Atlanta Senior Life - June 2018

Still Playin’ After All These Years

By Joe Earle

Tom Gray first got paid to make music when he was in high school. By his 20s, he was playing keyboards and touring with a 10-piece soul band. “That was really the proving grounds,” he said. “You were working six nights a week, four sets a night.”

Although Gray’s 66 now, he’s still making his living playing music. His current band, an Atlanta-based blues band named Delta Moon, regularly performs in towns around the southeastern U.S. and even abroad. The band recently wrapped up a tour in Spain and Italy.

There was a time, Gray admits, when he thought it seemed laughable to say he’d be playing music in bars past age 40. “I thought that was old,” he said during a chat at a coffeeshop in Decatur, where he now lives. How does he feel now about taking the stage at his age? “Actually, I feel good. I enjoy it still. I have to be more careful and I have to work harder than when I was young, but it’s still

Still playin’ after all these years

possible. It’s still fun.”

Performing music once may have seemed a young person’s game, but no more. Bars and public stages, from Atlanta Symphony Hall to farmers’ markets to arenas, regularly host shows by musicians who display more than a touch of gray but are still playing after all these years.

Tom Gray, for one, has led and played in successful performing groups starting in the 1970s and 1980s. From 1979 to 1983, he headed an Atlanta-based, New Wave band called The Brains. They released a couple of major-label albums. One included a song Gray wrote called “Money Changes Everything” that later would become a huge hit for Cyndi Lauper.

Now, with Delta Moon, Gray plays slide guitar and heads a four-piece band that has won awards for its electric blues, appears in popular clubs such as Eddie’s Attic in Decatur and Blind Willie’s in Atlanta, and lists 11 CDs for sale on its webpage.

Gray says the music business is different now – he works Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to promote Delta Moon and jokes that his band’s gear now fits in the back of a minivan – but he says one thing hasn’t changed. He still feels a thrill when he’s in front of a receptive audience.

“A good show is always fun,” he said. “It was when I was a kid and it is now. When you’re onstage connecting with an audience and when energy is flowing both ways … that has not changed a bit since I was young.”

John and Lynda Anderson like playing for an audience, too. “When we play someplace, people know we’re playing for fun. It’s a way to be with people who are likeminded and just want to enjoy an activity together,” Lynda Anderson said one recent afternoon as the couple picked ukulele tunes while

sitting on the screen porch of their instrument-filled home.

The Andersons play all sorts of instruments and all sorts of music. John, who’s 70 and retired from a four-decade career at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, plays clarinet, banjo, ukulele, guitar, harmonica, squeezebox and hammered dulcimer. Lynda, who’s 69 and a retired schoolteacher, plays mountain dulcimer, recorder, ukulele, guitar and bass guitar. They perform together publicly a couple of dozen times a year with another pair of musicians as the Ukulele Society of Decatur. John

dance band

PHOTOS BY JOE EARLE

John and Lynda Anderson play their ukuleles on the screen porch of their Decatur home.

A GOOD SHOW IS ALWAYS FUN. IT WAS WHEN I WAS A KID AND IT IS NOW.

“ TOM GRAY

Band (named for the creek that runs through the yard of their Decatur home) and bass clarinet with the Callanwolde Concert Band. The Andersons were in a polka band for a while, have played Irish music and folk music, and been part of a group that played the music for English folk dances from the 1700s.

These days, they take their ukuleles to farmers’ markets, senior centers, senior residence homes, adult day-care centers, even places that provide care for Alzheimer’s patients, who despite their illness sometimes recognize the old tunes the couple plays. The Andersons often perform for free, or for tips that they then donate to charity.

Why do they keep at it? “It’s fun to play,” John Anderson said. “It’s also fun to have an effect, to perform for people. If people respond to you positively, it’s great.”

Much of what John Anderson likes to play nowadays involves fitting standards and songs from the early 20th century to the ukulele. “I like the familiar songs,” he said. “Some people may take a different approach and want to play something unique. I like the familiar stuff that’s more complicated, like ‘Stardust.’”

Ronda Respess likes playing older music, too, but rather than Hoagy Carmichael standards, she regularly plays classics by Beethoven or Brahms. And, as a violinist with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for 49 years, she’s also developed a taste for newer works by modern composers. She simply likes being a part of the orchestra, no matter what they’re playing.

“I just love the music,” said the 71-year-old Sandy Springs resident, who plays second violin with the orchestra. “I just love being part of the collaboration that puts a piece like Brahms Two together. I’m more a collaborative person than a soloist. I love working all the little parts together into one whole. The best part is I get to

listen to it from right there in the middle of the orchestra.”

Respess, who’s also founder and artistic director of Sandy Springs-based Franklin Pond Chamber Music, which teaches and promotes chamber music by young performers, grew up in a musical family and started playing violin as a young girl in New Jersey.

“There was a violin in the house that had belonged to my grandfather,” she said over coffee at a Sandy Springs Starbucks. “My mother decided she would give it to me when I was young. When I was 4 or 5, she took me into New York to get lessons.”

Later, she took lessons in public school and continued through a degree from Indiana University. Since joining the ASO in 1969, she’s played dozens of concerts a year with the orchestra and performed all sorts of music. She’s even played Carnegie Hall. More than a few times.

She says it’s the music that’s kept her engaged for nearly half a century. “It wasn’t the violin as much as the music,” she said. The violin was the vehicle. I can’t say I fell in love with the violin. I fell in love with the music.”

But now she finds the work demands more of her physically, so after nearly a half-century of playing professionally, she’s contemplating retirement from the orchestra. She hasn’t decided when she wants to leave, she said. She thinks she’ll continue teaching and playing music after she retires. “I’ll play myself or play in quartets. Who knows?” she said. “I’m going to do what I want to do. I enjoy playing violin.”

Mandolin and guitar player and teacher Clark Brown, who’s 65, says his retirement has meant he can find more time to play music. Brown, who lives in Brookhaven, first picked up a

guitar as a teenager. He wanted to play rock and roll at first (“It was the ‘60s and everybody played guitar. I’d seen the Beatles on TV.”), he said, but switched to the mandolin in the 1970s.

He worked in the printing business, playing music on the side, until about seven years ago, he said, when “they let me go and my wife said, ‘Go play music,’ and I said, ‘OK.’” He played at church and found jobs performing at farmers’ markets, weddings and Christmas parties. He arranged Beatles songs and other familiar pop tunes for the mandolin and found a following.

His house is filled with mandolins – he has five – and guitars. He teaches mandolin and guitar at a music school in Decatur. The average age of his

students, he said, is about 60.

“I love music,” Brown said. “One of my students the other day said, ‘I haven’t played my mandolin this week,’ and I said, ‘I’ve played three different mandolins and a guitar today.’”

Tom Gray, too, says he sees no reason to slow down.

“You have to have a certain amount of stamina to get up there and do it on the road,” Gray said. “But think of musicians like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington – in the 20th century, they played right up until they just couldn’t

Clark Brown practices mandolin in his Brookhaven living room.

I CAN’T SAY I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE VIOLIN. I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE MUSIC.

“ RONDA RESPESS

Cover to Cover ATL Plays Favorites

By Judith L. Kanne

Jim Lowe is back onstage. He’s happily playing bass guitar with a group of guys in their 50s and 60s who love playing rock and roll music. They call themselves Cover To Cover ATL.

Lowe’s business career didn’t leave room for music, but retirement changed that. Now he can play all he wants to, without money worries.

“There is little chance to make enough money from the music business to support ourselves,” the 68-year-old Lowe said. “Keeping it more like a hobby adds spice to our lives. … There is still no feeling quite like being on a stage in front of people doing what you really enjoy doing.”

Besides, “learning new skills and material is mentally stimulating and the camaraderie is great,” Lowe said.

The other five bandmates

agree. “This is best part of my life after 60,” 64-yearold drummer and vocalist Jimmy Bohn said with a smile. “OK, right after my family. … I would love to play much more than I do.”

As the group’s name implies, Cover to Cover ATL doesn’t perform original music. They stick to covers, playing songs that were made popular by other bands. Most of their songs are from the 60s and 70s — with a sprinkling of 50s and 80s — and represent the favorites they listened to as kids and teens, according to the band. Their selections include rock, pop, Motown and some rhythm & blues and soul, and they said they

try to stretch themselves and do varied sounds within those genres.

As to where they perform, the band says they’ll play any place that will have them — music venues, restaurants, bars or private events. So far, Napoleon’s, Avondale Town Cinema, Buckeye’s Getaway, Tin Roof Cantina and a private fundraiser (Purim on Ponce) have taken them up on the offer.

Luxury Living Taking Shape

Lead guitarist Bruce Sexton, 57, grew up in Memphis, where the television show Midnight Special influenced his love of music. Like Lowe, Sexton played in high school. In fact, he started a band his freshman year.

Eventually Sexton put his guitar down to pursue an engineering career. About eight years ago, “I found these guys,” he said. Sexton hasn’t looked back. “Though my hands feel stiffer now, and the equipment seems heavier, I’m not going to let that stop me from doing the thing I love!”

Eric Tarnow, who is Cover To Cover’s lead singer and percussionist at 67, says he played clarinet in his junior high band and drums during his early teens. After that, “nothing until my 60s, unless you count singing in my car and banging on the steering wheel or singing in my home and banging on furniture,” he said.

At 60, a good friend invited

Vickery Rose

PHOTO BY PHIL MOSIER

Tarnow to someone’s house for a jam session. The next couple of years, he played the conga, bongos and tambourine, and sang a bit.

After a few years, it fell apart. “It left me feeling empty,” he said.

But, “by amazing coincidence, right around that same time (call it fate, karma, kismet or just plain dumb luck), Bohn approached me in Tin Roof Cantina’s parking lot,” Tarnow said. (The Tin Roof Cantina was the place where several band members hang out. They call it their personal Cheers, after the bar at the heart of the long-running TV show.)

Bohn said he was “thinking of starting a music thing” and wanted Tarnow to join in. “I believe my reply was something like, ‘Hell, yeah!’ At the time, we had no idea what we were doing or where we were going,” Tarnow said.

Tarnow said he remembers that night distinctly. “It truly changed my life,” he said. “And it marked the beginning of this amazing journey.”

Early jamming sessions are what “ultimately led to a smaller subset of playing for fun, and, finally, we formed Cover To Cover,” said Tarnow. It also meant “recruiting a keyboard player who did not even own a keyboard,” he added with a grin.

At 64, John Lisco is the keyboard (and harmonica) player. He’s always loved music, he says.

Lisco started learning piano at age 5. After a break, he returned to music at 16 and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in musicology and later a master’s in music therapy. “I promised myself that when I retired, I would start playing the piano more,” Lisco said.

Although it’s all rock n’ roll with the band, Lisco plays classical music at home.

Guitarist Bryan Falgout, 53, started playing at age 10. He set his instrument aside for years but picked it up again in the 1990s. “I knew Tarnow previously.” He said. “That’s when he sprung the news some guys were practicing for a gig. He asked me to join.

“After an initial meeting, I had my first practice with everyone,” Falgout said. “It sounded pretty darn good — then I learned the gig was in two weeks!”

Two years later, he’s still rocking with the band.

A New Spin

The Laundry Centers provide clean clothes, community empowerment

By Clare S. Richie

The Laundry Centers, a pair of Laundromats on the Westside of Atlanta, are putting a new spin on entrepreneurship and community empowerment.

Located in the English Avenue and Grove Park neighborhoods, The Laundry Centers (or TLC as they are known) were founded by Marlena Norris with the goal of serving as a “community within the community.” Not only can you wash and dry your clothes, but there’s also a community garden and outdoor play area, and student tutoring and free education seminars are on the way this summer.

“A lot of really good things are going on – it’s not just about the clean laundry. It’s about the community and what the people in the community deserve. It’s about providing opportunities for economic empowerment and social engagement,” Marlena Norris said.

Three years ago, Norris left her corporate job as a senior executive in finance for InterContinental Hotels Group, Inc. to start TLC as her “encore career.” Her vision quickly extended beyond just an ordinary coin

operated self-service laundry to a full-scale laundry service business.

“I found a location near English Avenue, purchased it and never looked back. It fueled a purpose in me that I, frankly, hadn’t recognized in all my years of being driven to protect shareholder value. I am now driven by a need to give back to communities in which TLC operates and be a catalyst for job creation,” Norris said.

Her first step was to change the course set by the former owner, who had paid employees low wages and “milked the business dry.”

“We renovated the bathroom, made cosmetic changes to give the location a fresh new look, raised employee pay and began engaging with the community, which was very receptive,” Norris said, noting that the free cookouts were a big hit.

As Norris learned more about the Grove Park community, which experienced a steady decline in population and property conditions over the past 50 years, she believed its residents deserved better.

That’s why she opened a second location last fall just four miles west down the parkway. But unlike her first small strip-mall site, the new TLC stood alone on three acres. Norris gutted and fully renovated the dilapidated corporate laundromat that was a McDonald’s decades ago. It now boasts new energy efficient equipment, fresh coffee, free Wi-Fi and a kids’ center with iPads.

“I wanted to be a pioneer for other small businesses who will come in to make investments into the neighborhood,” Norris said.

Her passion for making a difference led her to serve on the Grove Park Foundation Board that seeks to break the intergenerational cycle

Photos by Adell Henderson

Marlena Norris and her family at The Laundry Centers.

With the help of the Emory Urban Health Initiative and Cruz’s Fishermen Inc., TLC is turning extra parking spaces into a community garden and has volunteers lined up to maintain it. A partnership with a Georgia Tech professor and her students already resulted in a hands-on CPR class. And onsite financial literacy classes on topics like credit repair and insurance are up next.

“I truly believe the laundry business today is about more than just clean clothes. You have a captive audience there for an hour. There are a lot of programs to inform and inspire,” Norris said.

Helping children with their homework is another way to pass the time while waiting for clothes to dry. “My husband has led the math tutoring program in our church for the last 10 years. We’ve been in discussions with a Georgia State University professor who’s interested in helping us start a summer math program,” Norris explained.

Expansion and growth in the commercial and retail segment are drivers to TLC’s long-term vision. “Increasing our ability to provide job opportunities to people in the community, we believe, will lead to an increase in recycled dollars inside the community and subsequently, an improved and thriving community. That’s my goal!”

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of poverty for its residents through intentional education, housing and community wellness.

“Being on the board helped me connect a lot of dots. It’s all about how can I form partnerships with other organizations who see the needs and are willing to invest in community programs that will be beneficial to the neighborhood constituents,” Norris shared.

A Mission to Help Older Adults Stay Dynamic

Dr. Naima Lewis offers “Shaping Shades of Gray”

By Julie E. Bloemeke

After a car accident in 2017 left Naima Lewis unable to stand or walk, she turned to her own yoga-based teachings to get better. She asked herself “where is my center?” and meditated to send healing messages to the areas and systems she had injured.

“You must put your attention into breath and meditation,” the 75-year old Lewis said. “Get past the discomfort [and instead] fuel the life force.” This results in “a deep sense of empowerment, [an understanding that] I’m going to be OK.”

As Founder and Director of HY-DY Inc., Lewis is passionate about yoga classes as a form of healing. “The beauty of yoga is not only engaging the gross system of the body but about engaging subtle body energy,” she said. “[This] helps you to heal on a deeper level … and to flush out damage.”

HY-DY stands for Higher Dynamic Health Discoveries. Lewis, who has a doctorate in education and a master’s degree in dance, started the non-profit program in 2002 as a way to bring prevention and health programs to underserved populations. She offers CDs and DVDs on such topics as guided meditation, spirituality and weight loss.

Lewis offers HY-DY yoga classes in Decatur, Atlanta and Stockbridge. In these sessions, she focuses on a “comprehensive approach to yoga,” incorporating yoga poses and postures, meditation and breathwork.

She takes particular pride in a portion of her program called Shaping Shades of Grey, called “Shades” for short, that addresses the health needs of people aged 55 to 75. Shades offers age-appropriate exercises such as yoga, Zumba Gold, aerobic dance and water aerobics and workouts that use light weights.

Lewis says that our choices affect how we age. “I really began to look deeper in my community, to look at life’s challenges and barriers, in peers and colleagues, [and ask myself] why was I feeling older? This aging process starts in the 50s — that’s when a lot of depreciable aging changes begin to occur and occur rapidly,” she said.

“And younger seniors — those in the 50 to 60 age range — are at “an ideal time and place,” she said, “before arthritis sets in and before you adapt [the mentality of] ‘I can’t’ or ‘That’s too hard.’”

Lewis tells her students that aging comes in all forms: “internally, job insecurities, sexual, personal injuries, everything gets full blown — [there is a] higher rate of heart attack, diabetes. You can shape and

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF HYER DYNAMIC HEALTH DISCOVERIES

Dr. Lewis assists a client with hands-on adjustments, part of the “Shades” mat yoga program for young seniors.

sculpt that aging process. You can begin to have an impact on health, longevity and happiness as you grow older.”

There is a highly selective teacher training program that is part of HY-DY’s Yoga Teacher Training School, founded in 2014. The threemonth, 200-hour course approved through Yoga Alliance, has a rigorous application and selection process.

Louise Quattlebaum finished HYer Dynamic’s yoga teacher training course last year. She said that HY-DY challenged her and gave her the knowledge and skills to enhanceher personal life physically, emotionally and spiritually. “I look forward to helping others discover mobility, peace and health in their own lives as well,” she added.

The next teaching training session starts in September 2018; registraion opens July 1.

Lewis also believes music and movement play a vital role in health.

Stretch Yourself!

A

Dr. Naima Lewis says our choices affect how we age.

“I’m on a mission to keep seniors moving,” she said. “Dance speaks to the spirit and the soul. The joy of interaction with space and music can get lost very quickly.”

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It’s a Man Thing June is Men’s Health Month

June was designated Men’s Health Month in 1994 by the U.S. Congress and President Bill Clinton. It’s the month to remind fathers, grandfathers and all men to take care of themselves.

Often, it takes family members to urge men to visit the doctor or go for check-ups. Research and surveys show that men are less likely than women to see a healthcare provider when they’re not feeling well, says HealthInAging.com.

“In one survey, 40 percent of men said that, if sick, they would delay seeking medical care for a few days, while 17 percent said they would wait ‘at least a week’.”

The article goes on to say that women take better care of themselves, by having a regular healthcare provider and getting check-ups. Many women simply

continue the pattern of routine healthcare checks started during their child-bearing years.

The reasons men don’t seek medical care can run the gamut from, “I don’t have a doctor,” to “I’d rather tough it out,” the American Heart Association says, in “The Top 10 Reasons Why Men Put Off Doctor Visits.”

A HealthWatch article from May 2017 points out that by the time a man is confronted face-toface with his physician, he may struggle somewhat to discuss the main reason he’s there. For many, discussing urinary tract problems, excessive drinking or HIV is difficult.

Your Life. Your Plan.

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Everything about this life plan community is designed to offer new experiences and a new perspective on life. Lenbrook is a vibrant and beautiful community with amenities galore. There are so many options every day—exercise classes, excursions, a meal with friends, or just relaxing.

Lenbrook also offers a full range of excellent health care, if the need arises. Plus, it is the only not-for-profit senior living community in Atlanta to earn national accreditation.

Visit lenbrook-atlanta.org to learn more about the Lenbrook Difference. Or call 404-476-7526.

“Living into my 60s — with HIV diagnosed 30 years ago — I never expected to last into the 21st century,” said 62-year-old author Michael Varga. “Today, I savor all of the pluses in my life — stable health, good friends and a daily walk around the block.”

In the mid-1990s, making a physician’s appointment helped save Varga’s life. Varga made the phone call on his own, following an earlier diagnosis of HIV. That’s when a physician told him how important it would be to take care of himself — ASAP!

Varga left his State Department career almost immediately. He started writing his long-delayed novel, “Under Chad’s Spell”, while following his

doctor’s orders. His earlier career had included a Peace Corps assignment in Africa, and for years he had wanted to write a book about his experiences.

He learned he was not alone in his diagnosis. People aged 50 and over account for an estimated 45 percent of Americans living with diagnosed HIV today, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But studies show that men, especially older men, fall behind when it comes to taking charge of their personal health.

Varga was fortunate in learning to take control of his health when he did. “I might add that as a long-term survivor with HIV, I remember all of the people I knew back in the 1980s and 1990s who were cheated out of life due to a disease that we, through the wonders of medicine, understand much better today.”

He “treasures the life he has,” and said he’s grateful knowing that his story could have had a very different — and shorter — ending.

Lifespan Tip Sheet for Older Adults

From the National Institutes of Health

► Eat breakfast every day.

► Select high-fiber foods like whole-grain breads and cereals, beans, vegetables and fruits.

► Have three servings of vitamin D-fortified low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt or cheese every day to help keep your bones strong as you age.

► Drink plenty of water or water-based fluids.

► Ask your healthcare provider about ways you can safely increase your physical activity.

► Fit physical activity into your everyday life. Take short walks throughout your day.

► Stay connected with family, friends and your community

According to CDC, people with HIV are living longer, thanks to COMING

Judith L. Kanne, RN, BSN, BA is a registered nurse and freelance writer who lives in Atlanta.

better treatments. And it is much the same with heart disease and diabetes, two health risks which are not always diagnosed in their early stages. Today’s medications, treatments and lifestyle changes can lead to many more healthier and happier years.

Depression is another health struggle for retired men, especially those who skip their regular doctor visits. According to the National Institutes of Health, “Men may be more likely to feel very tired and irritable and lose interest a few weeks or months after retirement. The American

Psychiatric Association suggests, “Too few men consider the psychological adjustments that come with retirement.”

Experts on aging encourage older men to get involved with language studies, plan a trip, try their hand at an art class or learn to play bridge. New activities exercise the brain and keep social contacts strong.

“I’m convinced the secret to sticking around longer is remaining socially engaged with the rest of our human cohorts, and that’s what makes a difference,” Varga said.

Some Simple Tips for a Healthier Life

Older adult men should double-check their immunization schedules and make certain they’re up to date. Some immunizations require updates with newer and more effective medications.

Playing golf, boating and enjoying outside activities requires sunscreen. It’s extremely important to protect aging skin from UV sunrays, which can do considerable damage.

Strength exercises go a long way to improving your muscle tone. It can be as easy as walking with 5-pound weights. Be sure to check with your healthcare provider about exercise programs before trying anything new.

Medicare-Covered Preventive Services of Particular Interest to Men

From the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Medicare provides coverage of a wide range of preventive services, subject to certain eligibility and coverage requirements, that are especially meaningful to men in helping them prevent and detect disease, including but not limited to:

■ Alcohol misuse screening and counseling

■ Annual wellness visit (providing personalized prevention plan services)

■ Cancer screenings

• Colorectal cancer: fecal occult blood test, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, barium enema and Cologuard™ multi-target stool DNA test

• Prostate cancer: digital rectal exam and prostate specific antigen test

• Screening for lung cancer with low dose computed tomography

■ Cardiovascular disease screening

■ Diabetes screening

■ Glaucoma screening

■ Hepatitis C screening

■ HIV screening

■ Immunizations (seasonal influenza, pneumococcal and hepatitis B)

■ Initial preventive physical examination (IPPE) (also commonly referred to as the “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit)

■ Intensive behavioral therapy for cardiovascular disease

■ Intensive behavioral therapy for obesity

■ Screening for depression

■ Screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and highintensity behavioral counseling (HIBC) to prevent STIs

■ Tobacco-use and cessation counseling

Downsizing Made Easier

Senior Real Estate Specialists help older adults transition to new homes

By Kathy Dean

With careers and most family responsibilities behind them, many older adults are free to enjoy their retirement. Travel, hobbies and volunteer work are some of the ways they stay involved and active.

However, a large home can become a hinderance to an enjoyable retirement. It takes energy and money to keep an oversized house, so many older adults consider downsizing to a smaller home or senior community. There are lot of possibilities, and today there are specialists ready to help make sense of them all.

“The Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) is unique from a regular Realtor as we’re taught to ask specific questions related to the needs of older adults, then tailor our services to their needs and wants,” explained Marc Oppenheimer, Associate Broker/ BPOR/SRES, Atlanta Communities Real Estate Brokerage. “Having indepth knowledge of the 55+ needs, lifestyles and housing options helps meet the specific goals and challenges that they may have.”

To achieve an SRES designation, an experienced licensed agent must complete a rigorous National Association of Realtors training course, then take and pass a national exam,

Oppenheimer explained.

Connie Bridges is a Realtor and SRES with Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta. She said that SRES Realtors learn about the challenges an older adult can face when relocating, and they have the resources and education to meet their clients’ requirements.

“My SRES designation is more than letters behind my name,” she said. “The SRES network allows me to help older adults with whatever resource they need.”

Bridges says that it’s also her job is to make sure that their home is sold at top value for their area. “I work with lenders and senior financial planners to make sure their next move makes sense for their big picture,” she said.

According to Kevin Pelkey, Realtor, The Providence Group, Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Perimeter, the active senior community in Atlanta is very large. His team has four certified senior specialists, all well-versed in what it takes to make the transition seamless for older adults.

“It’s true that any agent can list a house; however, many of our clients need more than just a person to place a sign in their yard,” Pelkey said. “They need a person to call with questions, someone who is available anytime, and they also often need assistance with getting things ready for their move.”

Pelkey stressed that he and

COURTESY OF OVERTURE LINDBERGH

There are many options available for older adults who are downsizing, and Senior Real Estate Specialists can help make the choices clearer.

Kevin Pelkey

his team have a full database of people who have worked with older adults and know how to help before the move gets overwhelming.

The demand for specialized real estate services for older adults has definitely increased, says Aven Barbosa, Realtor, Seniors Real Estate Specialist. “With so many different housing options to choose from, lifestyle changes occurring, economic changes and family dynamics, a specialist becomes invaluable,” she said. “I’m capable of counseling family, friends or the seniors themselves regarding major lifestyle changes.”

Aven Barbosa

Are You Downsizing?

their plate so they can focus on their parent and what’s best for them.”

Pelkey said he and his team like to meet one-on-one with clients and walk them through the process, as many of them haven’t bought or sold a home in quite some time. “Leaving their home of many years can be challenging both emotionally and physically, so we ensure that our clients are prepared for the process ahead of time,” he said. “We have resources available to assist with packing, moving and cleaning the house so that the burden isn’t resting on their shoulders.”

SERVING

Marc D. Oppenheimer

Associate Broker

Cell: 678-296-6550

Office: 404-844-4198

Fax: 770-668-0043

marcatlcomm@gmail.com

4170 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Stuite 125 Brookhaven, GA 30319

All-Inclusive Personal Care

Many older adults face a real dilemma when their elderly parents are ready to sell their home and move into senior housing or an assisted living facility. It can be a challenge to find the right place, along with the added pressure of preparing the home for sale and sorting through all the possessions that are no longer needed.

Bridges noted that the demand for senior housing in Atlanta is being met with many new assisted living and independent living homes being built in the area. While that gives people more options, it can make it more daunting than ever to find the right living situation for elderly parents. “There are many choices with just as many amenities, and it can feel overwhelming if you’re going it alone,” she said.

There have been many times that Barbosa has been approached by an adult child faced with a situation regarding their elderly parent or parents, she said. “For example, when a parent becomes ill or a sudden accident results in them not able to live alone any longer, it falls on the adult child’s plate,” she said.

Often, they have no idea where to begin, as this is something they’ve never had to face before. “That’s when I come in and put all the options on the table. I’ve been able to walk an adult child through downsizing their parents’ home, selling it and guiding them to the right housing option for their situation,” Barbosa said. “I feel I come in and take a lot of things off

The biggest benefit of using the services of an SRES is the peace of mind of having a trusted professional who understands what you need and has the necessary skills and information.

Bridges advises all potential sellers, and especially older adults, to look to professional Realtors when choosing to list their home. “Seniors are sometimes unaware of the value of their property, and they may sign over their home for much less than they could get if listed on the MLS with a Realtor,” Bridges warned.

With the growing number of baby boomers retiring out of the work force, along with the growth of continued care communities, there’ll be a continued increase in the demand in real estate options for 55+ and aging adults, Oppenheimer said. “In today’s changing senior housing market, it’s vital for older adults to use an SRES who’s an NAR designated trained professional and who has their best interests at heart, along with the knowledge necessary for a comfortable, smooth and positive life transition.”

There’s a lot more to selling a home than getting it on the market for people to view, Pelkey said. It involves negotiations, packing the house, movers and everything in between. “We know that there are a lot of memories and emotions attached to a family home,” Pelkey said. “When the time is right to move, senior specialists are here to help with the entire process.”

Located within Clairmont Place, it’s a non-profit community offering assisted living services at an affordable monthly fee.

Pick a Place to Picnic

By Kathy Dean

The north metro Atlanta area has many comfortable, picturesque spots for you to enjoy a leisurely outdoor meal. Pack your picnic basket with your favorite munchies and drinks, then pick a place to spread your tablecloth. There are some well-known parks to consider.

■ Chastain Park in Buckhead is known for its amphitheater, of course. But it also offers a sheltered picnic pavilion and walking trails. 135 W. Wieuca Rd., Atlanta, 30342; chastainpark.org, click on Park Amenities.

■ Piedmont Park has many different options for picnickers, including 22 grills throughout the park and a picnic shelter with grills, electricity and water. Some spaces are first come, first serve and others require reservations. 400 Park Dr., Atlanta 30306; piedmontpark.org, click on Things to Do, then Food and Beverage.

■ Stone Mountain Park offers two picnic areas: the Studdard, with over 200 tables, and Triangle Picnic Areas, closest to the “Crossroads,” where all the action is. While they’re free, you will need to pay for parking. 1000 Robert E. Lee Rd., Stone Mountain 30083; stonemountainpark.com.

National and state parks are other good picnic options.

for him

for her for home

Four stores with on-trend and in-demand fashions and accessories for you and your home. accessories

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■ The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is part of the National Park Service. It covers 48 miles, beginning downstream from Buford Dam at Lake Lanier and ending at Peachtree Creek in metro Atlanta. Along the way are several beautiful spots for picnicking, including Johnson Ferry, 4630 Columns Dr., Marietta 30067, and Island Ford, 8800 Roberts Dr., Sandy Springs 30350; nps.gov/chat.

■ Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites number about 70 throughout the state. Each offers its own specific brand of beauty. One of the nearest to Atlanta, Sweetwater Creek State Park in Lithia Springs, includes eight picnic shelters and a 215-acre lake. You will need to pay for parking and make a reservation. 1750 Mt. Vernon Rd., Lithia Springs 30122; 1-800-864-7275; gastateparks.org.

here are a few of the many city, county and neighborhood parks that welcome picknickers.

■ East Cobb Park offers pavilions and creek overlooks among its 13 acres. 3322 Roswell Rd., Marietta 30068; cobbcounty.org, search for East Cobb Park.

■ Morgan Falls Overlook Park has scenic views that can be enjoyed from its picnic tables and trails. 200 Morgan Falls Rd., Sandy Springs 30350; sandyspringsga.gov, click on Recreation, then City Parks.

■ Oakhurst Park is an eight-acre neighborhood park with a picnic pavilion and tennis and basketball courts. 307 Feld Ave., Decatur 30030; decaturga.com, click City Government, then City Departments, Active Living, City Parks.

■ Riverside Park provides plenty to do. After a meal at the picnic area, visitors can hike, fish, canoe or relax. 575 Riverside Rd., Roswell 30075; roswellgov.com, click on Government, Recreation & Parks, then Parks & Facilities, Browse Parks & Facilities.

■ Swift-Cantrell Park is Kennesaw’s largest community park. It offers three picnic pavilions and much more in its 42 acres. 3140 Old U.S. Hwy. 41, Kennesaw 30144; swiftcantrellparkfoundation.org.

■ Webb Bridge Park & Arboretum features covered picnic tables and paved walking trails. 4780 Webb Bridge Rd., Alpharetta 30005; alpharetta.ga.us, click on Government, Departments, Recreation Parks & Culture, then Facilities.

■ Windwood Hollow Park has 11 acres that feature tennis courts, a picnic pavilion and natural walking trails. 4865 Lakeside Dr., Dunwoody 30360; dunwoodyga.gov, click on For Residents, then Find a Park.

Pack a Picnic Basket

Picnic food safety tips

Grab that Shiraz you love and pair it with some smoked Gouda – it’s time to enjoy a picnic! With outdoor picnics, grilling on the weekends or beach vacations, a whole new set of challenges arise when it comes to keeping your foods safe and free from bacteria that could cause food poisoning. You’ve just got to remember four words to have a foodsafe picnic: Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill.

meats, unless washed in warm, soapy water.

● Thoroughly wash your fruits and veggies before leaving home.

● If there is no running water where you decide to picnic, make sure you have hand sanitizer or wipes ready to save the day.

● If you’re going to eat at a picnic table, bring a tablecloth that you can wipe down with soap and water or sanitizing wipes.

● If you plan to grill out, make sure that raw meat is wrapped tightly and kept separate from all other foods.

● Do not reuse any dishes or utensils that have touched raw

● If grilling, bring along a food thermometer to make sure all hot foods are heated to the appropriate temperature. Hamburgers should be cooked to 160 degrees F while all poultry must be cooked to 165 degrees F.

● Make sure to bring a cooler with plenty of ice and keep the inside at 40 degrees or below.

● Perishable food should not be left out for more than 2 hours – this includes cheese, meats, fruits, veggies and sauces! If it’s above 90 degrees outside, perishable food should not be left out for more than 1 hour.

● Open your cooler as few times as possible and close it quickly. Consider having a separate drink cooler.

● Keep your cooler out of the sun.

It’s safe to say no one wants to have their picnic or grilling memories ruined with a foodborne illness, so use these easy tips to enjoy the summer!

Cook chill Directions: 3 miles East of Atlanta Airport, I-285 at Exit 55 (3650 & 3850 Jonesboro Rd SE)

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Kristen Sumpter is the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent for the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension in Fulton County. She provides programming on food safety, health and nutrition, financial literacy and the home.

Ask Rusty: Turning 70 and Still Working

by AMAC Certified Social Security Advisor Russell Gloor

Dear Rusty:

I turned 70 on March 13, 2018 and I’m single. I was told to apply for Social Security one month before I turn 70, but now I’m hearing that I should have applied 4 months in advance. I have also been told not to apply for Social Security because I plan on still working. I think this is not right, but thought I’d ask anyway. I plan on working after 70 and I’m wondering what happens to the Medicare and Social Security deductions. Are they still deducted? Any other hints would be appreciated.

Signed: 70 but Still Kicking

Dear Still Kicking:

I’m happy to be able to clarify these things for you. The Social Security Administration recommends that you apply for your benefits up to three months before you want them to start, but you won’t lose anything because you didn’t. Just be sure you specify in your application that you want your “Benefit Start Month” to be March 2018. They will make sure your benefits start for that month, even if they must pay you retroactively. Working after your benefits start will not affect your Social Security payments in any way. Social Security’s annual “earnings limit” goes away once a person reaches their full retirement age, which in your case was age 66. So now at age 70, you can earn as much as you like and your benefits won’t be

reduced as they might normally be for someone who had not yet reached their full retirement age.

But if you continue to work, even though you are on Medicare and collecting Social Security, FICA taxes (which include both Medicare and Social Security contributions) will continue to be withheld from your earnings. There is no exemption because you are already on Medicare or receiving Social Security benefits, nor because you’ve attained a certain age.

By claiming your benefits at age 70, your Social Security check will be 32 percent higher than it would have been at age 66. Please be aware also that depending on your income level, some of your Social Security benefits may be taxable income when you file your federal taxes.

As a single filer, if your

“combined income”, also known as your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI), exceeds $25,000 then up to 50 percent of your benefits may be taxable; if your MAGI exceeds $34,000, then up to 85 percent of your benefits may be taxable.

To clarify, your “combined income” includes your regular Adjusted Gross Income for income tax purposes, plus 50 percent of your Social Security income, plus any non-taxable interest you received but did not need to claim on your IRS Form 1040. You should include this potential additional tax obligation in your thinking as you consider your income tax situation.

ABOUT AMAC

The information presented in this article is intended for general information purposes only. The opinions and interpretations expressed are the viewpoints of the AMAC Foundation’s Social Security Advisory staff, trained and accredited under the National Social Security Advisors program of the National Social Security Association, LLC (NSSA). NSSA, the AMAC Foundation, and the Foundation’s Social Security Advisors are not affiliated with or endorsed by the United States Government, the Social Security Administration, or any other state government. Furthermore, the AMAC Foundation and its staff do not provide legal or accounting services. The Foundation welcomes questions from readers regarding Social Security issues. To submit a request, contact the Foundation at info@amacfoundation.org.

Pet Pick

Duchess is an 8-year-old golden girl looking for the perfect place to spend her retirement. She’s finished with all of that silly puppy chewing, is already house-broken and only wants to be loved.

She was brought to the Atlanta Humane Society after her previous owner could no longer keep her, and we’re hoping to find this grey lady the perfect forever home soon. Duchess is being treated for heartworm disease, but the Atlanta Humane Society will complete her treatment at no cost to her future adopter.

Meet this sweetheart at the Atlanta Humane Society Howell Mill Campus, 981 Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta 30318, where there are hundreds of animals hoping to find love with you. Visit atlantahumane.org for details and to learn about becoming a volunteer.

A Helping Paw

Grady adds dog-assisted therapy to patient care

Patients at Grady Hospital can now get a helping paw from certified therapy dogs on their road to recovery, thanks to the new Grady Dog Therapy Program.

Research has shown that interaction with therapy dogs can substantially ease patients’ physical and emotional pain, and Lindsay Caulfied, Chief Experience Officer for Grady Health System, puts it more plainly: “Our dogs help patients heal.”

Caulfield said the dogs have been introduced into Grady’s trauma, cardiac, burn, stroke and neuroscience departments to help critically ill or injured patients. All dogs involved in the program are certified through Pet Partners or Happy Tails.

“Since the launch of the program, visits from the dogs have provided comfort, and in many instances encouraged patients to become engaged in their recovery,” she said.

Former patient Jaylen Richardson stayed in Grady’s Burn Center for more than a year, after a near-fatal motorcycle accident in August 2016 caused third degree burns, and led to 34 surgeries, an induced coma, and the loss of his left forearm.

“I was depressed. I refused to work with the doctors and nurses to rehabilitate myself, I just wanted to stay in my bed. But then one day Honey Duke and Peaches came into my room, and something came alive in me. I focused on them, and my pain went out the window,” Richardson said.

Richardson’s transformation and hundreds of other patients like him has made the Dog Therapy Program a staple in how Grady delivers care, Caulfield said.

“It’s not only the patient who reaps the benefits from this program, family members and staff who visit with our dogs say they feel better too,” she said. “We’re adding more therapy dogs to the line-up so we can reach even more patients and staff with this comforting program.”

For more information, visit gradyhealth.org/grady-furlunteer.

You and Your Pet Can Be Stars

The August issue of Atlanta Senior Life will feature older adults (age 50+) and their pets. Send us a digital photo of you and your pet (or pets) and you may see yourself in this special section. Photos should be high-resolution with all persons

A Retirement Housing Foundation ® Community

Benson Manor is a 76-unit affordable senior housing community designed with stone and sturdy wood-like siding. Each apartment is approximately 540 square feet. Benson Manor is conveniently located close to shopping, churches, medical facilities, and a major bus route.

Residents must be 62 years of age or older. Some units have special features for mobility and sensory impaired persons.

Income limitations are determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Residents pay 30 percent of their adjusted income for rent. Gross income must not exceed $24,400.00 for one person and $27,900.00 for two persons.

Karen Lynn with MiMee and Louey

Pharan Evans with Golden

►Out & about

The Arts

Paul Stanley at Wentworth Art Gallery

Saturday, June 16, 5-8 p.m.

Front man of rock band KISS Paul Stanley will make a special appearance at the Wentworth Gallery at Phipps Plaza. A collection of his original paintings, mixed media originals, limited edition prints and hand-painted acrylic sculptures are presented at Wentworth Gallery locations across the U.S. R.S.V.P.s are highly suggested. Wentworth Gallery Phipps Plaza, 3500 Peachtree Rd., Atlanta 30326. Call 404-2330903 or visit wentworthgallery.com to find out more.

Summer MusicFest 2018

Friday, June 22 & Tuesday, July 3, 8 p.m. The Arts Council’s 2018 Summer MusicFest line-up includes the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (ASO), June 22. and the Northwinds Symphonic Band, performing a Patriotic Pops Concert, July 3. Tickets for ASO are $35 for adults, $32 for seniors and $28 for students; tickets for Northwinds are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and students. The Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center, 331 Spring St., Gainesville, 30501. Call 770-534-2787 or visit TheArtsCouncil.net for tickets and more info.

For Book Lovers

A Conversation with President Bill Clinton

Wednesday, June 13, 7:30 p.m.

The Fox Theatre presents President Bill Clinton as he discusses his forthcoming novel “The President Is Missing,” written in collaboration with best-selling author James Patterson. The president will talk about issues this powerful thriller raises about the world. Tickets range from $55 to $135. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center, 2800 Cobb Galleria Pkwy., Atlanta 30339. Visit Foxtheatre.org for tickets and details.

Meet the Author: Philanthropist Clyde Strickland

Thursday, June 14, 6:30 p.m.

Clyde Strickland’s newest book “What Can I Do?” reveals how he rose from sharecropper’s son to educated CEO and what inspired him to become the patriot and philanthropist he is today. Free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Gwinnett County Public Library Suwanee Branch, 361 Main St., Suwanee 30024. Call 770-978-5154 or visit gwinnettpl.org for details.

Books for Breakfast Summer Series

Tuesday, June 26, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Hungry for a good read and lively discussion? This book club is the answer. You’ll get your fill with each monthly selection and meet fellow bookworms. June’s featured book is “The Vengeance

STAND ALONE COTTAGES

Arbor Terrace Hamilton Mill offers a beautiful, carefree retirement lifestyle filled with comfortable living spaces, great amenities and plenty of opportunities for golfing, shopping, or visiting with friends, old and new.

Call to arrange a private tour or better yet, join us at our Sunday brunch. CALL US AT (770) 268-2999

ASK US ABOUT OUR LIMITED TIME MOVE-IN-OFFER FOR GREAT SAVINGS

3577 Braselton Highway, Dacula, Georgia 30019 | arborhamiltonmill.com

of Mothers” by Jim Fergus. Cost is $5, and free for Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta members. MJCCA, 5342 Tilly Mill Rd., Dunwoody 30338. Get more info at atlantajcc.org; or contact Earl Finley at 678-812-4000 or earl.finley@atlantajcc.org.

learn something

mock jury trial trip

Thursday, June 14, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Don’t miss this trip to the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, where you’ll serve as a jury member for a mock trail. The day is full of interactive fun, and the fee includes transportation, breakfast reception and lunch. Cost is $15, $10 for Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta members. Reserve your spot at atlantajcc.org. You can also contact Earl Finley at 678-812-4000 or earl.finley@atlantajcc.org.

love an animal, live longer

Tuesday, June 26, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Pets are known to bring joy, and many people believe they also bring good health to their owners by reducing stress and brightening lives. Lisa Bass, Community Outreach Manager with Good Mews, a no-kill cat shelter, discusses the benefits of pet ownership and volunteering at the shelter. Free, registration required. Senior Wellness Center, 1150 Powder Springs St., Ste. 100, Marietta 30064. Call 770-528-5355 or visit cobbcounty.org for details and to register.

facebook 101 for seniors

Thursday, June 28, 1 p.m.

Part of the Savvy Senior Series program. Are you on Facebook but have concerns about security? Do you want to keep up with family and friends? So many questions. Come and get answers! Open to all seniors. Bethesda Park, 225 Bethesda Church Rd., Lawrenceville 30044. Get details and find more Gwinnett County Public Library events at gwinnettpl.org, or call 770-978-5154.

THE ZABAN TOWER

You’ve worked hard to build your assets, manage your home and raise your family. So why can’t you afford a quality, active senior community? You can.

The Zaban Tower’s studio and one bedroom apartments offer the comforts and conveniences you deserve with an affordable monthly rent customized just for you.*

Elegantly Renovated Common Areas

*Amount of federal rent assistance varies. Must meet age income qualifications set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Assets are not considered income, but can be used to pay for supportive services. Call 404.751.2255 for details.

EXPERIENCE LIFE AT THE SOLANA!

Join us for our June event s.

MUSIC AND MOVEMENT

Monday, June 4, 10 a.m., at the Solana Information Center.

Have fun dancing in an upbeat, chair exercise class set to sing-along songs.

WINE AND WISDOM

Wednesday, June 6, 5 p.m., at La Salette Hall,  Catholic Church of St. Ann, 4905 Roswell Road, Marietta. Spousal support event.

SOLANA LIVE @ RED SKY TAPAS & BAR

Friday, June 15, 5-6:30, 1255 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta.

Celebrate Music from the 30s and 40s.

SATURDAY AT THE SOLANA:  A KITCHEN TABLE CHAT

Saturday, June 16, 10-11 a.m., at the Solana Information Center. Join us for a cup of coffee and a friendly chat about living options and more with the Swain Law Firm, realtor Pam Neighbors and the Solana team.

STRESS YOGA

Monday, June 25, 10 a.m., at the Solana Information Center.

Come breathe, stretch and relax in a feel-good class that focuses on stress relief and self-care.

PLEASE CALL (770) 863-8971

TO RSVP FOR THESE EVENTS AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LIFE AT THE SOLANA! CALL TODAY!