person who really knew how to—just!—put the stories and ads in the computer templates left for the day about the time I came to the office (after teaching all day) to help. Two hours later, our husbands—also computer neophytes—arrived bringing take-out suppers. All of us together had the computer capability of one computersavvy five-year-old child today. (Please note that I did not say the five-year-old was smarter than we were, just computer-savvy. There’s a big difference. Five year olds are NOT smarter than you are just because they can maneuver a computer keyboard—and don’t you forget that.) Anyway, at one point, I “minimized” the story we needed to finish the month’s layout without knowing what I had done. Today that sounds so foolish.

Have fun with us on Facebook. It’s easy! Visit www.facebook.com, sign up and type “Senior Connection and Mature Lifestyles” in the search bar to bring up our community page. There, you’ll find the latest news and fun events near you, get your “Smile For The Day,” see fun pictures and videos and share comments with us! Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 2

But that night in the office, the four of us tried to figure out where in the world that story had gone—one minute it was on the screen and the next minute it was gone. Many minutes passed as we tried to “find the silly thing,” one of us after the other sitting before the screen pushing keys. I no longer remember the solution, but I remember the frustration. Like all business owners today, and whether she likes it or not, Kathy feels she has to build a “platform” for her products. Your independent mechanic faces the same dilemma. We now print over 200,000 publications a month for five distribution areas from Ocala down to Naples. Kathy also organizes and oversees a Senior Fun Fest every month at locations throughout west central Florida. Thousands of seniors flock to these for a day of entertainment, health screenings, vendor exhibits and just plain fun. That’s the business Kathy is in, and she’s good at it. It’s the platform of the social media part that is puzzling. In the last few months, we’ve added a Facebook presence; we Twitter; some of the staff are LinkedIn. Do we need a blog? An internet forum? Podcasts? Do you use an RSS Feed? Does it matter to the business? We ask. Do you check us out on Facebook? Do you see our Tweets? Do you read any online blogs? Would you read a blog from us? Would you be a guest blogger? Any comments: janice@srmagazine. com (subject line: editorial) Meanwhile, enjoy the magazine this month—after all, that’s one of the two things we do best! And, c’mon everybody. Let’s all do the Twist!

Bookworms Winner:

The winner of the DVD “War Dogs of the Pacific” was Tony Ferrara of Lehigh Acres. Congratulations!

Hillsborough, Pinellas/Pasco Published monthly by News Connection U.S.A., Inc.

Publisher, President: Kathy J. Beck kathy@srmagazine.com Editor: Janice Doyle Accounting: Vicki Willis Production Supervisor Graphic Design: Kim Burrell Production Assistant: Tracie Schmidt Customer Service: 1-888-670-0040 customerservice@srmagazine.com Advertising Sales: Hillsborough/Pinellas 1-888-670-0040 Tampa Bay Area Dena Bingham: (813) 653-1988 Pinellas/Pasco Judy Floyd: (727) 678-0315 Chuck Bingham: (813) 293-1550 Frank Zaccaro: (813) 388-3200 Sun City Center Judy Coleman: (813) 653-1988 Distribution 1-888-670-0040 Corporate Advertising Ofﬁce: P.O. Box 638 Seffner, Florida 33583-0638

(813) 653-1988 888-670-0040 Fax: (813) 651-1989 www.srmagazine.com Send press releases to:

janice@srmagazine.com

News Connection U.S.A. Inc., is also the publisher of

Lee/Collier and Charlotte Counties: Southwest Edition Sarasota/Manatee Counties: Sarasota Edition

Lake/Marion Counties: Lake Edition

888-670-0040

ATTENTION READERS: The articles printed in Senior Connection and Mature Lifestyles do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Editor or the staff. The Senior Connection/ Mature Lifestyles endeavors to accept reliable advertising; however we cannot be held responsible by the public for advertising claims. Senior Connection/Mature Lifestyles reserves the right to refuse or discontinue any advertisement. Our advertising deadline for the March 2011 issue is February 15, 2011. Magazines are out by the 7th of each month. All rights reserved.

Hey Seniors!

15th

SENIORS

Join us on

who attend have a chance to Win tickets to the IMAX Theater Dome at MOSI

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4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa Call (813) 653-1988 for more information. Free Admission to MOSI exhibit galleries

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Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, Bone Density, Glucose, Waist Circumference, Body Mass Index

FREE Health Screenings ~ FREE Admission to MOSI

Registration February 18, 2011 for Backwoods Walk

Early registration from needs to be mailed in by Feb.10th, 2011 or register at 7:30 am on Feb. 18th. $8 non-members FREE for Senior MOSI members (member # ) 813-987-6000 for MOSI Membership Day of Walk $12 non-members $8 for Senior MOSI members (member# ) Method of Payment: MASTERCARD VISA AMEX Card# Signature Make Checks Payable to: MOSI Foundation, Inc.

Exp. Date

Walk begins at 8 am and will meet at Main Entance at MOSI

Senior Back Woods Walk 4801 E. Fowler Ave. • Tampa, FL 33617

Name

Phone (

)

Address City/State/Zip Affiliation or Club In Consideration of your acceptance of this entry. I for myself, my heirs, devises, executor, administratora and assigns do hereby hold harmless MOSI Foundation, Inc. or their employees, representatives or successors, for any and all damages or injuries I may incur. I hereby grant permission for the free use of my name and picture in broadcast or account of this event.

Join Us for...

15th

Feb. 18, 2011

Starts outside the MOSI Main Entrance at 8 am.

Walk Registration Includes: • Packet Pick-up: 7:30 am • Back Woods Walk T-shirt • Continental breakfast • One IMAX® film voucher for use on event day or in the future* *Vouchers not valid for special engagement films

813-987-6000 presented by Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 3

Take A Walk at MOSI and the Senior Fun Fest!

OSI’s 15th annual Back Woods Walk teams up with Senior Connection’s Senior Fun Fest once again on Fri., Feb. 18, 2011. The Back Woods Walk begins at 8 a.m. Participants may pick up their walk packets at 7:30 a.m. The one-mile trail gives walkers the feeling of being in a natural Florida setting. All registered walkers will receive a continental breakfast, T-shirt, and voucher for the IMAX® Dome Theatre that may be used on event day or in the future. The cost to enter the Walk is $12 for nonmembers and $8 for MOSI members. The donation will go to help MOSI for educational programs.

MOSI will offer free coffee all day. Bring a friend and join the fun—we will see you there! For more information, call (813) 653-1988 or (813) 987-6000. Please note: The IMAX Dome Theatre is additional for those not registered for the Back Woods Walk; however, drawings for tickets to the IMAX Theatre will be given away that day.

Seniors enjoy free admission to MOSI starting at 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visit more than 450 exhibits including the new state-of-the-art exhibition “The Amazing You,” which takes you on a journey from birth to the end of life.

Free health screenings by the AARP/Walgreens Wellness Tour include: cholesterol, glucose, bone density, blood pressure, waist circumference and body mass index. Other important screenings and seminars on glaucoma and Parkinson’s disease will be available throughout the day. There will also be free Bingo games for prizes, live entertainment and senior-friendly exhibitors with great information and services.

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For more dealers contact Biria USA: Tel: 201-461-1980 www.biria.com Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 4

Around Town

W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 1

ridays Coed Yoga Class with Northdale OWLS. 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. $5. Stretching and chair exercises for balance. Northdale Rec Center, 15550 Spring Pine Dr. Northdale. Call (813) 961-5649.

hrough 13 Guys & Dolls touring production on stage at The Salerno Theatre Co., Carrollwood Cultural Center. Adm. $22/seniors (ages 65+). Phone: (813) 269-1310 or carrollwoodculturalcenter.org.

hrough 20 Forbidden Broadway”—cabaret revue that Kathie Lee Gifford refers to as “the Saturday Night Live of Broadway.” Straz Center for Performing Arts. Tickets: (813) 229-7827.

hrough 27 American Modernism exhibit from the Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Mark S. Kauffman at the Tampa Museum of Art. $7.50 seniors. Second Saturdays: “pay what you will” fee from 9 – 11 a.m., and every Thursday from 5 – 9 p.m. For information, call (813) 274-8130.

– 21 Florida State Fair at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Agriculture, equestrian, shows, music, rides, food. Parking is free during the Fair. Information, call (813) 621-7821.

“The Great American Songbook” Pops Concert at the Straz Center by the Florida Orchestra. Favorite songs from Mercer, Gershwin, Porter, Ellington and the other greats. For more info, call (727) 892-3337 or visit floridaorchestra.org.

Russian pianist Konstantin Soukhouvetski—concert of romantic music at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, 1239 Del Webb Blvd. Sun City Center. Call (813) 634-1252.

through March 28 Community Church College Spring Semester with 56 courses to choose from, trips to take and people to

meet! For information, please call (813) 634-8607 or visit cccinscc.org.

Spaghetti dinner and fundraiser hosted by Senior Stars at Town and Country Rec. Center, 6039 Hanley Rd. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. $6 tickets must be purchased 9 a.m. to noon in advance (no tickets at door). Details at (813) 884-4515.

Einstein on Food and Wine at MOSI. 7 to 10 p.m. $70/ non-MOSI members if purchased by Feb. 21. Silent food and wine auction fundraiser for MOSI’s educational programs. Call (813) 987-6000 for information or online at MOSI.org.

“Salute to American Music” concert at United Methodist Church, Sun City Center. 4 p.m. Tickets at (813) 667-7776 or visit their website at thessso.org.

arch 1 Marine Corps League Riverview Detachment meeting, 7:30 p.m. American Legion Post#148, 7240 US Hwy. 301 S., Riverview. Info at (813) 835-0551 or mclriverview.org. Send Around Town news to Senior Connection Magazine, 1602 S. Parsons Ave., Seffner, FL 33584; fax (813) 651-1989. News must be received by the 10th of the month prior to event (i.e. February 10 for March event.)

hrough June 39 Blue and Grey in Tampa Bay—The Civil War on Florida’s Gulf Coast exhibit at Tampa Bay History Center. Florida was the third state to secede from the Union in 1861 and confrontations between Confederate and Union troops raged along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Confederate blockade runners, Florida’s “Cow Cavalry,” Secessionists, Unionists, slaves and women. Tampa Bay History Center, 801 Old Water St., Tampa. Included with regular admission. Information at (813) 228-0097.

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Are You A Cougar?

come. Some of my friends say they are up for this challenge, but most of us have raised enough children and husbands to satisfy that need. BY ANN G. THOMAS Observe carefully. If you say, “Please be sure and put the toilet seat down so ave you heard about the new dat- I don’t fall in some night and break my ing trend? Younger men and older hip.” Observe to see if A) he listens women are hooking up. The women and B) he remembers. A clear pattern are called “Cougars.” As someone who seldom develops before a month. is Unmistakably Older and therefore If you see that he has flunked, you potentially a candidate for one of are right in the middle of the “If these younger men, I decided the topic I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a merited some thought. If the opporthousand times” syndrome, which tunity presents itself, I don’t want to we all recognize as mothering. stammer around, unsure of what to say. Then the question is: “How do To begin with, it’s important to you feel about a broken hip?” understand the young man’s motivaIt’s also important to discover tion. Some are probably looking for if he likes to cook. Some women a mother. If so, one needs to take are delighted to find a new partner seriously whether teaching another who is kitchen adverse or even male how to pick up dirty socks, put incompetent, because they now the toilet seat down when finished and have someone to cook for. I, on the wipe their feet before coming inside other hand, believe that the good is really worth whatever benefits may Lord assigns to every woman at birth

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a maximum number of dinners to prepare for others, and I reached my quota several years ago. A hungry, helpless person sitting nightly at my kitchen table would not only starve, but also definitely get on my nerves. Whose friends will the two of you hang out with? If yours, there is the definite advantage that many of your cohorts will become inhibited and stop talking about their colons and gall bladders. That alone may make everything worthwhile. On the other hand, interesting as his friends may be, there is the difference in energy level that comes with age. The initial flush of a new relationship allows one to experience an amazing surge of energy, but trust me, it doesn’t last. When that surge has passed, realize compromise here is difficult. Clearly it would be embarrassing to show up in pajamas and cold cream. In-laws are also a factor to consider. Things can get sticky when your new

partner is younger than your youngest child, and your new mother-in-law doesn’t yet need to color her hair. Those extended-family get-togethers may begin to take on the characteristics of an evening from Comedy Central. On the other hand, there is the issue of sex. A new, younger partner is often very sexy, and given the fact that males peak earlier than females, that can be a real recommendation. This whole idea of the older woman and the younger man is a relatively new phenomenon in our society, although we’ve always seen the reverse where older men seek out younger women. That’s not called being a cougar, however. My friend Gladys, whose husband Ted divorced her for his young secretary, told me the term that’s used to describe this behavior in men is “Old Fool.” Ann Thomas can be contacted through her website: dr-annthomas.com.

BRANDON HEARING CENTERS You’ll hear the difference!

Patty takes pride in her service to the community, celebrating more than 45 years in Brandon and Sun City Center.

For reservations or information call Tonya at 813-620-3332 or website • www.tampabus.com IF YOU HAVE TEN PEOPLE OR MORE WE CAN PICK UP AT YOUR LOCATION. CALL FOR OUR PICK UP LOCATIONS. SUN CITY, PICK UP AT PARKING LOT NORTH OF LIBRARY ON NORTH PEBBLE BEACH

FEBRUARY 8, 15 and 22 and MARCH 1 Seminole Hardrock Casino Tampa - Pick up 8:45 a.m., returns 3:30 p.m. Pay $15.00 for bus get $15.00 free play and a $5.00 meal voucher. Evening pick up is at 3:35 p.m. returns 10:30 p.m. Pay $15.00 get $20.00 free play FEBRUARY 23, 2011 Big M Casino Ship, Ft. Myers - Wed. and Thurs. pay $25.00 boarding fee and get $50.00 in free play, free gifts, and free buffet. Pay $25.00 for the bus, board bus at 8 a.m. and return at 7 p.m. FEBRUARY 23, 2011 Seminole Casino Immokalee - You pay $22.00 and get $30.00 in free play and $5.00 meal voucher. Bus boards 8 a.m. and returns at 5:30 p.m. MUST HAVE A MINIMUM OF 30 PASSENGERS ALL PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 6

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Town and Country Senior Center Activites

ere’s a sample of weekly acFri: Feature Movie Presentation tivities at the Town and Country and Snacks. 1:30 p.m. Senior Center. Details: (813) 873-6336 Valentine Dance with live DJ and refreshments. 6 – 8 p.m. Mondays: Tai Chi Qigong with Nydia ($2/class) 9:30 a.m. AARP Driving Class. Cost: $12, Bingo (.25 per card—two card min.) at 10:15 a.m.

Line Dancing at 2:45 p.m.

he Hillsborough County Park System offers Line Dance classes at the following places and times:

Mon. (Beginners) 7 p.m. Nye Center; $5. Call (813) 264-3805.

$14/non-members. 11:30 a.m.

Fruit Smoothies Social with Stretch and Tone Class. 11 a.m.

Identity Theft Prevention with Area Agency on Aging, 11 a.m.

Haines; more info at (813) 903-3480.

(Begin.) 2 p.m. Free. Town & Country. Call (813) 554-5002.

Tues. (Begin.) 10 a.m. Free. North-

STEFAN SANDERLING, MUSIC DIRECTOR

COFFEE CONCERTS

A Musical Tour: Paris, France

This matinee concert features Debussy’s Prelude to Afternoon of a Faun, Ravel’s Pavane for a Dead Princess and Faure’s Masques et Bergamasques. Concertgoers are invited to enjoy a pre-concert conversation and complimentary coffee and donuts one hour before the concert.

lakes Rec. Center; (813) 264-3824.

Wed, Mar 2, 10 am

Mon. (Beginners) 10 a.m. $4. North-

Free. Roy Haines Rec. Center. Please call (813) 903-3480 for details.

Thu, Mar 3, 11 am

Mon. (Advanced) 10 a.m. $10. Roy

Country. Info at (813) 554-5002.

Mon. (Adults) 10 a.m. Free. Town &

Country Rec. Center; (813) 554-5002. dale Rec. Center; (813) 264-8956.

Thurs. (Intermediate) 10:30 a.m.

Fri. (Interm.) 10 a.m. Free. Town &

Is Online Dating For You? W

ondering about online dating sites? Here are some factors to consider: The good side: • There are lots of choices of singles. • It’s relatively inexpensive. • It’s fun to read what people say on their profiles. • The process makes it easy to connect with people and get to know each other slowly.

But, remember these points always: • People and pictures can lie. Use a current photo. There are nice ways to ask someone you meet online if theirs is a current photo; if it’s not, ask them to post a current photo. • Do some research on how to write a profile so you don’t tell too much or too little.

• Know your expectations by doing some self-study. You don’t look or act 38 any more, and neither will the people you meet. Give people some slack as you get to know them. • Determine your “deal breakers” or the things you simply cannot move forward with. This may be excessive weight, being dishonest, braggadocio personality, financial status, etc. • Take your time! You really are not going to be better off by rushing into telling your entire life story in one e-mail.

• As much as you may want someone to call you, be sure you follow all the safety rules before giving out your number. People have lied before and they will lie again.

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Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4

Acclaimed German pianist Peter Rösel performs Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 on this program with Luciano Berio’s orchestration of Contrapunctus XIX from Bach’s The Art of Fugue.The evening concludes with Shostakovich’s final symphony, No. 15. Stefan Sanderling conducts.

Mar 12 & 13

Stefan Sanderling

Painting class, acrylics and watercolors with Tim. $3. 9 a.m.

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11 15 Tues: 17 Weds: 24 Thurs: Line Dance Classes Offered T Wed.

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Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 7 1/13/2011 11:47:51 AM

Get your advance tickets today! www.flstrawberryfestival.com MAR. 3 - MAR. 13, 2011 - PLANT CITY, FLORIDA

THE JUDDS

(The Last Encore)

BOBBY VINTON KENNY ROGERS

LADY ANTEBELLUM Artists Appearing on the Wish Farms Soundstage: Thu. Mar. 3 Thu. Mar. 3 Thu. Mar. 3 Fri. Mar. 4 Fri. Mar. 4 Sat. Mar. 5 Sat. Mar. 5 Sat. Mar. 5 Sun. Mar. 6 Sun. Mar. 6 Mon. Mar. 7 Mon. Mar. 7 Tues. Mar. 8 Tues. Mar. 8 Wed. Mar. 9 Wed. Mar. 9 Thu. Mar. 10 Thu. Mar. 10 Thu. Mar. 10 Fri. Mar. 11 Fri. Mar. 11 Sat. Mar. 12 Sat. Mar. 12 Sun. Mar. 13 Sun. Mar. 13

10:30 am 3:30 pm 7:30 pm 3:30 pm 7:30 pm 1:00 pm 3:30 pm 7:30 pm 3:30 pm 7:30 pm 3:30 pm 7:30 pm 3:30 pm 7:30 pm 3:30 pm 7:30 pm 10:30 am 3:30 pm 7:30 pm 3:30 pm 7:30 pm 3:30 pm 7:30 pm 3:30 pm 7:30 pm

Jimmy Sturr & Orchestra Bobby Vinton Kenny Rogers John Conlee .38 Special

JOHN CONLEE

GAITHER VOCAL BAND

CHARLEY PRIDE

CLINT BLACK

FREE $10 & $15 $15 & $20 $10 & $15 $20 & $25

Suite Caroline Jeremy Camp Gaither Vocal Band Trace Adkins The Judds (The Last Encore)

FREE $20 & $25 $20 & $25

Charley Pride Clint Black

$15 & $20 $20 & $25

Chubby Checker Chris Young

$15 & $20 $20 & $25

Tanya Tucker Rick Springfield

$15 & $20 $20 & $25

$25 & $30 $45

The Guy Lombardo Band FREE George Jones $15 & $20 The Doobie Brothers $25 & $30 Ray Price Josh Thompson / Justin Moore

$15 & $20

Allstar Weekend & Jennette McCurdy Billy Ray Cyrus

$10 & $15 $20 & $25

Easton Corbin Lady Antebellum

$15 & $20 $45

CHUBBY CHECKER TANYA TUCKER

RICK SPRINGFIELD GEORGE JONES

$10 & $15

RAY PRICE

Concert dates and times are subject to change

Free Grandstand seating, 3:30 & 7:30 pm are on a first come, first seated basis. Order: www.flstrawberryfestival.com or 813-754-1996

BILLY RAY CYRUS

SENIOR CITIZEN’S DAYS

Red Hat Society Day

Tues, Mar, 8th $2 Off Gate Admission

FREE CONCERTS Thurs, Mar 3th Jimmy Sturr Orchestra Thurs, Mar 10th Guy Lombardo Band Concerts 10:30am

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Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 8

The Boomer’s Lament: Or Am I Now They? Speak up when we complain about how hard it is for Mom to hear; after years at the disco, no sound is too clear. Slow down when we jog by, complaining about the man with the cane, ‘cause I think I just got a charley horse or at least a small sprain. When I talk with Mom’s doc about her memory disorder, next time I must remember to bring a tape recorder. It’s fun to watch Dad try to run a microwave; if I knew how to use my cell phone camera, that’s a picture I would save. Those who are old and those who are grey, I’m glad that at least I’m nothing like they… Think about the words above when those who frustrate you are also those that you love, For it may soon be your own kids, as quick as you please, begging and pleading: “Mom, where did you hide the keys?”

The King of “The Twist” Still Makes a Good Excuse for a Party

BY JANICE DOYLE

Come on, everybody. Let’s twist!

“W

hether you’re young or old, no one escapes Chubby Checker on the dance floor,” Chubby Checker himself told me. “Ever since that night on American Bandstand, people have been dancing apart to the beat,” doing the dance Checker describes as being “like putting out a cigarette with both feet.” “That night” was over 50 years ago and now you’re invited to hear Chubby Checker at the Florida Strawberry Festival. You can even jump up and do the “Twist” again if you want to. The ever-cheerful Checker (real name Ernest Evans) celebrated the 50th anniversary of his appearance on the Dick Clark Bandstand with the song and dance “The Twist” in June 2010. It was also a huge event in music history—“The Twist” was the only artist and song of the Sixties to go #1 twice. Dick Clark said the three most important events in music history were Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Chubby Checker. And, at 69, Chubby Checker is still twisting his way across the country doing 50 shows a year. His name and the song were given to him, he said. But cheerfulness and hard work came naturally to the kid who was transplanted from the fields in South Carolina to Philadelphia at age 8. “When I got here (Philadelphia) I didn’t believe what I was seeing,” he said. “Gangs and cussing and drinking. So I took refuge on Fourth Street with the Jewish people in the garment district where I worked. They looked after me and liked me.”

Then, when he was 13, he went to Ninth Street. “I became Italian. They liked me because I was always happy and singing and worked hard.” It was here that “everything was given to me,” he said. While working for Henry Colt in a poultry market, he was called Chubby. Colt told a songwriter friend who worked for Dick Clark of American Bandstand, about him.

before the camera where he sang the song and—well, he Twisted. He was doing a dance he thought accompanied his song, and it required no partner. Gasping parents across America noted very little except the hip movement. Aghast at what they were seeing, there was little they could do as the teen dancing climate changed for good, and the song shot to Number One with Clark’s promotion.

Accomplishments:

Dick Clark’s wife asked Ernest his name, and Ernest gave her his nickname, Chubby. And she replied, “Oh, you mean like ‘checker?’”— making a joke on the fact that he was doing Fats Domino impressions. Dominoes, checkers, get it? And so he became Chubby Checker. And when Clark needed someone to sing “The Twist” one night, Checker spent 35 minutes practicing and went

For a few years, other songs promoted the dance, like The Beatles’ “Twist and Shout,” and Sam Cooke’s “Twistin’ the Night Away.” But it is Chubby Checker who has kept performing, traveling by bus to crowds who remember dancing “back in the day.” Checker said he has been able to stay on the circuit through diligence to his lifestyle. In his late 20s he used to watch John Wayne, Harry Bellafonte,

Alan Ladd and others and say to himself “‘those guys are all in good shape and they are 55 and 60, and when I get to that age I want to look like that.’” He started by just watching what he ate and exercising. He laughed and said, “And it came out the way I planned it.” Like most people at 69, he has some thoughts about life’s lessons. “Life is not all that it’s made up to be,” he said. “We have cars and lots of ‘stuff’ but the body is still living in the dark ages because your body doesn’t advance like all the other ‘stuff.’ Can’t put anything in there that doesn’t belong there and that’s all I know. You just can’t.” We’re not all that we think we are either, he believes. “And when you look in the mirror, the enemy is right there looking back at you. You have to behave. There’s a voice saying ‘We’ll worry about it when we get there.’ And you have to tell yourself, ‘No, you can’t do that. Take care of it now.’” He said, “The truth of it is, that spirit that lives inside is God. If you keep looking toward the Light, the darkness won’t come in. If you try to do right, it’s not a straight and narrow path, it’s a tightrope. You have to stay balanced. The minute you get proud and full of yourself you’re on the way to destruction.” He’s waiting, he said, “for the pages to turn so I can see what the next page looks like. And when I come down to Florida we’re gonna turn it on. It’s gonna be the best part of the day!” His shows are lighthearted, nostalgic, fun, full of an early-rock beat and lots of gyrating onstage with the one, the only, Chubby Checker. So, come on, everybody. Let’s twist! See Chubby Checker in person Tues., Mar. 8 at 3:30 p.m. at the Strawberry Festival.

Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 9

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Tampa Bay Symphony: Playing Music for the Love of It BY JANICE DOYLE

“T

he Tampa Bay Symphony is really unique,” says Jack Heller who is retiring as music director of that orchestra after 25 years. “I say that because there are many orchestras across the nation that are community orchestras, but before a concert they hire several professionals to fill it out. Ours is truly an all-volunteer orchestra.” “It is very very interesting,” Dr. Heller says of the diversity of the musicians’ backgrounds. “We have a clarinetist with a master’s degree in music from Yale who is a research doctor at USF. We have musicians with all sorts of advanced degrees, others who have played in major symphonies in the past to lawyers and local high school music teachers. They commit and come every Tuesday night because they love to work, to practice Beethoven and Brahms. They love the music.”

With players’ ages major orchestra will ranging from 18 to have 18 first violins, 90+, Dr. Heller says for example, plus the orchestra has certain numbers of gotten better and the other strings, but has grown in size “we must have 40 over the years. And violins and a total of the cost of putting about 90 musicians.” on a concert in the He says they large performance maintain that number halls has also risen because the purpose constantly. “They of the orchestra is for charge thousands musicians to be able Dr. Jack Heller, Music Director of dollars to use to come and play. His the big halls,” Dr. Heller says. passion for the group he conducts is That means, for example, having the obvious when he says, “Some come concert in Ferguson Hall at the Straz and don’t play very well any more, Center, rather than the larger Carol but they never miss a practice and Morsani hall. It also meant cutting that’s fine. They play what they can performances completely at times. and don’t play what they can’t. They From time to time the orchestra come because they love to play.” crowds the stages they play on A Juilliard-trained musician, Dr. because so many people want to Heller has been Music Director at the play. By definition, Dr. Heller says, University of Connecticut and at the an orchestra has a limit (3 trumpets, University of South Florida and guest 3 trombones, etc. plus strings). A conductor for orchestras from New

York (the New York City Ballet) to Prague (the Czech Radio Orchestra). The winter concert – Dvorak’s Cello Concerto with Scott Kluksdahl, cellist, as guest performer—will be Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. in Ferguson Hall at the Straz Center in Tampa and Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Mahaffey Theater in St. Pete. A spring concert will round out Dr. Heller’s professional career as a conductor when the orchestra plays Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 on April 17 and 18 featuring the “Young Artist Competition” winner. The board which oversees the Tampa Bay Symphony is looking to see who might be interested in taking over as conductor. One thing is for sure. Members of the community of musicians now making up the orchestra are hoping for a conductor who understands their love of playing “just because they love the music.” Tickets ($20) are available at the door at the time of the concert.

OFFER EXPIRES 2/28/11 Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 11

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ew Florida laws aimed at increasing the protections afforded seniors against unscrupulous financial advisors took effect January 1, 2011.

The Law and You These include the following: • Extending the period a customer 65 years of age or older has to change his or her mind about purchasing an annuity from 14 to 21 days. • Limiting the surrender charge period for an annuity sold to a customer 65 years of age or older to 10 years and limiting the surrender charge to 10 percent. • Giving the Florida Department of Financial Services the authority in its discretion to require an agent to

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make restitution to a financial services customer harmed by the unlawful act of an agent. • Increasing the financial penalty for “churning” an annuity to a maximum of $75,000.

• Extending the prohibition of a life insurance agent from being the beneficiary of a life insurance policy to include the agent’s family members and, additionally, prohibiting such persons from acting as guardian, trustee or agent under a power of attorney. Hopefully these tougher laws will persuade financial predators who have been preying upon Florida’s seniors to peddle their wares elsewhere. Mr. Mumbauer, a fifth generation Floridian, has maintained a law practice in Brandon, Florida since 1980

with emphasis on estate planning. He takes special pride in representing the senior community by maintaining a sensitive and practical approach to problem solving. He is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar and is a participating attorney in the AARP Legal Services Network. He is also a Mentor in probate law and has been qualified by the Second District Court of Appeal in Florida as an expert witness in matters involving the drafting of wills. Mr. Mumbauer’s Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating for Legal Ability is High to Very High and his General Recommendation Rating is Very High. His articles are based on general principles of law and are not intended to apply to individual circumstances.

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An Interview with Barry Petersen

Part 1

n a career spanning more than three decades with CBS News, Barry Petersen has reported on everything from wars to Paris fashions and from the return of American jazz to Shanghai, China. His stories have been datelined from virtually every continent. He has interviewed Hollywood stars including Jimmy Stewart, Bill Cosby, Pierce Brosnan and Sir Anthony Hopkins, as well as the leaders of the Bosnian war who were later tried as war criminals. He has been honored numerous times for his writing and reporting, and shared both an Alfred I. Dupont-Columbia University Award and a George Foster Peabody Award as part of CBS Radio’s coverage of the democracy uprising at Tiananmen Square. Recently he wrote a thoroughly compelling book, “Jan’s Story,” about his life as a family caregiver for his wife, Jan, who was also a CBS news professional, after her diagnosis with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Caregiver.com Editor-in-Chief Gary Barg sat down with Barry for an open and frank discussion about life as a family caregiver. Gary Barg: The thing about Alzheimer’s that is so insidious is your loved one is still there, but they are not there. It is the true long goodbye and denial is so easy to do. Could you talk a little bit about how you walked through that process?

Barry Petersen: The worst part was realizing afterward what I had done;

and not realizing at the time how people were reaching out to help me see it, but I could not. I guess I am not unusual in that sense. How could it be Jan? She is young. She is really vibrant. She is great. There is no way she deserves to get this disease. It cannot be happening. I think that drove a lot of my decisions, some of them good, some of them bad; but it is a huge part of this denial and this disease feeds it, just feeds it.

“She added something that haunts me to this day. If I go down, if the caregiver goes down, who takes care of the person that you love who has the disease? Her point was very blunt. You take care of yourself or no one takes care of Jan.” Gary Barg: You mentioned our Reverse Gift List concept in the book, which is asking someone not only to come to dinner, but bring dinner, do things, give me gifts. As a caregiver, I need to manage this and I need you to work for me. How did you get that kind of help from your friends and family members?

Barry Petersen: Caregivers are people who are incredibly focused on what they are doing in a solitary, lonesome way. Every day, their world shrinks a little more because the person dealing with Alzheimer’s needs more attention, needs more care. Life responsibilities keep shifting over to the caregiver side—writing the checks, getting the groceries, picking up the kids, whatever you want to call it. They increasingly fall on the caregiver at a time when the caregiver is increasingly in demand because the disease is taking more and more of the person away. I think people who are caregiving in the situation lose themselves. So if you call them up and say, “Can I help,” their answer is going to be, “No, I am fine. I am doing great.” Do not call them up and say, “What can I do?” Call them up and say, “I am bringing dinner on Thursday night; go to a movie,” or “I am coming over on Tuesday afternoon to take care of the person. Go shopping, go have a cup of tea, just get away.” I think it does two things: it obviously helps break the process with the person who is giving care; but the other thing is that it allows the caregiver to step away and realize how he or she is doing.

Gary Barg: I was just wondering, during this process, who was there looking out for Barry?

Barry Petersen: Nobody. I was not just in denial, I was delusional. When I saw the statistics, when I realized that caregivers tend to die before the person with Alzheimer’s, I said to myself, that makes perfect sense—an 87-year-old woman taking care of her 90-year-old husband, the physical demands, the hours—but that is not me. That is not early onset. It really took our live-in caregiver sitting me down and saying to me,” You are going down.” This is a woman who is a retired nurse, who is taking my blood pressure, who is monitoring how Jan is doing, who could really see it. I had to accept what she said because she added something that haunts me to this day. If I go down, if the caregiver goes down, who takes care of the person that you love who has the disease? Her point was very blunt. You take care of yourself or no one takes care of Jan. As she said, Jan will always have people looking after her, but the caregiver does not have that. I think in point of fact, caregivers deny getting help sometimes. Let me go to something else you said which I think relates to this, and that is you use the word guilt. I think in my case, and I do not know how shared this is, there is a lot of guilt that you are not the one with the disease. Watch for Part 2 next month.

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lorida’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program needs volunteers to join its corps of dedicated advocates who protect the rights of elders residing in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and adult family care homes. The program’s local councils are seeking additional volunteers to identify,

investigate and resolve residents’ concerns. Special training and certification is provided. All interested individuals who care about protecting those who often have no one else to advocate for them, are encouraged to call toll-free (888) 8310404 or visit the program’s website at ombudsman.myflorida.com.

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or call 1-800-771-2255 Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 13

Aspirin and Heart Health—Sorting It Out O ver the past 100 years, we have relied on aspirin to control fevers, headaches, arthritis and pain. Now many people are using it to prevent heart attacks, thanks in part to two large, Harvard-based clinical trials. But like every drug, aspirin can cause health problems as well as solve them. It can upset the stomach and cause bleeding in the stomach or brain. That makes deciding whether to take aspirin to prevent a heart attack something each man should do in consultation with his doctor.

How does aspirin protect the heart? The short answer is that aspirin prevents heart attacks by stopping blood platelets from sticking together and forming artery-blocking clots. Is there any way to protect my stomach from bleeding? Yes. Low doses of aspirin appear to

pose less risk for stomach bleeding than higher doses, so stick to 81 milligrams a day. It is even more important to avoid other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, or to take the lowest effective dose for the shortest time possible, if you are also taking aspirin. Medications such as the acid-suppressing proton-pump inhibitors can prevent aspirin-induced stomach bleeding. I am a healthy man; should I take aspirin to reduce my risk for heart attack? This is the toughest question of all. It’s a matter of balancing aspirin’s potential benefits against its risks. For men between the ages of 45 and 79, the respected U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends taking daily low-dose aspirin when the benefit (protection against heart attacks) outweighs the risks (bleeding).

It’s a Good Egg. Except When It’s Not

Trip To Blue Man Group N

ow at Universal Studios in Orlando, the Blue Man Group performs with original musical instruments, a live band, inventive comedy, audience interaction and multimedia theatrics. You can see them perform on Saturday, Feb. 19 by calling (813) 635-8179 or (813) 376-5755. Admission is $65, which includes transportation, parking fees and a ticket to the show. Pick-up and drop-off is at the Brandon

Recreation Center, 502 E. Sadie Street, Brandon, FL 33510. Departure: 5 p.m.; arrive at 6 p.m.; City Walk (free time) 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.; Blue Man Group – 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.; depart at 11:30 p.m.; arrive in Brandon at 12:30 a.m. Check or money orders only. Please make out to Friend of the County Parks. Proceeds benefit Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation’s programs.

Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 14

ven as prices go up, eggs are one of the best buys in the grocery store when you consider their nutritional value and the many ways they can be used. Here’s information about eggs from the book The Safe Food Handbook by Heli Perrett, Ph.D. Can you tell by looking at an egg if it is fresh? You can’t tell if an egg is fresh by looking at it in the shell. However, if you are worried about the freshness of an egg, gently float it in a bowl of water. A fresh egg should sink. If it floats, it is likely getting old. In that case, crack it open in a separate dish and smell it. If it has an “off” odor, discard. Once you have cracked open a raw egg, you will have many more clues besides odor. Contrary to what you might think, if the egg white is cloudy or a boiled egg is hard to peel, this usually suggests freshness. If the egg white is clear, it is likely that the egg is beginning to age.

Consider the yolk. When a fresh egg is being fried or poached, its yolk tends to hold its shape (be rounded). As an egg ages, the yolk becomes flatter and larger, and the white spreads out more, but that does not necessarily mean it is unsafe. So, take advantage of the “incredible edible egg” and its amazing nutritional value: 75 calories and as many as 13 essential nutrients and high quality protein. Enjoy!

Matters of the Heart: Helping a Family Member with Heart Disease

hen someone we love is hurting, it’s only natural to want to help them in every way possible. If a family member is dealing with a cardiac disease, our ability to help can be hindered by a number of factors. But with a little effort, we can overcome these challenges and provide the right kind of support.

Health “When doctors send our patients home, we often assume that everything we say and suggest and prescribe is going to be followed up on,” admits Dr. Cam Patterson, chief of cardiology at the University of North Carolina Hospitals in Chapel Hill. “But there are all kinds of ways an excellent clinical plan can be derailed.” To keep that from happening, Patterson suggests that family members do the following:

1. Understand the illness. The most common obstacle is not having enough information on the condition. Start by consulting with the cardiologist about your role in rehabilitation and recovery. It’s also a good idea to gauge how you’re your loved one understands the condition.

2. Manage medications and follow-up appointments. With new routines and medications, patients can get frustrated. This is where family members can be a huge help. Make sure you understand the purpose, dosage and side-effects of each medication, and that you are aware of all appointments for doctor visits and cardiac rehab sessions. 3. Participate in lifestyle changes. Most cardiac patients have to make significant changes in exercise and diet. Success rates skyrocket when a family member or friend participates. For instance, the American Heart Association

How to Stop Your Foot Pain BY DR. BONNIE SANCHEZ, DPM Board Certified ABPOPPM

our foot hurts because you are injuring it with every step you take. What I have found is that over the years your tendons, muscles and ligaments have been stretched out like an overused rubber band, creating laxity in your feet and ankles. This laxity causes a misalignment on the joints and bones of the feet and ankles. All of this leads to tired, painful feet. You have perhaps tried more expensive shoes or shoe inserts from the drug store, or even possibly some very expensive inserts for your shoes that did not work. But, all you want is only to be pain free. My solution is to solve the underlying problem of this constant re-injury of your feet and ankles every time you take a step. I do this by holding your feet in their unique ideal position with every step you take. I use

custom, hand-made, full contact therapeutic orthotics that capture your ideal arch. The orthotics go into your shoes and by holding your arch in your ideal position, your muscles, tendons, ligaments, muscles, bones and joints can again work together properly. My patients have experienced relief from years of foot pain; some even no longer need a cane or walker, and many have also experienced relief of ankle, knee, hip and back pain. If these are the results that you are looking for, please contact my office to schedule an appointment and evaluation. Dr. Bonnie Sanchez is a Board Certified Podiatrist by the ABPOPPM. She is a native of Tampa and trained at the New York College of Podiatry. Dr. Sanchez has been a health care professional since 1979. Her telephone numbers are (727) 824-5100 in Pinellas and (813) 645-1993 in Hillsborough.

help them get on with their lives. Reintroduce your parent or spouse to what they do on a day to day basis, like going back to church or working on a hobby—the things that make life fulfilling.

reports that people are 76 percent more likely to stay on their walking program if someone else is counting on them. 4. Watch for emotional responses. It’s not uncommon for cardiac patients to become depressed or go into denial. If your loved one becomes angry or withdrawn, or if you notice other major changes in his or her personality, talk about it together. 5. Get active. Activity levels will be limited for most patients, but it’s important for family members to

And there’s something you can do for yourself, too. Since heart disease has a genetic component, it’s important for children and siblings to know their heart health status by making an appointment with a physician. For spouses, it’s important to make sure you have your own support system—family, friends, clergy, support groups, etc.—to help you manage the emotions you may encounter in caring for a loved one. You can’t help if you’re not healthy yourself! “It’s important to realize that your family is going to have to make adjustments because of this severe illness, but you can’t let it get in the way of being a family,” Patterson says. (Newswise)

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Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 15

BOARD CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGIST

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a reaction to heat or sweat. Pressure urticaria manifests as a deep welt rticaria is the medical name for in an area of prolonged pressure. hives, which are welts (pink swellChronic urticaria is defined as hives ings) that usually last a few hours and lasting longer than six weeks. In the then fade away. Hives can be small or majority of cases the hives are “idiocover broad areas of the body. The itch pathic” (a medical term that means there of hives can be intense and sometimes is no discernible cause). But it is worth burn or sting. If hives occur in deeper finding out if you are in the 5 percent tissues of the eyes, mouth, hands or gen- of cases with a cause. Thyroid or liver itals, the swelling is called angioedema. problems, herpes, skin diseases, dental Hives can be due to a variety of under- infections, sinusitis or allergic causes lying problems, including infections can be discovered with a thorough hisor virus. Chronic episodes often occur tory and physical, along with blood and as an allergic reaction to foods, insect urine tests and sometimes a skin biopsy. stings or medications and usually break In chronic idiopathic hives, many out within a few hours of exposure. researchers feel that the body’s overacHives caused by sunlight, cold, tive immune system is the culprit. pressure or exercise are called physical The main treatment of hives is antiurticarias. Dermatographism – the most histamines such as Claritin or Zyrtec. If common of the physical urticarias, needed, sedating-types of antihistamines affecting about 5 percent of the popula- (hydroxyzine, cyproheptadine or tion – refers to hives that develop from doxepin) are added at night. If the hives scratching or firmly rubbing the skin. continue, a short course of cortisone Intensely itchy hives with a big (steroids) may clear the hives completely. red blotch around them are called For more info, call Dr. Robert Norman and Associates at (813) 880-7546. cholinergic urticaria, and are usually

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TMP 2/11

Who Needs Angioplasty For Heart Disease? A

dvances like artery-opening angioplasty, which restores healthy blood flow to oxygen-starved heart muscle without opening the chest, splitting apart the breastbone, and stopping the heart, are true marvels of modern medicine. The problem with marvels is that we come to expect too much from them. That has happened with angioplasty, reports the December 2010 Harvard Heart Letter. This procedure uses a small wire tipped with a balloon to enlarge a narrowed artery. Although many people think of angioplasty as a cure for cholesterol-clogged arteries, it really isn’t. It can ease angina, the chest pain brought on by physical activity or stress, but it doesn’t fix the real source of the problem—the artery-clogging process known as atherosclerosis.

A new study of men and women planning to undergo elective angioplasty showed that 60 percent didn’t really need the procedure and would have been better off with intensive medical and lifestyle therapy, Angioplasty does not halt the spread of atherosclerosis or prevent the damage it causes. As a result, it doesn’t reduce the chances of having a future heart attack or improve survival. Many people don’t know this, and doctors don’t always take the time to drive home this point. That means angioplasty can create a false sense of security that you have taken care of the problem, when in reality atherosclerosis continues to corrode arteries in your heart and elsewhere. A new study of men and women planning to undergo elective angioplasty showed that 60

percent didn’t really need the procedure and would have been better off with intensive medical and lifestyle therapy, while a whopping 88 percent said they believed that the procedure would help protect them from having a heart attack down the road. If you are having a heart attack or episode of unstable angina (chest pain at rest)—both of which are caused by a completely blocked artery— angioplasty is a terrific treatment. It removes the obstruction, allowing blood to once again reach all parts of the heart. Timely angioplasty can limit damage to the heart and can prevent a heart attack from turning into a deadly cardiac arrest. During a heart attack, the huge benefit of angioplasty outweighs the risks. That isn’t necessarily the case when angioplasty is performed to open a narrowed but functioning artery. Although most people sail through angioplasty without a problem, about five in every 100 people who undergo the procedure have a complication. These range from prolonged bleeding to kidney damage, an abnormal heart rhythm, or heart attack or stroke. If you are having a heart attack, angioplasty is a marvelous procedure. But if you are having angina now and then, or have a narrowed coronary artery that isn’t causing you any trouble at all, angioplasty adds little or nothing to intensive medical therapy and lifestyle changes. (From Harvard Heart Letter)

Hawthorne Village Retirement Community Hawthorne Assisted Living Hawthorne Inn is so much more than just living in a secure environment; it is a wonderful lifestyle for those needing a little more help as they age. Hawthorne Inn is where residents can enjoy: • Three delicious meals a day • 24-hour care and support from a professional loving and caring staff • Weekly laundry and housekeeping services • And a long list of special activities and outings Respite and Day Services Hawthorne Inn has two programs that will help alleviate and share in the demands of caring for a sick, aging or disabled loved one. 1. Our Day Service Program will allow you to bring your loved one to Hawthorne Inn for as many or as few hours a day as needed, so you can get caught up on all those errands you have been postponing. For a small hourly fee Hawthorne Inn can provide: care, meals, entertainment and activities for your family member. 2. We also have a Respite Program designed so you can leave a loved one overnight for 1 to 30 days while you vacation, rest or just take a weekend for you. Working together, knowing you have help and making quality decisions as to what is best for you or your loved one is what Hawthorne Inn does best. Stop in for a cup of coffee and a short visit. I would love to meet you. Naomi Ausburn, Manager

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Elder Helpline Info T

he West Central Florida Area Agency on Aging’s Elder Helpline offers support for the growing numbers of caregivers and their aging parents. The Helpline provides information for older adults and their caregivers by helping callers make informed decisions about available assistance. It is the starting point in getting connected with programs or services that can meet the needs of the older adult or caregiver. For more information, call (800) 963-5337 or visit their website online at AgingFlorida.com.

Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 17

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Home Health Mates...Question & Answer Take The Guesswork Out of Finding the Best Home Health Care

BY BRUCE MUENTER

s we start 2011, many of us have made the resolution to get fit and stay fit. Unfortunately for many, this resolution will not make it past February. I encourage everyone to get up and get busy. Staying active and even making an attempt for more physical activity will get you in the right direction. Everyone benefits from exercise…young and old. Everyone can do some form of exercise regardless of condition. Today, new information is emerging from research: people of all ages and physical conditions

benefit from exercise and physical activity. Staying physically active and exercising regularly can help prevent or delay many diseases and disabilities, including dementia. The National Institute of Health (NIH) report that even moderate exercise and physical activity can improve the health of seniors who are frail, or who have diseases that accompany aging.

Don’t Be Afraid to Exercise Exercise and physical activity are among the healthiest things you can do for yourself, but some older adults are reluctant to exercise.

I would encourage you to e-mail me at bmuenter@homehealthmates.com or send your questions to: News Connection, USA, P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL 33584, Attn. Editor – Home Health Mates. I will answer all questions you may have, including the ones that we do not feature in Senior Connection magazine. Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 18

They may be afraid that exercise will be too strenuous, or that physical activity will harm them. Research from the NIH shows that actually the opposite is true: Exercise is safe for people of all age groups. Older adults hurt their health far more by not exercising than by exercising. An inactive lifestyle can cause older adults to lose ground in four areas that are important for staying healthy and independent: strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance.

It’s Never Too Late to Start Exercising Even if you have had an inactive lifestyle, there is good news. It’s never too late to improve your health.

Research suggests that exercise and physical activity can help you maintain or partly restore your strength, balance, and flexibility. Growing older doesn’t mean you have to lose strength or your ability to do everyday tasks. Exercise can help older adults feel better and enjoy life more—even those who think they’re too old or too out of shape. As we begin 2011, let’s focus on doing more and becoming healthier. Nothing in your life can help you as much as being more active. This should be one New Year’s resolution that continues throughout the year. If you would like more information on home health services, please visit my website at www. homehealthmates.com or call me at (813) 884-5040.

Medicare Answers D ear Marci, I want to quit smoking. Can I get help through Medicare? —Carl

Dear Carl, Yes you can. Medicare covers counseling to help you quit smoking. As of August 25, 2010, Medicare covers smoking cessation for all people with Medicare, regardless of whether or not they have a disease or condition caused by smoking. Medicare will cover two counseling attempts at quitting smoking per year. Each attempt includes four sessions. Medicare will cover a total of eight sessions every 12 months. Medicare will pay 80 percent of the approved amount for smoking cessation efforts after the deductible is met. In hospital outpatient departments, you will pay a copay that is no larger than the Part D deductible. If you are in a Medicare private health plan,

contact your plan to see what rules and costs apply. Starting January 1, 2011, if you have Original Medicare, and if you have not been diagnosed with an illness that is caused or complicated by smoking, you will pay no coinsurance or deductible for smoking cessation counseling. If you have a smoking-related illness, however, you will still need to pay the Medicare coinsurance or copay and deductible. Prescription drugs for smoking cessation are covered under the Medicare prescription drug benefit (Part D). You can receive counseling at the doctor’s office (including physicians, psychologists, and clinical social workers), clinic or outpatient department of a hospital. Counseling must be done by a doctor or an approved Medicare provider. Note that Medicare will not pay for hypnosis sessions to help you quit smoking. —Marci

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Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 19

“Super-Spiced” Snapshots May Mean Good Health

here you live often shapes how you eat. So, plenty of local flavor shines through in the “Super-Spiced” cities:

• Philadelphia embraces its Italian heritage. And, since some research has linked garlic to heart health, it’s not surprising to find it’s a favorite in the City of Brotherly Love. In fact, Philly consumes more than 176,000 pounds of garlic powder a year—nearly the weight of 126 “Rocky” statues.

Recipe • Coastal South Carolina is home to Low Country cooking. Charleston consumes almost 9,000 pounds of oregano each year, nearly 90 times the weight of the famous albino alligator in the South Carolina Aquarium. Of all the herbs, oregano has one of the highest antioxidant levels—making it a true “Super Spice.”

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• Los Angeles consumes more than 208,000 pounds of cinnamon. That’s the equivalent to 41 “Jaws” sharks found in the Hollywood classic. This sweet spice has been linked to controlling blood sugar levels. Take a bite out of that!

• San Antonio loves its TexMex, eating more than 98,000 pounds of cumin a year—more than any other city in the nation. That’s enough to put 1.5 pounds in every seat of the Alamodome. Did you know just a halfteaspoon of ground cumin has antioxidant levels comparable to one cup of spinach? Here’s a Low Country recipe which calls for both oregano and garlic to try out on your next pot luck group or family dinner. Go ahead—spice it up in Ft. Myers and Tampa!

Gullah Rice (Low Country Recipe) Ingredients 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 3 red chili peppers 4 cloves garlic 1 cup diced onion 1 cup red and yellow bell peppers 2 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley 2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives 1 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes 1 cup summer sausage 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp 4 cups cooked rice salt and pepper to taste Directions In a large skillet, infuse the oil with the chili peppers (cut them in half and cook, turning often, until oil reaches a sizzle). Remove peppers and brown garlic in the oil; add onion and bell peppers. Cook 5 min., stirring

often. Add herbs and tomatoes. Cook 3 minutes; add sausage until warmed through. Next, add shrimp and cook until tender and whitepink, approximately 3 minutes. Add the cooked rice; fold in. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste. Makes 14 – 16 servings. (From BASKETLADY6)

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Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 20

Treating Leaky Bladders Can Help Improve Women’s Health

illions of women suffer from stress urinary incontinence (SUI), the leakage of urine when laughing, coughing or other activities. What many don’t realize is that SUI isn’t just an annoyance—it’s a medical condition that, untreated, can have serious consequences. Isolation, anxiety, and depression are some of the many health risks that can be associated with SUI. The condition can also limit a person’s participation in enjoyable activities. Leaky bladders make exercising difficult, which can lead to weight gain. Wet skin due to constant leakage may be associated with skin rashes and infections. SUI can also increase the risk of urinary tract infections. The health impact of SUI is often great enough that effective treatment can make a real difference. Sometimes, special exercises/lifestyle changes are suggested, but these options may not be enough. And many women don’t want the risks/ long recovery time associated with surgery. A new non-surgical treatment called Renessa® may be an option.

With Renessa, a small device is inserted into the urethra to gently heat small areas of tissue at the base of the bladder. This heating causes natural collagen in the tissue to become firmer, which can decrease leaks. Treatment can be performed in a doctor’s office in about an hour, and women can safely resume activities the same or next day. Treatment effect is typically seen within 60 to 90 days. Overall, about 75 percent of patients are improved. “My patients have been very happy with the treatment,” said Dr. David Jacob, a local physician. “Their symptoms are improved and they are able to return to their busy lives quickly.” Side effects of Renessa are typically mild and temporary and most resolve shortly after treatment. “The Renessa treatment changed my life,” said Evelyn R*, a 67-year-old Tampa resident. “Don’t wait. Get treated.” For info, visit www.Renessa.com or call Dr. David Jacob at (727) 248-0671. *Patient names have been changed.

Dieting? Don’t Skip Breakfast

on-breakfast eaters will say they are too busy, just not hungry or that they find it’s a good way to skip calories they enjoy more later in the day. These attitudes may keep you from losing weight. So, why eat breakfast if you’re a dieter (or wannabe dieter)? First, eating breakfast speeds up your metabolism, which is critical to weight loss. It may be a long time until you eat again and that is detrimental to keeping your system operating at peak performance. Want to watch calorie intake all day? It’s not likely to be easy to eat a light salad at lunch if you’ve had nothing to eat all morning,

so plan ahead and don’t find yourself saying “I’m starving” at noon. That can make you feel justified in fixing yourself a larger lunch than you really need. By now, a true dieter has chosen between cutting carbs, cutting fat or just cutting calories in general. If you’re on a low carb diet, a simple egg at breakfast will fulfill the need to get your metabolism going as well as help you be ready to enjoy a light lunch instead of a heavy lunch. If you’re on a fat-cutting diet, you might have had a bowl of oatmeal in the morning to fulfill those two parts of the dieter’s day. The biggest caution for breakfast is to avoid the tasty but high-sugar cereal routine. Justify it any way you will (milk is good for you, it’s easy, etc.) but most cereals are our quick-fix habit. Think breakfast, think health!

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Risks: Adverse events (complications) are typically mild and temporary and most resolve shortly after treatment. Reported complications include dysuria (discomfort during urination), hematuria (blood-tinged urine), urinary tract infection, and urine retention (inability to empty the bladder). Infrequently, worsening incontinence symptoms have been reported.

Visit our website at: www.srmagazine.com HEALTH • FINANCE TRAVEL • EVENTS CALL 1-888-670-0040 for more information Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 21

Veterans Corner

Fellow GIs – 64 Years and Five Miles Apart BY BILL STOKES

Senior Days at the Fair Feb. 15 –17 Call 1-800-345-3247 for information Gate Admission (55+) $6 Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 22

ho’d-a-thunk it? What are the odds? Many veterans of all services and several wars reconnect after time, and this reunion took 64 years. It’s the story of my relocation to Lady Lake (in Lake County) in 2003 while Paul and Joyce Boulay moved to The Villages nearby in 2008. Massachusetts native Paul Boulay and myself, an original upstate New Yorker, first met in 1946 at Maryland’s Aberdeen Proving Ground. There we mastered basic soldiering skills, the firing of state-of-the art weapons and close-order drilling in preparation to serve as replacements in Japan. During inspections, we faced each other eye-to-eye across tarpaper barracks. Later we arrived at Yokohama, Japan’s replacement depot (“Repple Depot”) after 18 rocking days at sea aboard a military transport, and were assigned to Sasebo, on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu. Two-story wooden barracks formerly housed Japanese naval personnel and lacked the creature comforts expected in a permanent billet. We had to wait on receiving wall lockers, so we lived out of our foot lockers. Finally, beds with springs and mattresses replaced cots. Boulay drew the unit’s major assignment: “Continuous training on the use, maintenance and operation of one of four antitank guns assigned to the unit, exploring outlying caves possibly to find any enemy soldiers who had not gotten the word of surrender, and all the while being instilled with the fact that we were helping rebuild the country,” Boulay recalled. I observed anti-tank training from the unit’s supply room window. I lucked out because I was the only recruit who could type, so I did all the ordering, corresponding and inventory management. The supply sergeant and I were the same age, and he was one homesick Tennessee boy, eager to go home and see his son born while he was in Japan.

When our tours were completed, I returned to Rochester, NY and Boulay enlisted in the inactive reserve. Bad decision. “Just three months before that tour was up, I was reactivated for the Korean War,” he said, “and ended up in Trieste, Italy.” However, his weapons familiarity stood him in good stead, and he became the unit’s Armorer, maintaining all small arms assigned to its personnel.

Bill Stokes, left, and Paul Boulay enjoy a cartoon album Stokes created while they served in the Army of Occupation in Japan, 1946 – 1948.

Upon discharge, Boulay became a union carpenter using the GI Bill, working for 15 or 20 employers as opportunities arose throughout the Northeast: he married and raised a family. I attended Syracuse University, also under the GI Bill, and then entered radio, then television, and also married and raised a family. I’m currently a freelance journalist. We met again after 64 years when Boulay answered an invitation to attend a local mini-reunion of 24th Infantry Division area veterans who meet quarterly in Leesburg for luncheons and reminiscing. “Paul was so pleased to reconnect with an old friend,” his wife, Joyce, said. Joyce encouraged him to call and meet with me, and we talked for two hours over lunch. When people see our caps with the Tarro Leaf insignia, they immediately think “Korea.” Paul says, “There aren’t many men around from WWII, but you never know when you may meet another one.”

It’s the Same but Changing Florida State Fair

t’s almost time for the Florida State Fair—the Best Time of The Year. The grounds of the Florida State Fair in Tampa are refreshingly the same each year, but they are also a snapshot of our changing society. The food stands offer nearly anything you can imagine fried and on a stick now. The midway boasts wilder rides than we thought imaginable when we were kids. The cattle barns still hold young people with their animals

and hopes high for blue ribbons. Women and men alike now compete in cooking, baking and craft contests. Most attendees this year will have cell phones and the young people all have iPods and Blackberry phones. Like America, the state fair changes each year in subtle ways and stays somehow the same in others. Go and enjoy! Senior Days are Feb. 15 – 17 with $6 gate admission (for ages 55+). Call for information: 1-800-345-3247.

Take the journey of a lifetime.

EXHIBITION Visit MOSI’s recently expanded, state-of-the-art, permanent exhibition, The Amazing You. Informative and interactive, this exhibition showcases health and wellness.

Take an Opera Master Class o behind the scenes Tuesday, February 22 at an G audition for opera singers when Opera Tampa Artistic Director Anton Coppola leads a master class, allowing audience members to sit in as singers from across the country sing for the master musician and conductor. The class is offered by the Patel Conservatory at the Straz Center. Tickets for the class are $15. Patel Conservatory offers classes for children and adults of all experience levels in all kinds of dance, music and theater. Call (813) 229-7827, go to the box office or buy online at strazcenter.org.

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Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 23

New Ways To Stretch Your Dollar In 2011

ven if you didn’t make resolutions at the beginning of 2011, any time is a good time to do some self assessment and figure out how you can make your money go even further in 2011. With prices on basics like food and gas rising weekly, see where you can make changes now. Here are a few simple ways to get more for less this year:

Finance • Take an inventory of monthly expenses. It’s always a good idea to take a look at your regular expenses at least once a year to see if there’s somewhere you could be saving. Start by looking at your cell phone contract and see if you could get a better deal elsewhere.

using the product or service, you can “unsubscribe” from the company and stop receiving their e-mails.

• Or perhaps its time to reevaluate insurance options. Take out your homeowner’s policy and have someone go over it with you to see if new housing prices affect your insurance limits from a few years ago. • It could also be something as simple as evaluating how often you dine out or stop for a gourmet coffee and changing your habits to save a few dollars by cutting back. • Let the coupons do the work. While clipping coupons might seem

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Visit www.twitter.com/MaturLifeStyles or Like “Senior Connection and Mature Lifestyles” on www.facebook. com for the latest news and fun events in your area. Get your “Smile for the Day!” or share comments with us! Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 24

• Save by using the internet. By signing up for e-mail newsletters from manufacturers and local businesses, you can access special offers that you might not be able to find elsewhere. Following businesses on Facebook and Twitter can also help alert you to special offers. Also remember that if you find you aren’t

• Check Craigslist online to see if you can buy what you need used instead of new. With a few changes to your shopping and spending habits, you may find yourself with a healthy chunk of extra cash next year that you can either stick into savings or spend on something special as a reward to your family.

Get Yourself in Financial Shape for Retirement

Yes! You Can Still

like a thing of the past, it’s easier than ever to save using coupons. Coupons can be found in traditional places like the newspaper, as well as online, often from the manufacturer’s website.

• Develop a grocery shopping routine. Plan weekly meals and shop accordingly. If possible, find out what items are on sale each week at your grocer before making the list, so you can take full advantage of the sales. Stock up on nonperishable items when they are on sale.

efore you venture off into retirement, figure out whether you’ll be financially secure to fulfill your ambitions. Here are several exercises to help you get in financial shape for retirement: Analyze what you’re spending. The foundation of retirement planning is a budget, and you better have one. Your current spending offers a relatively accurate picture of later retirement expenses. Some costs will disappear or decrease after you leave work. However, even if you pay off your mortgage, you’ll still spend money on property taxes, homeowners insurance and home repairs. Determine your income. Tally up what you expect to get when you retire, such as a pension, Social Security and income from your retirement accounts. Start building cash reserves in an interest-bearing savings account to cover unforeseen expenses for six months so you won’t have to tap your retirement accounts.

Consider altering your lifestyle. One option is to put your retirement dreams on hold for a couple of years. If you work a little longer, your Social Security, pension, and retirement accounts could be higher. Max out your 401(k) contributions if you can. Check your insurance options. Health coverage is a must. Make sure you have full medical coverage if there’s a gap between your retirement and when you become eligible for Medicare at age 65. Astronomical nursing-home bills are a big threat to a retirement nest egg. You can hedge your bets by buying a long-term-care policy that covers part or all of the costs of long-term care. Visit my website. I have written five books that are filled with additional ideas on how baby boomers can retire in style. Visit westernpubs. com for more information.

– David Rye

Having Your Cat Declawed? BY DR. MICHELLE FERRERA

hy do owners have their cats declawed? It is normal for a cat to scratch, but owners may object if their pet is persistent in damaging furniture, or if the pet damages their skin during vigorous play. Humans that have weakened immune systems are at increased risk for illness caused by organisms that can be transmitted by a cat scratch.

Caring For Your Pet Are there alternatives? There are several alternatives including: trimming your cat’s nails, applying temporary nail caps to dull the nails, providing appropriate areas for your cat to scratch along with positive reinforcement, making preferred surfaces less attractive (ex. Doublesided sticky tape on the edges of your sofa), and using toys instead of your hands to play with your cat.

What does the procedure involve? It is a major surgery where the last digit of each of your cat’s toes is surgically removed at the joint. Pain medication and antibiotics are administered during surgery. The skin edges are usually glued together, and support bandages are applied. The bandages are left on overnight and then removed the following morning. The patient is sent home with antibiotics for one week, pain medications for at least three days, and a special pelleted cat litter for one or more weeks’ use. Are there complications? Although the majority of cats do well after surgery, there are a number of complications that can occur. Most problems are related to the cat being too active postoperatively, grooming excessively, not using the prescribed litter or being large in size. Some cats may have bleeding from their toes after their bandage removal or once they have returned home. If that happens, the paws are rebandaged and your vet may decide to keep the patient confined in the hospital for another day.

Word Search

Another possibility is that the cat may groom the surgical glue from its incisions. In that case, the paws are cleansed and glue is usually reapplied, and your pet will have to wear a plastic collar to keep it from reaching its toes until they are healed in seven to ten days. Some cats develop infection in an incision postoperatively. This happens more in cases where small grains of cat litter or soil have entered a surgical site. In this case, the incision is cleansed and additional antibiotics may be prescribed. Finally, many cats experience some degree of postoperative discomfort in the first few days after surgery, which is why pain medication is usually administered. Most cats seem back to themselves within a week or two. However, the occasional cat may take as long as a month or two to appear pain-free. There are several types of pain medication available to provide relief for these pets while they take their time to heal. Your vet may also x-ray their paws to look for any bony complications to the surgical procedure.

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Word Search Feb. 2011 In the grid below, twenty answers can be found that fit the category for today. Circle each answer that you find and list it in the space provided at the right of the grid. Answers can be found in all directions – forwards, backwards, horizontally, vertically and diagonally. An example is given to get you started. Can you find the twenty answers in this puzzle?

Answers From

January 2011

Cindy Sharik is last month’s winner! Congratulations!

Send your answers along with your name, address and telephone number to:

The first correct answers selected from the drawing on February 21 will win.

Mystery Win! Win! Win! Mystery Senior ConneCtion or Prize! Prize! MAtUre LiFeStYLeS GreAt PriZeS! 1602 S. PArSonS AVe. SeFFner, FL 33584 (Puzzles must be received by Feb. 21, 2011.)

Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 25

The Tall Lady Who Keeps You Laughing at Yourself

something funny that happened today.” Children get an awareness of funny things and learn eep ‘em laughing” that it’s all right to laugh. If is her mantra we have a sense of humor, as a speaker, and she she says, “The grandchildoesn’t disappoint. dren want to be with us. If When she was 12 years you’re always in the stern old and already 6’2” grandparent role they don’t tall, Jeanne Robertson’s want to be with you.” parents helped her use She’s grandmother to two a sense of humor to her boys, ages 11 and 16, and advantage if people spoke she’s helping them see the of her height, and now she humor in everyday life. At a travels the country helping university basketball game people look at their lives Comedienne recently, the lady singing the with humor. A real sense of Jeanne Robertson. national anthem was “off” in humor, according to Jeanne, means being able to accept things you pitch the whole song. The boys “cut their eyes at me and I cut my eyes at can’t change and laugh at yourself. them. Their shoulders started shaking Now 67, many of the 1963 Miss and so did mine. I like that rather than North Carolina’s stories are about being the grandmother who would say aging, and it works just fine because ‘Now, don’t laugh. That’s not funny.’” she always pokes fun at herself first. But she made sure the boys knew she She told this story: “We had two Miss wouldn’t use the incident in a speech North Carolinas one year recently. because it would hurt the singer. At the end of the year neither was Computers are a way to keep in allowed to crown the next year’s touch with your grandchildren, sure. queen. The pageant director called But Jeanne says, “Mostly I just call and asked me to do it, and I said, them and say ‘tell me something ‘At my age?’ Then I laughed and funny. I’m on the road and I need said the new one would be the first a laugh.’ I’m still making that queen to get slapped in the face by connection.” arm flab as the crown was placed.” She said she and her husband They were serious about wanting (“Left Brain,” age 73) are “hurting her, however, and she reminded in places, and we try our best to them that she’d already told several make sure we accept what we can’t stories about the year’s difficulties. change and find the humor about The director said, “Yes, I know, but it. I’m living what I’m telling!” we know you wouldn’t hurt us.” Her advice for seniors is to “have a And that’s the thing. Her humor nevhumor buddy, somebody that asks you er hurts anyone, and there are never what’s funny. If you’re going to lunch four-letter words or off-color jokes. and know you have to tell something After a lifetime of professional funny, it keeps you looking for it.” speaking and numerous state and The place to look for humor is March national honors, she remains one 1 at 2 p.m. in Branscomb Memorial of the country’s most popular, Auditorium in Lakeland when Jeanne in-demand humorists. Robertson will be in “Double Funny “One of my philosophies,” she said, w/Carl Hurley.” Call 1-800-955-4746 “is that you can develop and learn for $33 tickets. Group rates available. to have a sense of humor just like Jeanne has six humor DVDs, is you can learn to put the fork on the heard daily on Sirius/XM Radio’s left when you’re setting a table.” Family Comedy Channels and has She encourages grandparents to many YouTube clips to enjoy. say to their grandchildren: “Tell me BY JANICE DOYLE

“K

Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 26

Senior Talent Show: February 19, 2011 – 2:00 p.m. Largo Cultural Center Pinellas – 727-329-2618 Bright House Networks Bright Stars Senior Idol Wednesday, April 6 – 7:00 p.m. Ruth Eckerd Hall – Clearwater

Senior Talent Show: February 19, 2011 – 3:00 p.m. Spoto High School – Riverview Hillsborough – 813-436-2296 Ruth Eckerd Hall 1111 McMullen Booth Road Clearwater, Florida 33759 (727) 791-7400

Senior Talent Show: February 19, 2011 – 2 p.m. Center for the Arts, River Ridge High School Tri-Pasco – 727-326-1255 Ticket Office Hours Monday - Saturday 12 noon - 6 pm & one hour prior to performances

2011 Senior Idol Details Each year talented seniors over 55 years young take the stage to entertain and help raise money for senior charities in the Tampa Bay area. The top acts from each of the four regional shows take the stage on Wednesday, April 6 at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. This year the audience will vote for one winner who will be named 2011 Tampa Bay Senior Idol. The winner will receive $500 and choose the charity of their choice to get an additional $500. The show will be featured on Tampa Bay On Demand, Channel 340 and the winner’s presentation will be showcased on Bay News 9. Senior Idol Final Competition: Ruth Eckerd Hall: April 6, 2011 – 7:00 p.m. Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 27

Subject: Grandkids We Had A Blast… At The Fun Fest!

s the late Art Linkletter said, “Kids say the darnedest things.” Here are some cute stories about kids and what they said.

so I continued. At last, she headed for the door, saying, ‘Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these, yourself!’”

“I didn’t know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me,

“My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, 62. My grandson was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, ‘Did you start at 1?’”

Senior Fun Walk Winners Congratulations to the first group of seniors who made it around the Fun Walk this year!

he 6th annual Senior Fun Fest held at the State Fairgrounds was just that...Fun! It started with early morning walkers who came out and made their rounds, and had coffee and trivia to warm themselves up. Then the doors opened and there was a fast dash to the AARP/Walgreens Wellness tour for free health screenings. The AAA Senior Driver Expo was also popular for learning about what a smart car is and how to make adjustments for driving as we age. All of the exhibitors went out of their way to make sure they had bags, giveaways and lots of

good information and services to provide to seniors in the bay area. There was a little of everything this year from travel, entertainment, home improvement, health and educational seminars. Check out the “Grandkids are the Greatest” photo contest winners below. Thank you to everyone that came out and made this a great event. Our next event is Feb. 18 at MOSI in Tampa. For more information, call (813) 653-1988 or visit www. SrMagazine.com. See you there!

Winners!

The Senior Fun Fest, Florida State Fairgrounds Lots of great photos were sent to Senior Connection magazine for the annual Grandkids Are The Greatest Photo Contest. Check out the winners, selected at the Senior Fun Fest on January 20. The judges had a lot of fun looking through all of the photos, and it was tough to pick the winners. Thanks to everyone who shared their memories with us! Grand Prize “Let It Snow” Submitted by Rose Graham. She won two tickets to Busch Gardens!!

Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 28

• (Top Left) First Prize: “Squeezy Loving” Submitted by Claude and Dorothy Bouchard. They won $75!

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Seniors Getting Together woMen seeking Men 1038 seeking CHRisTiAn genTLeMAn Former airline stewardess & model, 5’4”, 104 lbs., widow, slender, white with Ph.D. in healthcare. Fulbright scholar, eats healthy and exercises. Likes sports and animals. Loves the Lord. Fort Myers. 3954 desiRing A ReLATionsHip with a Christian/Messianic Jewish Carpenter. 50 – 60yo,+. Enjoys nature, pets and quiet times. I’m petite, with long hair and SOH and I live a healthy lifestyle. I also enjoy carpentry and would love to start a garden in the spring and with your help I know it will be a success. Hillsborough. 3965 senioR LAdy 68 yo 5’4” not HWP, W, R, WW, SD, NS, NDrg. I like country music, walks, day trips, cards. Seeking compatable, polite, gentle, caring W gentleman 68 – 73yo. Canadian a plus. FL winter, ONT summer. Looking for LTR. Zephyrhills. 3970 seeking TRAveLing CoMpAnion World traveler seeking a nice gentleman to see USA. Must be an experienced RV owner. I am 70, NS,

SD, 5’1”, blue eyes, blonde. Considered classy and a great navigator. 3976 LAdy seeking MAn WWF, 70’s to share outings—theatre, movies, swims, hikes, dance. NS, ND, retired. Palm Harbor. 3978 AsiAn woMAn Seeking SWM, clean cut, not overweight, gentle and easy. She likes painting, writing, decorating, garden and cooking. She is a faithful partner for life.

Men seeking woMen 3945 seek CoMpATibLe, inTeLLigenT feMALe, HWP for LTR. I am SWM, 70yo, 5’8”, 145 lbs. NS, ND, NDrg, exercise, health conscious, personal growth. Enjoy walks, nature, good conversation, exploring new places, dancing. Clermont. 3953 seeking sLiM RoMAnTiC feMALe for LTR or cohabitation with retired SWM, 5’7”. I50 lbs. Non smoker, easy going, new home, new life. Send photo, description with letter. All answered – Gulf Coast, Venice area. 3969 seeking veRy nATuRAL woMAn 58-68, HWP, calm, true.

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Deadline for ads is the 15th of the month prior to placement.

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Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 30

AARP Driver Safety Classes

few of the classes being offered this month: 10 Forest Hills Presbyterian Church, 709 W. Linebaugh Ave. Details at (813) 931-3458. 14 University Community Hospital Auditorium, Main Hospital. For info, call 1-877-482-4362. 28 Hyde Park United Methodist Church, 500 W. Platt. (813) 289-1268. All classes are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

caring Christian lady for permanent long-term relationship, preferably marriage. No age limit. St. Petersburg. To Respond To An Ad

Write a letter to the person you want to contact. Place that letter in a stamped envelope and write the ad number on the bottom left hand side of the envelope. Place your stamped, numbered envelope(s), along with $2 for each letter enclosed, into another envelope and address it to: News Connection USA, Inc. Seniors Getting Together 1602 S. Parsons Ave.,Seffner, FL. 33584 To pLACe An Ad

Send your ad, stating what category you would like it placed in, your edition(s), along with a $6 fee for 30 words (25¢ for each additional word, abbreviations not charged) to the News Connection USA, Inc. address listed above. Ads received by the 15th of the month will appear in the following issue. No more than three ads will be accepted each month per person. The editor reserves the right to edit any ads for space or content. In order to protect our readers’ privacy, we will not include phone numbers, e-mail or home addresses in the ad copy. City or area included at no charge.

Commonly used Abbreviations: F-Female, M-Male, S-Single, D-Divorced, WWWidow, A-Asian, B-Black, H-Hispanic, I-Indian, W-White, C-Christian, J-Jewish, YO-Years Old, YY-Years Young, ISO-In Search Of, SOHSense Of Humor, SM-Smokes, S-Light Smoker, NS-Non Smoker, ND-Non Drinker, SD-Social (Light) Drinker, DR-Drinks, NDrg- No Drugs, LTR-Long Term Relationship, HWP-Height & Weight Proportional, R-Retired, P-Professional, FF-Friendship First, TLC-Tender Loving Care.

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I’m 55, 6’2”, 175, Bld, hazel, kind, true. Nature parks, animals, SOH. St. Pete. 3973 HAndsoMe genTLeMAn 54yo Seeking a warm, mellow, gentle woman, 54 or a little over, for cozy comfortable evenings, enjoying soft music and slow dancing, with kind-hearted caring affection in a comfortable atmosphere. Some candlelight, incense and happy smiles. Smoker preferred. Largo. 3975 seeking AsiAn bLACk HispAniC LAdy for LTR. I am SWM, 56 years old. Like day trips, walks, movies and dining out. Please send photo; if you can, include phone number. 3977 senioR MALe 74 6’ NS, ND, W, widower. Enjoys movies, music, sports, quiet evenings. Honest, intelligent, attractive, enjoy life. Brandon. 3979 HonesT CLAssy LAdy wAnTed Still active in business, loves sports, movies, theater. Would like lady to share with. P.S. Carole in Brandon area, I need your phone number. 3980 seMi-ReTiRed bi-LinguAL CHRisTiAn pRofessionAL in superb health seeks affectionate,

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Broken Glass Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can’t see easily.

Reopening envelopes If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.

New Books to Enjoy

“Pursuing Happiness... One More Time” witty novel about life and love in an adult community. It chronicles the lives of four women “of a certain age,” as they pursue their own particular visions of happiness. Marion’s husband leaves her with little money, but she knows she doesn’t want anyone telling her

what to do. Jessie works because... well, she needs the money to have a comfortable life. She’d like to get rid of her current boyfriend but doesn’t know if there’s another one out there. Bridget, overweight and many times divorced, wishes for other things. Phyllis always has a plan and if one doesn’t work, she’ll try another. This book by Mary Lou Peters Schram doesn’t guarantee a fulfillment of all the women’s dreams, but it’s a fun read.

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Send your answers for a drawing. First correct answers selected from the drawing on June 19th will receive $20 cash! Send to: Mature Lifestyles, 220 W. Brandon Blvd., Suite 203, Brandon, FL 33511

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lastair Willis conducts The Florida Orchestra (TFO) in a program showcasing the various sections of the orchestra. The music includes Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra and selections from Kurt Weill’s Three Penny Opera Suite, along with music by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Aaron Copland and Richard Strauss. Enjoy free coffee and doughnuts prior to the concert. The conductor provides commentary about the music throughout the performance. Thurs., Feb. 10, at 11 a.m., at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater in St. Pete. On the cusp of Valentine’s Day, the next Raymond James Pops concert, “The Great American Songbook,” promises to get you in the mood with everybody’s favorite ballads and romantic songs by Johnny Mercer, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Richard Rodgers, Irving Berlin and more. Featured vocalists are Broadway stars with Florida connections. Andrew Lane conducts these concerts on Feb. 11

and 12 in Tampa and St. Petersburg. Lauded by the San Francisco Chronicle as “breathtaking,” pianist Stewart Goodyear is the soloist on the Masterworks series in Gershwin’s Concerto in F. The program also includes Osvaldo Golijov’s Sidereus—directed by 2009 Taki Concordia Conducting Fellow, Mihaela Cesa-Goje of Romania—and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8. The concert will be Feb. 18, 19 and 20 in Tampa, Lakeland and Clearwater, respectively. Stefan Sanderling leads The Florida Orchestra and The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay in Beethoven’s monumental Symphony No. 9. and Arnold Schoenberg’s Friede auf Erden (Peace on Earth). Concerts are Feb. 25, 26 and 27 in Tampa, St. Pete and Clearwater. The Florida Orchestra performs at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Progress Energy Center for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, and Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. For tickets or info, visit florida orchestra.org or call 1-800-662-7286.

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12/21/10 5:30 PM

Family-Friendly Branson: Still the Same and Yet Brand New for 2011

BY JANICE DOYLE

eet your family, go by yourself, join a group tour, stop a few days on your way to someplace else—whatever you do, and no matter how many times you’ve gone, make plans to visit Branson. Every spring, Branson reopens its theaters and all new shows take the stage. The “unexpected” side of Branson is active. Four companies now offer ziplines over the Ozark canopy of trees. You can parasail (the oldest person taken up so far was 95), ride a jet ski, put the grandkids in a “ballknocker” or rent canoes, kayaks and speedboats. Or you can stick with the familiar golf, shopping and ﬁshing.

Travel Today, close to seven million annual visitors can ﬁnd anything from Country to Rock n’ Roll, Magic and Comedy to Musical Theatre, Gospel, small intimate shows and major worldclass productions gracing one of the more than 40+ stages in Branson. On any day from March through December, you can choose from 70 or more shows or attractions. Now, that’s entertainment!

Ditch any negative thoughts about our country. Branson is all about God, family and patriotism. You might even find yourself feeling all sentimental about being able to laugh at the jokes, sing along with the music and wipe away a tear or two when they honor veterans and bring out the flag. Hear new musical groups: Beyond the Bald Knobbers, you’ll find the show SIX. It’s six brothers creating harmony using just their voices. Another show, The Duttons, features one family and an amazing array of instruments. Unexpected too, are The Haygoods—seven brothers and a sister—and the Twelve Irish Tenors. Todd Oliver and his amazing talking dogs now have their own show. Find unexpected relaxation in Dogwood Canyon, often called “the best part of my trip to Branson” by visitors. Take a wagon tour of the beautiful 2,200-acre preserve in the heart of the Ozarks, or you can hike, bike, fly fish or ride horseback. Swap typical buffet food for unexpectedly fine dining. The Devil’s Pool Restaurant at Big Cedar Lodge combines rustic elegance with sumptuous meals. The new Hilton in the downtown Branson Landing area features the Level 2 Steakhouse offering sophisticated, big city atmosphere and outstanding food with impeccable service.

Take in the stunning attractions. Visitors to Branson should see the outdoor drama Shepherd of the Hills to understand the history of the area. Beyond that, Noah’s Ark, The Titanic, Legend of Kung Fu, Branson Auto Museum, Branson Mill and the Hollywood Wax Museum make Branson a destination to enjoy. Plan a day for Silver Dollar City where you can enjoy the old-time crafts and any young people with you will love the wild rides. Notice all the trees, cross a swinging bridge, sit in a one-room schoolhouse, sing hymns in a log church and enjoy more shows. Make the day complete by taking a culinary class where you might learn to make their favorite succotash. There’s a steam train, a basket weaver and lots of whittlin’ and ﬁddlin’. The park opens March 17 for the 2011 season. Appreciate the long-time favorites like the Showboat Branson Belle, which combines great food with a live show worthy of Broadway. Getting around Branson is getting easier. A new Branson airport opened with service by Air Tran and other small carriers, and new color-coded alternate highways around the city make trafﬁc more manageable. Branson is America’s best.

Fish the Trout Capital of the United States N

BY DAVID LALMOND

ear Branson, Missouri lies a trout angler’s delight! Lake Taneycomo has been designated the official Trout Capital of the U.S. because of its abundant rainbow and brown trout, with a record 28 pounder having been taken from this lake. Annually, more than 600,000 hatchery-sized trout (see photo) are released in this 45 – 50 degree water.

Designated areas are set for fly fishing, artificial lures only, catch and release and Trophy Fishing. Each area has unique regulations. Beginning anglers as well as professionals find fun fishing from boats, wading or from shore. I recommend taking a guided fishing trip to learn the tackle, techniques and locations to make the fishing fun. I fished with veteran licensed guide Bill Babler, who works from Lilley’s

Landing in Branson. He says, “Successful fishing here depends not on one thing but lots of little details, techniques and knowledge.” Whether you fish independently or with a guide, take time to visit this angler’s paradise in the Ozarks. Additional info on requirements, rules, maps and fishing reports may be found on ozarkanglers. com or whiteriveroutfitters.com.

Photo above and below, courtesy David Lalmond.

Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 33

Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 34

The Original Auto-Bus

hen Ed Deets founded Central Florida Coach Lines, AutoBus, in 1974, he wanted to offer a convenient way for travelers along the Eastern Seaboard to avoid a long car trip to Florida but still have their vehicle waiting when they arrived. The company’s “You and Your Car” concept remains popular today, with passengers and their vehicles being transported on a weekly basis to points throughout Florida, including Daytona, Melbourne and Lakeland, Fla. Since his childhood, Deets has been part of the transportation landscape, helping out his grandfather and father’s trucking business. “Mr. Deets puts a great deal of effort into making sure his passengers have a pleasant trip,” said Greg Lukas, MCI Eastern Region vice president. “The coaches all have different interiors, and the interiors are well thought out, providing passengers with extra comfort touches for those long-distance trips.

Senior Expo

he City of Temple Terrace invites you to attend the Senior Expo, Friday, Mar. 11 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Family Recreation Complex, 6610 E. Whiteway Drive, Temple Terrace. Find info about the many senior services provided by local agencies. Booths available: $10/ private vendors; $5/non-profit. For details about the event, or to sign up for a booth, call (813) 506-6630.

Auto-Bus takes pride in providing their passengers a comfortable, safe, relaxed and enjoyable trip. Auto-Bus received the Vision Award from United Motor Coach for enhancement of the travel lifestyle for the general public, presented in Orlando, Florida. Auto-Bus was chosen over all the bus companies in the U.S. to transport NBC’s staff with eight coaches throughout the 2002 Winter Olympic evens at Salt Lake City, Utah. Owner Ed Deets was one of four appointed by former President Reagan in 1985 to the National Rate Making Transportation Committee. Deets attributes his successes to determination, hard work and the support of his employees and family. Deets Holding Co. and its subsidiaries employ more than 250 people. His wife, Betty, and daughters Donna, Darlene, Debbie and Diane, work for the businesses as well. For details, call (800) 233-8342 ext. 3.

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$20 check or money order to: Entertainment Gems, Box 601, Wyckoff, NJ 07481-0601 or http://stores.ebay.com/entertainmentgems Senior Connection • February 2011 • page 35

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• • • • • •

6 Professionally Managed Golf Courses 10 Indoor & Outdoor Swimming Pools 4 Fitness and Wellness Centers 2 Full Service Spas Dining, Restaurants and Cafes Onsite Golf Cart Accessible Roadways and Paths to Amenities and Nearby Shopping • Over 200 Clubs and Organizations and Much, Much More!

Tour Our New Model Homes Today or call (877) 815-0022 105 CommerCial Center Dr., Sun City Center, Fl 33573 From I-75, Exit 240A, East on S.R.674/Sun City Center Blvd., South onto 33rd St, S.E. Open daily. All dimensions, prices, plans, specifications, features, programs, amenities, designs, materials, HOA fees, condo fees and availability are approximate and subject to change or substitution by Seller without notice. Exterior colors may vary. Artist’s rendering. Minto Communities, LLC, CGC 059780 CGC 1516596 CGC 1518693 © Minto Communities, LLC 2010 All Rights Reserved.