50plus Life Chester County – January 2024

Complimentary | Chester County Edition

January 2024

Finding inner peace after 7 years of active duty page 4

How to save on prescription drug costs page 3

remembering a sentimental sensation: ‘Love story’ page 18

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Free Alzheimer’s Webinars Available In the United States, more than 6 million individuals are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and about 11 million unpaid caregivers are supporting them.

Penn State Extension has available resources to support those affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Extension joined forces with the Alzheimer’s Association to provide four educational programs that cover the basics of Alzheimer’s and dementia to help those who are facing a diagnosis and inform anyone who wants to learn more about these conditions.

Organizers will offer these webinars on multiple dates and times: Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body: Jan. 29, noon to 1 p.m. – Individuals can adopt lifestyle habits at any age to help maintain or improve health. These habits also may help keep brains healthy during aging and possibly delay the onset of cognitive decline.

This workshop covers four lifestyle habits that are associated with healthy aging: cognitive activity, physical health and exercise, diet and nutrition, and social engagement.

Registration deadline: Jan. 28 Dementia Conversations: Driving, Doctor Visits, Legal and Financial Planning: Feb. 26, noon to 1 p.m. – Conversations with family members showing signs of dementia can be challenging and uncomfortable. Fear or a lack of awareness may accompany these conversations, resulting in delays affecting the entire family.

This webinar will cover everyday difficult decisions to discuss with loved ones and tips that can assist in making those important conversations less stressful.

Registration deadline: Feb. 25

Simply mail this form and $15 for an annual subscription to: 50plus Life • P.O. Box 8049, Lancaster, PA 17604 Call (717) 285-8131, or subscribe online at www.50plusLifePA.com!

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50plus Life

Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia: March 25, noon to 1 p.m.

– Participants will explore the relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, learn what happens in a brain affected by Alzheimer’s, learn about risk factors and the three general stages of the disease, and receive other helpful Alzheimer’s resources.

Registration deadline: March 24 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease: April 29, noon to 1 p.m.

– Alzheimer’s and other dementias cause memory, thinking, and behavior problems that interfere with daily living. This program helps people recognize common signs of the disease and know what to watch for in themselves and others.

Participants will learn about typical age-related changes, common signs of Alzheimer’s, and how to approach someone about memory concerns. The webinar also will highlight other helpful Alzheimer’s resources.

Registration deadline: April 28 These webinars are free, but attendees must register to get the access link.

Those who register also will receive a link to watch the recording of the program.

For more details and to sign up, visit https://extension.psu.edu. www.50plusLifePA.com

Savvy Senior

How to Save on Prescription Drug Costs Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior, I take several medications for multiple health conditions and the prices keep going up, even with my Medicare prescription drug insurance. Can you recommend any tips that can help cut my costs?

– Tapped-Out Tina Dear Tina, The high cost of prescription drugs is an ongoing problem that stings everyone, but it usually affects seniors more because they have a greater need for medications and because Medicare doesn’t cover all their drug costs.

While the Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law in 2022, will help seniors save on their medications by negotiating lower drug prices and capping out-of-pocket spending at $2,000, it will be a few years before the law is fully enacted.

In the meantime, here are some different strategies that can help reduce your costs so you can afford what you need.

Talk to your doctor: A good first step is to review your medications once a year with your doctor to find out if any of them can be stopped or reduced.

If you’re taking any brand-name drugs, check to see if they are available in a cheaper generic form.

Also, for any drugs you’re taking long-term, ask your doctor for a cheaper three- or six-month prescription, versus a one-month.

And find out if any of the pills you’re taking can be cut in half. Pill splitting allows you to get two months’ worth of medicine for the price of one. If you do this, you’ll need to get a prescription for twice the dosage you need.

If not, check online pharmacies like CostPlus Drug Company (costplusdrugs. com) or Honeybee (honeybeehealth.com).

With these, you may spend less in some cases than you might with insurance.

Get more help: If your income is limited, you may also be able to get help through Medicare’s Extra Help program (medicare.gov/basics/costs/help/ drug-costs), your state pharmaceutical assistance program (medicare.gov/plancompare/#/pharmaceutical-assistanceprogram/states) or patient assistance programs (medicare.gov/pharmaceuticalassistance-program).

Visit each website to see if you’re eligible and to apply.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

The ultimate resource for boomer and senior living and care options.

Review your insurance: Later this year, carefully review your drug coverage during the open enrollment period, which runs Oct. 15 – Dec. 7 for Medicare beneficiaries.

Make sure all your regular medications are covered in the plan’s formulary; that your current pharmacy is in the plan’s network; and that your plan covers additional medication coverage in the gap.

To shop and compare Medicare prescription drug plans, go to medicare.gov/ plan-compare.

Pay cash: Not using insurance for prescriptions seems counterintuitive, but in some cases, it may save you money. For example, many chain pharmacies and big-box stores like Walmart and Costco have their own prescription savings programs that may be lower than your insurance copayment.

Or you can use coupons through GoodRx (goodrx.com) or RxSaver (rxsaver.com) that can save you up to 80% off the list price of generic and some brand-name drugs in certain pharmacies.

Shop online: You can also save on regularly used medications by having them sent to you from a mail-order pharmacy. Check with your health insurer or regular pharmacy to see whether it will get you a better deal. www.50plusLifePA.com

28th Annual Edition

Read it online, in print, and on mobile/tablet devices. onlinepub.com

50plus Life

January 2024

3

Cover Story

Finding Inner Peace after 7 Years of ACtive Duty

By Gabriele Amersbach

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P.O. Box 8049, Lancaster, PA 17604 Phone (717) 285-1350 (610) 675-6240 Fax (717) 285-1360 Email address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com

PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Donna K. Anderson

EDITORIAL Vice President and Managing Editor Christianne Rupp Editor, 50plus Publications Megan Joyce

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50plus Life is published by On-Line Publishers, Inc. and is distributed monthly among senior centers, retirement communities, banks, grocers, libraries and other outlets serving the senior community.

On-Line Publishers, Inc. will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which may be fraudulent or misleading in nature.

Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication.

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50plus Life

to Linton, the program gave him not only a deeper understanding of each pose, but also taught him techniques to calm the brain and reduce stress.

After a nearly seven years of active duty in After he completed his yoga instruction training a 29-year career with the Army Reserve, Brian program, he found another Linton came home safely. Yet online yoga program that after a deployment in Kuwait, especially intrigued him, he started waking up in the Warriors at Ease, specifically middle of the night, heart aimed at vets with war trauma. racing, in a cold sweat.

For the instructor program, “I hadn’t experienced direct he completed 60 hours of combat but often saw the online training as well as a full aftereffects of IED attacks,” week of in-person instruction says Linton. in Silver Spring, Maryland.

He does not wish to share “I had a lot of ‘aha’ moments details of a post-explosion during the program and got scenario but admits he suffered a better understanding of from PTSD after viewing what happened and why,” says vehicles that had been bombed.

Linton.

“There are two kinds of He explains that some vets people who have suffered a war also develop PTSD based trauma: those who admit they on “moral injuries,” where are disturbed by what they Photo credit: Amy (Linton) Mumma the soldier finds what he or have seen and done — and Graduation day for Linton’s basic she is asked to do morally those who lie,” he explains. training at Fort Leonard Wood, unacceptable.

“Everybody reacts differently Mo., October 1988.

“These concepts were to what happens to them. new to me,” he explains. “I You have no control over how discovered that participating your brain reacts.” in something you don’t To reduce his symptoms, believe in can trigger Linton went to the VA as flashbacks. I wish I would an outpatient and sought have discovered this program counseling, which helped 10 years ago.” somewhat.

No Tinkling Bells Finding Inner Peace According to their While many vets do website, warriorsatease.org, find medications helpful to the Warriors at Ease yoga manage their symptoms, program was designed to Linton preferred to take a “bridge gaps in care” and different approach without “equip teachers, providers, pharmaceuticals. He started Photo credit: Carol Buck and the military community finding relief with his yoga Linton in the Peace Garden of with the tools and practices practice, which he began Calvary United Methodist Church in to … find self-empowerment during his teen years and has Harrisburg. and heal from challenges continued to present day. encountered during military “Yoga is Sanskrit for ‘yoke’ life.” or ‘union,’” he explains. “Through the practice, Linton explains that for some vets, selecting mind and spirit are yoked with the body and are yoga as a treatment for PTSD may be a stretch. intertwined.”

He continues, “By focusing on the specific poses, The program website admits that many vets may consider it a woman-only practice for alternative you are blocking the external world and release stress-related tensions as a way to find inner peace.” individuals who “burn incense and can put their In 2020, during the height of the quarantine, he foot behind their head.”

To remove the stigma that some vets associate found a yoga instructor training program online with yoga, Linton points out that in the Warriors at and completed 200 hours of training. According www.50plusLifePA.com

Ease programs, the focus is on doing the poses without Sanskrit terms or background meditation music with tinkling bells.

Sessions are usually presented without music, and no one will ask you to get into the “corpse” position or wish you “namaste” at the Linton, top center, before a 13-kilometer road end of the session. march with soldiers of Charlie Company, 1st However, Battalion, 417th Infantry Regiment (Basic Combat the program Training), Fort Dix, N.J. retains the core concepts of yoga.

By concentrating on the poses, the instructor (who is also a vet) gives participants something else to focus on instead of what may be troubling them.

“There is a different level of trust vet-to-vet,” Linton says. “There is also a benefit for likeminded people to meet as a group. Even if the vet just lies on their back on the mat during the class, there is some benefit.”

Life-Altering Practices The Warriors at Ease program notes that although these practices are highly accessible, low-cost, and without the possible side effects of antianxiety drugs, service members often turn to yoga, meditation, and mindfulness practices as a last resort.

According to the website, the program was designed to “integrate these practices into the lives of the military community earlier and help pave a new path forward for those who feel like it’s too late.”

As Linton personally discovered, the benefits of incorporating yoga to relieve PTSD symptoms can be life altering.

According to the research studies that led to the development of Warriors at Ease, yoga and meditation can calm the nervous system, reduce symptoms of PTSD, increase range of motion, reduce chronic pain, help with sleep, increase attention span, and more.

Based on the success of the program, the Warriors at Ease network includes nearly 1,400 teachers who live in over 11 countries and in all 50 states. They teach in VA facilities, on military installations, at vet centers, in behavioral health and substance abuse facilities, and at yoga studios.

More than 185,000 service members, including veterans like Linton, and families have been impacted by the program.

While Linton taught a few Warriors at Ease classes as a volunteer,

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emergency requires a class cancelation,” says Linton.

He explains that for someone with PTSD, taking a weekly class at a regular time is crucial to their healing process. A canceled class can be very detrimental.

Linton summarizes that through yoga, meditation practices, and Pilates, he has improved his balance and flexibility and has found an inner calm, even during a Saturday run to Costco.

“It was a madhouse. I did one of the meditation practices that I learned during my training — breathe in for five seconds, hold for five seconds, release for five seconds, hold for five seconds, breathe in, repeat. With these meditation practices you become your own resource for stress relief.”

He concludes, “I feel better now, both mentally and physically, than I did 20 years ago — with no PTSD symptoms.”

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Photo credit: Carol Buck

Linton poses at Absolute Pilates in Harrisburg.

currently he is busy with his day job as project manager at an industrial electronics manufacturer in Middletown. He also teaches mat and reformer Pilates and restorative yoga at Absolute Pilates in Harrisburg.

“Teaching a Warriors at Ease class requires total commitment — and a replacement instructor if an

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50plus Life

January 2024

5

The History of Ordinary Things

The Zamboni Doris Montag

The Zamboni ice resurfacer was invented by much to the unhappiness of skaters.

Frank Zamboni, an Italian immigrant born at In the 1940s, with his background in cooling the turn of the century. and refrigeration, Zamboni started to work on a In 1920, Zamboni and his brothers opened prototype for an ice-resurfacing machine. an auto repair shop but soon switched to He introduced the Model A Zamboni in building and installing large refrigeration units 1949. It had four-wheel drive and four-wheel for the dairy industry. When business was steering on a hand-built chassis made with slow, they opened an ice rink in Paramount, war-surplus axles and engine parts. The surplus California, and named it “Iceland.” parts included a hydraulic cylinder from a The technology behind indoor ice rinks and Douglas bomber. refrigeration systems is the same. The main The Model A was the largest machine he ever difference is that refrigerant does not cool built, measuring 14 feet, 9 inches in length and the ice directly. Rather, it cools brine water, a 9 feet, 6 inches in height. Today’s large-model calcium-chloride solution and antifreeze agent, 520 is only slightly larger at 16.5 feet in length which is pumped through a system of pipes and 12.8 feet in height. They remain 7 feet Photo credit: City of Toronto, licensed under CC-BY-2.0.

A Zamboni clears the ice at Colonel Sam Smith Park Ice under the ice, typically embedded in a concrete wide.

Trail in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. or sand base.

The original Zamboni featured a large snow At the time, clearing and smoothing the ice tank to collect ice shavings and two large meant towing a heavy scraper over the ice with a tractor. Walking behind the water tanks. The machine also housed a cutting blade, conditioner, drivetrain, scraper, three to four workers scooped up the shavings, sprayed the ice with controls, operator seat, engine, and fuel tank (if it was a gas-powered model). water, and then squeegeed the surface. This process took more than an hour, please see ZAMBONI on facing page

You know a good story when you hear it.

Think you or someone you know would make an interesting profile story for 50plus Life?

We are looking for central Pennsylvanians over age 50 who have a unique hobby, passion, or history of volunteer work, or who are a part of an interesting local club.

Ideal story candidates are willing to talk about themselves and to be photographed.

Your name: _______________________________________________________________ Your address: ____________________________________________________________________ Your phone: ________________________________________ Email:_____________________________________________ Nominee’s name (if not self): ____________________________________________________________________________ Nominee’s town of residence: ___________________________________________________________________________ Nominee’s phone: __________________________________ Email: _____________________________________________ Why they would make a great story: _____________________________________________________________________ Note: Please get your nominee’s permission before submitting them!

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Please email story submissions to Megan Joyce, editor, at mjoyce@onlinepub.com or send via mail to 50plus Life, P.O. Box 8049, Lancaster, PA 17604.

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January 2024

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www.50plusLifePA.com

‘Beware the 19th of January!’

By Randal C. Hill Do you make New Year’s resolutions? About half the folks in America do. But how many of us see our goals to completion?

The answer is a surprising 8%, but today we’ll offer some commitment guidelines that may help raise that lowly single digit.

First, though, let’s look at the history of formal intentions, which goes back 4,000 years to the Babylonians, who celebrated a 12-day, mid-March crop-planting ritual called Akitu.

Citizens back then reaffirmed pledges to their god, crowned a new king (or renewed their loyalty to the reigning one), paid off debts, and promised to return borrowed farm equipment — always a good idea in a primarily agrarian society.

Things changed a couple of millennia later when reform-minded Roman Julius Caesar created the Julian calendar in 46 BC. When doing so, he declared that Jan. 1 would now officially introduce the new year, and thus Caesar reset the long-established parameters. (January was named for the two-faced Roman god Janus, who looks backward into the previous year and ahead into the one about to unfold.)

Here in America, early Christians saw the start of the new year as a time to reflect about past mistakes and vow to eliminate them in the future. Today, the nature of those aspirations has changed, and promises made now mainly concern self-improvement (which could be why they are so hard to keep!).

Currently, the five most common resolutions include: 1. Diet, weight loss, and exercise 2. Reading more books 3. Learning something new (a foreign language, for example) 4. Saving money 5. Being a kinder, more patient person

ZAMBONI from facing page Today, most Zamboni machines use natural gas, propane, or electric power to supply the clean operation preferable for indoors.

A Zamboni machine sprays hot water to melt the top layer of ice. The melted water then flows into the small grooves in the ice, which helps smooth out the unevenness. The larger models of Zamboni can remove close to 2,500 pounds of compacted snow. At the same time, it leaves behind about 1,500 pounds of water.

The typical Zamboni driving pattern is concentric overlapping ovals that measure about one-half the width of the rink. Today’s models typically have a 15- to 16-foot turning radius. Most Zamboni drivers work clockwise, but the direction is optional. The Zamboni typically needs 15 passes down an average (17,000-square-foot) ice rink.

Approximately 200 custom Zambonis are manufactured each year. They are hand assembled, and the lead time can be over eight months. Zamboni machines are not street legal, as they are not considered motor vehicles. Driving about 2,000 miles per year, they can run for decades with proper maintenance.

A few fun facts: • The first Zamboni sold for $5,000 in 1950 to the Pasadena Wintergarden www.50plusLifePA.com

One additional popular January resolution is to drink less alcohol, pledges undoubtedly often made following a bit too much imbibing in celebration of the holiday season just passed.

What exactly is a resolution? It’s a firm decision to do or not do something, and it’s often about finding a solution to a problem.

It’s not about making majestic, wide-ranging changes; it’s a time to correct one’s behavior.

Do you want to make a personal list for 2024? If so, here are some hints for making realistic commitments — with an emphasis on realistic.

1. Avoid using such negative terms as “quitting” or “stopping.”

2. Set aside adequate time to pause and reflect before creating pledges.

3. Keep everything simple by choosing only one or two goals.

4. Pick a goal or goals you truly think will make you feel better.

5. Make choices that are specific and measurable.

6. Plan for a month at a time, not a lifetime.

7. Confide in someone about your goal; it may help you keep your intentions.

8. If you slip up occasionally, don’t worry about it; however, if you err repeatedly, consider a less ambitious plan.

Over 90% of resolution participants don’t make it to their finish line. The most common day for people to throw in their metaphorical towels is Jan. 19, which some cynics have labeled Quitter’s Day. Take note. You have been warned!

Although Randal C. Hill’s heart lives in the past, the rest of him resides in Bandon, Ore. He can be reached at wryterhill@msn.com.

Ice Rink. Later ones were sold to the Ice Capades, popular traveling entertainment shows featuring theatrical ice skating performances.

• In 1954 the Boston Bruins became the first National Hockey League team to use a Zamboni.

• There were 20 Zamboni machines on hand at the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Games to resurface the various ice sheets.

• Over 12,000 Zamboni name-brand machines have been built to date.

• Each tire on the Zamboni machine is hand-studded with about 400 tungsten carbide studs on each full set of tires.

• The cost of a full-sized Zamboni machine today starts in the low six figures.

Doris Montag is a homespun historian and an exhibit curator who researches and displays historical collections of ordinary things, such as can openers, crochet, toy sewing machines, hand corn planters, powder compacts, egg cartons, and more.

Contact or follow her on Facebook, HistoryofOrdinaryThings.

50plus Life

January 2024

7

CROSSWORD

Puzzle Page

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 18.

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January 2024

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The Beauty in Nature

A Variety of Voles Clyde McMillan-Gamber

When snow melts in fields, nests just under the ground or in mats meadows, and roadsides in southeastern of vegetation. Colonies of these little Pennsylvania, several winding, inchcritters live in fields, meadows, and wide trails through matted grass are roadside slopes in farmland. They have exposed, revealing the presence of brown fur and consume seeds, grain, meadow voles, a kind of mouse. and greens.

The voles tunneled through the grass, Pine voles live in burrows a few under a covering of snow, in search of inches below the ground’s surface, under food and mates. The snow protected carpets of fallen leaves on the floors of those voles from cold wind and deciduous woods. They stay in those predators, to some extent. protective tunnels most of the time to Meadow voles are one of three avoid bad weather and predators. Pine kinds of voles living in southeastern voles have auburn fur and mostly ingest Pennsylvania, as elsewhere. The other small roots, fungi, and greens. species are pine and southern red-backed Southern red-backed voles have brown voles. fur with a rusty-red stripe down their Meadow vole Being related, these creatures have backs. They live in crevices between much in common. They are 4-6 inches boulders and under rocks and logs in long, including their short tails, with woods in Pennsylvania’s mountains. chunky bodies and small ears and eyes These handsome voles mostly eat nuts, to keep soil out when they are tunneling seeds, and berries. through surface soil.

A colony of southern red-backs dwells These species of voles are colonial and among boulders at the North Lookout at active day and night through the year.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in northern Females of all species have at least a few Berks County. There, some of them fall litters a year, with four or five young per prey to long-tailed weasels, copperhead litter. snakes, and timber rattlesnakes that also But each of these kinds of voles live among those boulders. inhabits a different niche than the Many voles fall prey to several others, which spreads them out. That predators, including foxes, coyotes, cats, dispersal created the different vole hawks, owls, herons, and other critters. species and reduced competition for Voles are the bread baskets of the niches food and shelter among them. Therefore, they inhabit.

Southern red-backed vole these voles have slight differences in The abundant voles are the main appearance and habits, as well. prey of a variety of intriguing predators.

Meadow voles chew runways through matted grass and live in grassy There would be fewer predators without voles.

2024

Nature’s Wonders

by Clyde

A nature blog

by Clyde McMillan-Gamber, retired Lancaster County Parks naturalist and longtime 50plus Life columnist

Each story is like a walk with your own naturalist.

NaturesWondersByClyde.BlogSpot.com

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50plus Life

January 2024

9

Dear Pharmacist

The 6 Best Ways to Treat Raynaud’s Disease Suzy Cohen

Raynaud’s disease, often characterized by its telltale cold fingers and toes, is more than just a fleeting discomfort for people. It’s a window into the complexities of our vascular system.

Raynaud’s disease, also known as Raynaud’s phenomenon or Raynaud’s syndrome, is a condition characterized by episodic narrowing (vasospasm) of the blood vessels, leading to decreased blood flow to the affected areas.

This most commonly affects the fingers and toes but can also impact the nose, ears, and lips. The reduced blood flow turns the affected areas pale or blue while feeling cold and numb. The areas may turn red and throb or tingle as blood flow returns.

There are two main types of Raynaud’s: Primary Raynaud’s (Raynaud’s disease): This is the most common form and isn’t linked to any other medical condition. It’s generally less severe than secondary Raynaud’s.

Secondary Raynaud’s (Raynaud’s phenomenon): This type is caused by an underlying health condition and tends to be more serious than primary Raynaud’s.

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Symptoms can be triggered by: Cold temperatures: Even mild changes in temperature, such as taking something out of the freezer or being exposed to cold air, can trigger an episode. Cold water can also be a trigger.

Emotional stress: For some people, stress or anxiety can provoke an episode of Raynaud’s.

Work-related causes: The use of vibrating tools, like a sander or drill or other machinery, can trigger Raynaud’s symptoms in some individuals. Even typing!

Medications: Certain drugs can cause or worsen Raynaud’s symptoms, including beta blockers, migraine medications that contain ergotamine, certain chemotherapy agents, and over-the-counter cold medications.

Repetitive actions: Repetitive activities that cause strain on the hands or fingers, such as typing or playing the piano, might trigger symptoms in some people. please see RAYNAUD’S on facing page

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Pleased to Meat You: The World of Spam

By Randal C. Hill During World War II, American soldiers stationed overseas had their own terms for Spam. Some called it “ham that didn’t pass its physical,” while others sneered that it was “meatloaf without basic training.” One term bandied about was “Special Army Meat.”

The Hormel Foods Corporation estimates that, from 1941 to 1945, 150 million pounds of Spam were shipped abroad during our country’s military involvement.

Historian Rachel Laudan explains, “Having the sort of food that can survive in the tropical heat and be kept on a shelf for weeks and months was a huge boon.”

That didn‘t stop troops from grumbling when the ubiquitous product was sometimes served to them up to three times a day.

Spam is a Hormel luncheon meat that was developed during the Great Depression when company president Jay Hormel wanted to offer a budgetfriendly product — cheap to make and cheap to buy — that could also rid the company of a surplus of stored pork shoulder.

The term Spam originated in 1937 during a New Year’s Eve party, when Jay Hormel held a competition to name its new item.

The winning designation was a spontaneously created word — with no particular meaning — from Ken Daigneau, a New York radio actor. Daigneau was awarded $100, a hefty amount at a time when the federal minimum wage was 25 cents per hour.

At first, many people assumed the product name was a combination of “spice” and “ham,” although Spam has neither ingredient. (Salt, plentiful in Spam, is a

RAYNAUD’S from facing page Tobacco use: Smoking or vaping can exacerbate Raynaud’s symptoms by narrowing the blood vessels.

Injuries: Physical trauma to the hands or feet, like fractures, surgery, or frostbite, can be a trigger.

Other medical conditions: In secondary Raynaud’s, symptoms can be triggered by the underlying disease or condition, such as Ehlers-Danlos lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.

While managing Raynaud’s can be challenging, understanding its ties to other conditions, like thyroid disease and autoimmune disorders, can shed light on effective treatment strategies. I’m a believer in getting to the root cause.

Let’s delve into six of the most recommended ways to alleviate the symptoms of this condition.

1. Biofeedback training: This technique employs electronic monitoring to convey information about physiological processes. By understanding your body’s responses, you can, with practice, learn to promote relaxation and warmth in extremities. It’s not a cure, though.

2. Calcium channel blockers: Medications like amlodipine or nifedipine can help relax the blood vessels and increase blood flow to the extremities. These drugs have been proven effective in decreasing the severity and frequency of Raynaud’s attacks in many patients, but again, it’s not a cure.

3. Protect yourself from cold: Simple measures, such as wearing gloves, can make a significant difference. Ensure you dress warmly, and limit exposure to cold environments.

4. Avoid caffeine and smoking: Sorry, but both nicotine and caffeine will www.50plusLifePA.com

mineral and not a spice.)

One urban legend claimed that Spam was an acronym for “Scientifically Processed Animal Matter,” while another said that Spam was short for “Shoulder of Pork and Ham.” To this day, Spam still remains somewhat of a mystery meat to many consumers. In reality, it is a six-ingredient, precooked mashup of pork, water, salt, potato, sugar, and, as a preservative, sodium nitrate.

As the most processed of processed meats, it has always raised red flags about its nutritional attributes, due to its high content of fat, sodium, and preservatives.

Following the war years, Spam came to be seen not just as a convenient protein source but also as a tasty side dish.

By the 1960s, it had become a common kitchen commodity, some people mixing it with the morning eggs, while others used it for lunchtime sandwiches.

Spam is currently available around the world. After America, its biggest customer is South Korea, where it is often considered a luxury gift and is available in an elaborate gift box.

Hawaii, though, is where the most Spam is consumed per person, as 1.5 million residents in the Aloha State devour up to 7 million cans annually. It is often eaten as a delicacy wrapped in seaweed and rice.

Unfortunately, Spam now shares its name (sans the capital S) with annoying, unwanted internet ads. This has led to a joke about a computer operator who once warned, “If you get an email from me about canned meat, don’t open it. It’s spam.”

Although Randal C. Hill’s heart lives in the past, the rest of him resides in Bandon, Ore. He can be reached at wryterhill@msn.com.

constrict blood vessels and limit blood flow. Avoiding them can help reduce the symptoms of Raynaud’s. On this continuum, where meds restrict blood flow, ADHD medications and oral decongestants should be avoided or minimized.

5. Regular exercise: This is great! Engaging in routine physical activity can help improve circulation. Ensure any outdoor exercise during colder months (even walking the dog during the snowy season) is done while wearing hats, gloves, or socks.

6. Stress management: Since stress can trigger Raynaud’s episodes, techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and yoga can be beneficial. Yoga in hot or warm settings may help because it promotes blood circulation.

Now let’s discuss the connection between Raynaud’s and thyroid disease, as well as autoimmune disorders. This has been an area of interest for researchers for many years. Studies have highlighted that people with Raynaud’s phenomenon often show symptoms of autoimmune conditions such as Sjögren’s disease.

The prevalence of Raynaud’s is also higher in people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Treating the underlying condition will help relieve the Raynaud’s symptoms.

Did you know Raynaud’s disease is named after the French doctor Maurice Raynaud, who first described the color changes in the fingers back in 1862?

It’s always fascinating to trace medical conditions back to their historical roots!

This condition has been around for a long time, and I wish it had more effective solutions.

If you would like to read a more comprehensive version of this article, it’s posted at my website, suzycohen.com.

This information is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat your disease. For more information about the author, visit suzycohen.com.

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January 2024

11

5 Things We Learned About Alzheimer’s Disease in 2023 2023 was a landmark year for Alzheimer’s disease research, including advancements in treatment, risk factors, and diagnosis. Here are five significant discoveries made last year.

There are three new approved treatments for Alzheimer’s, with a fourth on the way. In July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted traditional approval for Leqembi for mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s and mild Alzheimer’s dementia. This treatment slows cognitive decline and can help people with early Alzheimer’s maintain their independence.

In June 2021, the FDA granted accelerated approval to Aduhelm for the same purpose.

At the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in July 2023, Lilly reported positive results for a third similar treatment: donanemab. The company expects FDA action in early 2024.

In May, the FDA approved the first treatment for agitation in people with Alzheimer’s: brexpiprazole.

Hearing aids could slow cognitive decline for at-risk older adults. In the largest clinical trial to investigate whether a hearing loss treatment can reduce risk of cognitive decline, researchers found that older adults with hearing loss cut their cognitive decline in half by using hearing aids for three years.

The intervention included hearing aids, a hearing “toolkit,” and ongoing instruction and counseling. Though the positive results were in a subgroup of the

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Blood tests for Alzheimer’s are coming soon. Blood tests show promise for improving how Alzheimer’s is diagnosed. Advancements reported for the first time at AAIC 2023 demonstrate the simplicity and value to doctors of blood-based markers for Alzheimer’s.

Blood tests are already being implemented in Alzheimer’s drug trials. And they are incorporated into proposed new diagnostic criteria for the disease. Blood tests — once verified and approved by the FDA — would offer a noninvasive and cost-effective option for identifying the disease.

First-ever U.S. county-level Alzheimer’s prevalence estimates. The firstever county-level estimates of the prevalence of Alzheimer’s dementia — in all 3,142 U.S. counties — were reported at AAIC 2023.

For counties with a population of more than 10,000 people age 65 and older, the highest Alzheimer’s prevalence rates are in: • Miami-Dade County, Fla. – 16.6% • Baltimore City, Md. – 16.6% • Bronx County, N.Y. – 16.6% please see ALZHEIMER’S on facing page

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The Bookworm Sez

American Castle Terri Schlichenmeyer

If those walls could talk.

Determined that Mar-a-Lago be If only the floors could say who preserved, she tried to donate it to walked across them, carrying towels, the U.S. government in the 1960s, suitcases, or boxes. Would the doors but while it was accepted in lastsay who slammed them, or why? minute paperwork by one presidential Could the windows tell who peered administration, it was unlisted by from their glassy sides? another.

If the walls of a building could talk The mansion that cereal built went — say, the ones in American Castle up for sale again and again and it sat,

by Mary C. Shanklin — imagine the barely used, until a New York real issues that could be put to rest. estate mogul finally purchased it in In a way, it all began with the 1985 …

Spanish flu.

Reading American Castle is like Had Blanche Hutton not caught having a tabloid newspaper in front it and died, her husband, investment of you and a history book on the side. banker E.F. Hutton, wouldn’t have Or the other way around. Or both; been widowed. Had she lived, Hutton straddling many important historical wouldn’t have had a chance to be events, there’s enough inside here to captivated by the lovely cereal heiress, satisfy the two genres equally.

Marjorie Merriweather Post, on Author Mary C. Shanklin writes Photo credit: Margie Ann Dotson of Marando Studios Valentine’s Day evening, 1920. of the scandalous behavior of the American Castle: One Hundred Years of Mar-a-Lago Imagine it: two extremely wealthy, rich and famous of a century ago in a

By Mary C. Shanklin unmarried people at a soiree on a faux-offended way that pokes gentle c. 2023, Diversion Books luxury houseboat near Palm Beach. fun and brings to mind Grandma and 304 pages He’d come to Florida to taste what an a lot of pearl-clutching. up-and-coming elite playground had And yet, the long tale of a big to offer. She was there, says Shanklin, for a fun after-divorce romance. house is a serious one that oozes with real money, lavish privilege, government So one thing led to another, and the two were wed. They honeymooned in the bureaucracy, and the aura of a white elephant. That Mar-a-Lago is now and Adirondacks, then settled into several luxury homes in several tony locales. forever connected in a firm way to politics, accusations, and indictments is the The new Mrs. Hutton was particularly captivated, not by the “small” Palm part you gotta read, even if you think you know what Shanklin has to offer.

Beach home her husband loved best, but by the one she had started constructing.

If you want the rest of the story, you’ve got it here, so don’t miss it. If you love She spent millions on the mansion she called Mar-a-Lago, Spanish for “sea to the history of privilege, politics, or current events, American Castle is a book you lake.” won’t stop talking about.

Alas, after a while, the Hutton marriage was doomed to fail.

The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years The settlement was generous to Post, who got her Mar-a-Lago, among other homes — but the bloom was off the rose, and she all but abandoned her mansion old, and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 14,000 books. in favor of other interests.

ALZHEIMER’S from facing page • Prince George’s County, Md. – 16.1% • Hinds County, Miss. – 15.5% Certain characteristics of these counties may explain the higher prevalence, including older age and a higher percentage of Black and Hispanic residents, which are communities disproportionately impacted by Alzheimer’s disease.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, these statistics can help officials determine the burden on the healthcare system and pinpoint areas for culturally sensitive caregiver training.

Chronic constipation is associated with poor cognitive function.

Approximately 16% of the world’s population struggles with constipation. This www.50plusLifePA.com

year, researchers reported that less frequent bowel movements were associated with significantly worse cognitive function.

People in the study with bowel movements every three days or more had worse memory and thinking equal to three years of cognitive aging. These results stress the importance of clinicians discussing gut health with their older patients.

To learn more about Alzheimer’s and dementia research, plus available care and support — and to join the cause or make a donation — visit the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org.

While there is still much to learn about Alzheimer’s, 2023 was a year of discovery, giving researchers and families impacted by the disease hope for the year ahead. (StatePoint)

50plus Life

January 2024

13

Art & Antiques by Dr. Lori

Lori Verderame

Coffee Culture Inspires 1990s/2000s TV Collectibles

Movie memorabilia and film collectibles It follows that one of the rare TV collectibles are known to bring big bucks in the vintage from Friends is a canister of Friends instant collectibles markets, but objects associated with the coffee resembling the popular General Foods history of television are just as popular but often International Coffee brand and the unmistakable overlooked by comparison. elongated-shaped tin from the 1990s.

Big screen versus small screen is the issue.

The rare tin that depicted the six characters — Recently, there has been revitalization of the Monica, Ross, Rachel, Joey, Phoebe, and Chandler collectibles that highlight the early decades of — on the label sells online for $100 each.

American television.

Also, American coffee culture of the late 1990s Now, as the landscape of television is in flux and early 2000s permeated the collectible objects with streaming services, YouTube TV, and the associated with the TV competition show American vast offerings of new online content, television Idol. collectibles from the 1970s to the 2000s are A rare American Idol collectible on the market Photo credit: Staff of drloriv.com moving these items into the spotlight with today is a Keurig coffeemaker with accessories, Friends instant coffee canister with photo of collectors of all ages. including k-cup coffee pods that have musiccharacters Phoebe, Chandler, Rachel, Ross, With the recent death of Matthew Perry, who competition judge Randy Jackson’s photo on each Monica, and Joey. played Chandler Bing on the 1990s smash-hit one. comedy Friends, collectibles associated with the Similarly, the American Idol coffee machine NBC show have sparked new interest. comes with non-dairy creamer featuring a photo of host Ryan Seacrest and The show highlighted the everyday lives of a group of friends in their late other judges from the TV show that ignited the careers of Kelly Clarkson, 20s/early 30s living in New York City. Much of the funny social activity took Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, Kimberley Locke, Adam Lambert, place in a coffee shop near Central Park, called Central Perk. please see COFFEE on facing page

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First Lady from Plains Rosalynn Carter (1927-2023)

By James Patterson

In 1976, Jimmy Carter was little known to voters who asked: “Jimmy Who?” Rosalynn Carter’s campaign pitches for her husband included informing voters who he was and stressing his community service on the hospital authority, library board, school board, and chamber of commerce and as a scoutmaster and church leader.

Her final pitch was that Jimmy Carter was an outsider to Washington. This was an important point for a politician to make in the years immediately following the Watergate scandal.

Carter had the support of many entertainment figures, including Willie Nelson, Leontyne Price, the Allman Brothers Band, Jimmy Buffett, and the Marshall Tucker Band, among others.

Newspaper coverage of these entertainers helped voters understand who Jimmy Carter was. In her book, Rosalynn Carter describes a sad meeting the Carters had with Elvis Presley near his death.

In the 1976 presidential campaign, Jimmy Carter narrowly defeated incumbent President Gerald R. Ford.

Rosalynn Carter was proud and “thrilled” of her work on

In 1984, former first lady Rosalynn Carter published her memoir First Lady from Plains. It was her first book, and it became a bestseller.

Carter died at age 97 in November.

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s review of First Lady from Plains was titled “The ‘Steel Magnolia’ puts her life in print.”

It is clear from her memoir that Carter enjoyed politics. Prior to the book’s publication, she told reporters that she missed campaigning for her husband.

“I would be out there campaigning right now if Jimmy would run again,” she said. She said she found political campaigning “thrilling.” Jimmy did not run again.

Carter said that after the election the former president spent his time in his personal “woodworking shop” while she enjoyed “baking bread and experimenting with a food processor.”

Rosalynn Carter’s official portrait, Both Carters were active with the nonprofit Habitat 1977. for Humanity, which provides safe housing for vulnerable families. After Carter’s death, Habitat for Humanity’s the campaign. website published a touching tribute.

After his presidency, Jimmy Carter published numerous books, including In First Lady from Plains, Carter’s thrill for campaigning with Jimmy Carter in his Georgia gubernatorial campaigns is energetically described over 15 pages. one book, Everything to Gain, with his wife.

In the book, the Carters wrote about their struggles after the “crisis” of In 1966, Jimmy Carter’s first campaign for governor was unsuccessful. electoral defeat in 1980. Writing the book with her husband was, Rosalynn The Carters were upset when Georgians elected “a fiery segregationist”: Lester Maddux (1915-2003). In 1972, Jimmy Carter was elected governor with Carter said, such a difficult experience that she would never write another book with him.

Maddux as his lieutenant governor.

Carter leaves a legacy of public service to Georgia and our nation. She also Rosalynn Carter wrote that campaigning for the presidency in 1976 “was leaves a great memoir: First Lady from Plains. like our old campaigning in Georgia.” The campaigns were “old-fashioned” rural politics involving print newspapers, radio/TV interviews, telephone calls, James Patterson is a writer and speaker based in the D.C. area. mailing campaign literature, and hand-shaking at outdoor events.

PROUD MEMBER OF NAMPA

COFFEE from facing page Kellie Pickler, Clay Aiken, and others.

The coffee machine itself sports the American Idol logo, and the lot sells for $500 in new condition.

Most of these machines were found in the early 2000s in Fox network studios around the country.

While TV collectibles come in traditional and somewhat unusual forms, collectors remain taken with the characters of the small screen and the items that remind us of shows that made TV remarkable.

Photo credit: Staff of drloriv.com Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and American Idol Keurig coffeemaker award-winning media personality and accessories.

Dr. Lori Verderame presents antique appraisal events nationwide and appears on Netflix’s King of Collectibles and History channel’s The Curse of Oak Island and Pawn Stars Do America. Visit drloriv.com and youtube.com/drloriv or call (888) 431-1010.

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January 2024

15

Nurse Nancy

Enjoy a Soup Swap and Reap the Benefits Nancy J. Schaaf

Many people have fond memories of eating soups as a child. For me, growing up Roman Catholic, tomato soup and grilled cheese was a Friday favorite. And when I was sick, Mom would fix chicken noodle soup.

Soup is one of the oldest and most-loved foods in the world. From ancient times to the modern day, soup has played an essential role in the diets of many cultures and civilizations.

Sipping a delicious bowl of soup keeps you warm during the cold season. Most importantly, eating soups has many health benefits, such as helping us fight cold-season viruses.

The spices and veggies used to prepare soups contain vitamins, antioxidants, and good anti-inflammatory nutrients. Soups contain essential electrolytes for body function, and as a liquid-based dish, it keeps the body hydrated.

Soups and vegetables may contain fatty fish, meat, and plant-based protein.

One can consume a good soup until feeling full while keeping a low-calorie intake, which is particularly important for people who need to lose weight or follow a healthy diet.

Soup Contains Veggies and Fiber Fresh veggies are excellent sources of healthy nutrients. Soup recipes often use

condiments and spices like onions, chives, garlic, and thyme. They are also full of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins.

One needs a daily quota of veggies, and a way to reach that quota is through eating soups.

Regardless of the season, it is always possible to prepare them using seasonal or frozen vegetables.

Soup is an easily digestible meal full of fiber that is excellent for gut health. Fiber takes longer to digest, making one feel full for longer. Some types of fiber may enhance the action of good gut bacteria and are known to cure functional constipation.

Health professionals state that the daily intake of vegetables should include half raw and half cooked veggies.

Soup Contains Minerals and Vitamins Higher levels of sodium can damage our internal system, and it is an evident fact that soups contain sodium. However, soup also has higher potassium doses, which can help keep blood pressure at the correct level.

Soup also contains numerous other vitamins and nutrients that help us

please see SOUP on facing page

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The Healthy Geezer

Getting Ahead of Glaucoma Fred Cicetti

doctor. Glaucoma is detected through a comprehensive eye exam that includes a visual acuity test, visual field test, dilated eye exam, Glaucoma is defined as a group of diseases tonometry, and pachymetry. that can damage the eye’s optic nerve, which A visual acuity test measures vision at various carries images from the eye to the brain. distances. A visual field test measures peripheral Here’s how glaucoma works: A clear fluid vision. In a dilated eye exam, a special flows through a small space at the front of the magnifying lens is used to examine the inside of eye called the “anterior chamber.” If you have the eye. glaucoma, the fluid drains too slowly out of the In tonometry, an instrument measures the eye and pressure builds up. This pressure may pressure inside the eye. With pachymetry, an damage the optic nerve. instrument is used to measure the thickness of However, increased eye pressure doesn’t your cornea, the transparent part of the front of necessarily mean you have glaucoma. It means the eye. you are at risk for glaucoma. A person has The most common treatments for glaucoma January is National Glaucoma glaucoma only if the optic nerve is damaged. are medication and surgery. Medications for Awareness Month Glaucoma can develop in one or both eyes. glaucoma may come in eye drops or pills. For The most common type of glaucoma starts out most people with glaucoma, regular use of with no symptoms. Without treatment, people with glaucoma will slowly lose medications will control the increased fluid pressure. their peripheral vision. Eventually, the middle of your vision field may decrease Laser surgery is another treatment for glaucoma. The laser is focused on the until you are blind. part of the anterior chamber where the fluid leaves the eye. This makes it easier Unfortunately, there is no cure for glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness in for fluid to exit the eye. Over time, the effect of this surgery may wear off. the United States.

Patients who have laser surgery may need to keep taking glaucoma drugs.

Any vision that glaucoma destroys cannot be restored. Early diagnosis of Studies have shown that the early detection and treatment of glaucoma is the glaucoma is extremely important, because there are treatments that may save best way to control the disease. So, have your eyes examined thoroughly and remaining vision. regularly if you are in a high-risk category. And that includes all of us geezers.

Almost 3 million people in the U.S. have glaucoma. Those at highest risk are Fred Cicetti is a senior and health writer with more than three decades of experience.

African Americans, everyone over age 60, and people with a family history of The Healthy Geezer is devoted to the health questions of seniors who are wondering glaucoma. what is going on with these bodies of ours.

Glaucoma is just one reason seniors should make regular visits to an eye Q. What exactly does glaucoma do to your eyes?

SOUP from facing page achieve our daily dose range, such as vitamin A, iron, magnesium, and fiber.

Interesting Soup Facts

From a simple bowl of broth to a complex and flavorful stew, soup can nourish the body and the soul. Soup is a versatile dish everyone can enjoy, and its history is a testament to its enduring popularity.

Take a moment to observe National Soup Month during January. This observance can be traced back to 1986, beginning as a promotional event for Campbell Soup.

Consider hosting a soup swap for National Soup Swap Day on Jan. 21. Make a few quarts of soup, gather some of your closest friends, and swap soup and soup recipes with one another. Each brings several quarts of their favorite soup.

One person might bring a nice chicken noodle soup, while another might bring a delicious homemade stuffed pepper soup.

Everyone can try diverse types of soup and take home some different soups they can then add to their freezer.

• The first recorded soup ever made was hippopotamus soup over 8,000 years ago.

Nancy J. Schaaf, a retired RN, worked as a school nurse, a nurse supervisor at a men’s prison, and a health educator. She earned her BSN at Edinboro University. She is a freelance writer whose health articles appear in magazines throughout the U.S. and Canada. She can be reached at nancyjschaaf@gmail.com.

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• Mankind began making soups shortly after learning how to make mud or clay pots.

• New England’s favorite type of soup is clam chowder.

• The most popular soup in the U.S is chicken noodle soup.

• A mericans consume over 10 billion bowls of soup every year. Soup can be found in 98%-99% of all American homes.

• The world’s largest serving of soup was made in 2000 by Campbell’s Soup Company in Camden, New Jersey. The soup was a tomato-based recipe and filled a 6,300-gallon container.

• The first canned soup was sold by the Campbell Soup Company in 1897.

50plus Life

January 2024

17

’70s Flashback

Love Story Randal C. Hill

“Be careful what you wish for, lest it come true.” – Aesop’s Fables

Although Randal C. Hill’s heart lives in the past, the rest of him resides in Bandon, Ore. He can be reached at wryterhill@msn.com.

Puzzles shown on page 8.

Puzzle Solutions

In 1958, Erich Segal graduated from Harvard University as both the class poet and a Latin salutatorian. He earned a doctorate in comparative literature from Harvard and began lecturing at Yale as a classics professor.

He wrote scholarly works on Plato and Plautus, and lecture halls were always packed for his talks. One of his students, future Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau, once pronounced Segal’s presentations Ali MacGraw in a 1972 publicity photo for The Getaway. “electrifying.”

But Segal also nurtured an obvious desire to be considered a hip guy as well as an erudite scholar.

Through some contacts on Broadway, he became a co-writer of the animated Beatles feature Yellow Submarine. (And what could be hipper than being involved with the Fab Four?)

Thus, Segal was able to enjoy being both a respected university professor and a pop-culture icon.

“Sometimes I amaze even myself,” he boasted to film critic Roger Ebert.

“I blow the minds of these freshmen who come to take a Greek tragedy class, and the professor is the same guy who wrote Yellow Submarine!

Segal then turned to writing screenplays on the side and came up with Love Story, which was released as a bestselling 131-page novella on Valentine’s Day 1970 before it became a box-office smash film at Christmastime.

The primary Love Story characters — two star-crossed lovers — were wealthy pre-law Harvard student Oliver (Ryan O’Neal) and Jenny (Ali MacGraw), a baker’s daughter who studies music at Radcliffe and calls herself “a social zero.”

Eventually they fall in love and marry, only to have Jenny fall ill with leukemia.

There’s a key line in the story that is now iconic in our culture: “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”

MacGraw later admitted that she didn’t know what that line meant at the time but now has her own definition: “Saying sorry isn’t what it’s about. It’s about really feeling badly for the hurt … and then absolutely trying never to do it again.”

For a while, Erich Segal was riding high.

“I lucked out, that’s what happened,” he explained to Ebert.

Ryan O’Neal in Finland in 1970.

“My book came out just as the world was turning from cynicism to romance.”

But Segal eventually acknowledged that his incredible, head-spinning success unleashed “egotism bordering on megalomania,” and for that he would pay a hefty price.

Also, despite the overwhelming popularity of Segal’s creation, critics often dismissed Love Story as a sentimental tearjerker — shallow, melodramatic, and ultimately disposable.

He later claimed the book — a phenomenon among the hoi polloi — “totally ruined me.” In 1972, he was denied tenure at Yale, meaning he would not be guaranteed a full-time professorship until retirement.

Segal was devastated at the rejection, although Yale never cited his mainstream popularity as the reason they denied him becoming a permanent campus fixture.

Perhaps Garry Trudeau explained it best: “You can’t dress up in tight leather pants to chat with starlets on Johnny Carson Friday night and expect to be taken seriously in a classroom Monday morning.”

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January 2024

50plus Life

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Legal Ease

Unmarried, without Children: POA Strategies Jonathan J. David

Dear Jonathan: I am an elderly gentleman who is not married and has no children. Because I have become increasingly aware of my own mortality, I have decided to engage in estate planning for the first time in my life.

Interestingly, I am more concerned with those documents whose purpose is to protect me during my lifetime, e.g., financial and healthcare durable powers of attorney, than I am with those documents that direct where my estate goes when I die, e.g., a will and trust.

More specifically, I understand the importance of having financial and healthcare durable powers of attorney, but I am not the most trusting person in the world and admittedly a bit of a control freak.

Consequently, I don’t want anyone acting for me unless I no longer have the mental faculties to act for myself. Is it possible that these documents can be drafted in such a way?

Jonathan says: Yes. The healthcare durable power of attorney, by its nature, is not effective until you are no longer able to act for yourself, i.e., you are legally incapacitated. Therefore, the person you name as your patient advocate cannot act for you until you are unable to act for yourself regarding your healthcare decision-making.

A financial durable power of attorney comes in two varieties, a “nonspringing” and a “springing” durable power of attorney.

A non-springing durable power of attorney becomes effective immediately upon execution, which means your agent can act for you even if you still have legal capacity.

A springing durable power of attorney only becomes effective or springs into action when you are no longer able to act for yourself. With this type of durable power of attorney your agent will be prohibited from acting on your behalf until there has been a determination made that you are legally incapacitated.

Although this type of durable power of attorney addresses your specific concern about not allowing anyone to act for you unless you can no longer act for yourself, it is not without its disadvantages.

Those disadvantages include: 1. It is a much less flexible instrument than the non-springing durable power of attorney because it can only be used after you become incapacitated.

Consequently, so long as you have legal capacity, you won’t have the option of having your agent do something for you because you are either unavailable or you simply prefer that your agent act on your behalf.

Because your agent can only act upon your becoming legally incapacitated, your agent will be restricted from acting until that time.

2. Before your agent is able to act for you under this type of durable power of attorney, he or she will need to prove to third parties that you are legally incapacitated.

Typical language will require your agent to obtain written statements or certifications from two licensed physicians, one of whom is your personal physician, that certify you are unable to act for yourself.

Those statements or certifications, however, can sometimes be difficult to www.50plusLifePA.com

obtain or at least to obtain quickly, which will be a problem if something needs to be done for you right away.

3. Finally, even after your agent has secured the required determination of your incapacity, he or she could run into difficulty having third parties accept that determination.

I recommend that you meet with an estate planning attorney to initiate the estate planning process, at which time you can explain your concerns regarding having the financial durable power of attorney be effective while you still have your mental faculties.

That attorney can then explain in more detail the pros and cons of preparing both the “springing” and “non-springing” versions of your financial durable power of attorney.

This will allow you to make an educated decision regarding what type of financial durable power of attorney you want to implement. Good luck.

Jonathan J. David is a shareholder in the law firm of Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C., 1700 E. Beltline N.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49525.

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