Atlanta Senior Life - August 2020

Embracing and Empowering Life

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By Donna Williams Lewis

Shelters see it all the time. The typical person looking to adopt a pet will pass by older animals in search of a puppy or a kitten.

Cumming resident Skeet Wright has seen that for herself.

“You go and look at these animals and your heart just breaks. No one wants a senior animal. They’re all just looking for the younger dogs,” Wright said.

She’d had a dog before and didn’t want to go through the puppy stage again. “I just thought … let me find one that I can give the best years to,” she said.

She and her husband, Les, last summer adopted a 7-year-old dog whose teeth were in such bad shape that PAWS Atlanta had to remove all but three of them before releasing her for adoption to her new family. The dog was also prescribed liver medication, which she must take daily for the

Making new friends with old souls

rest of her life.

But the Wrights couldn’t be happier with their choice of tiny, 5-pound “Miss Penny.” She eats canned food and likes scrambled eggs and rice for an occasional special treat.

“She’s such a Miss Priss and she’s very dainty. She is just the best companion,” Wright said. “She loves to sit in your lap. She’s not super demanding. She’s just there for us. She loves our grandkids, too. She loves to play with them.”

‘What you see is what you get’ LifeLine Animal Project, which runs shelter operations for Fulton and DeKalb counties, has done “Golden Girls” and “Golden Oldies” events to promote adoption of older animals. November is national Adopt A Senior Pet Month, and there are groups devoted solely to senior animals. Among them is the Grey Muzzle Organization.

Since 2008, Grey Muzzle has provided more than $2 million in

grants for senior dog programs to 190 nonprofit organizations nationwide, according to its website. Among them are grants for programs that help seniors adopt senior dogs.

Denise Fleck, president of the organization’s board of directors, said one benefit of choosing a senior animal was, “with older dogs, what you see is what you get!”

“They have already grown into their bodies and personalities, are often more low-key and just love to sit adoringly at your side,” said Fleck, of Villa Rica. “It is important to remember, however, that a 7-year-old senior dog can be quite different from a 13-year-old. So senior dogs, like senior people, have a range of needs and activity levels, but all still have so much love to give.”

PAWS Atlanta has partnered with Grey Muzzle on projects such as helping to pay for some of the extra medical care senior

Volunteer Hope Gentle checks in on animals at the LifeLine shelter

animals may need.

Founded in south DeKalb County in 1966, PAWS Atlanta is Georgia’s oldest no-kill shelter. The shelter usually has about 175 to 225 animals on site and in foster homes.

Suzie Sloan, the shelter’s director of development, said medical conditions are often barriers to finding homes for senior animals.

“Every dog and cat that comes

into our shelter gets whatever they need in order to be healthy and prepare them for their forever family,” she said.

“Senior animals are usually house-trained, really chill companions, and they’re just so grateful,” Sloan said. “Many senior pets we take in recently lost their owners, so they’re used to being in a loving home.”

Living and working with senior animals

LifeLine Animal Project currently has more than 1,000 animals at its Fulton and DeKalb shelters and in foster homes. About 20 percent of them are seniors, or ages 8 and up, according to Karen Hirsch, public relations director.

A devoted animal shelter volunteer since 1994, Hope Gentle has been attached to the Fulton shelter since 2003.

“Generally speaking,” she said, “an older dog is less work.”

That’s a huge bonus at her Austell home, which she’s currently sharing with 11 foster and adopted dogs and cats. Four of the six dogs are at least 13 years old.

“I’m never lonely, and if I hear a noise in my house I don’t wonder what it is,” Gentle said. “I get my exercise walking the dogs two at a time. The good thing about walking an older dog is they don’t pull as hard.”

She’s at the shelter for 10hour days, twice a week, to do everything from laundry to transporting shelter animals to rescue groups who’ve agreed to take them. “Last Saturday, I drove a duck and a sheep to Save the Horses,” she said.

Gentle, who served in the U.S. Army for 20 years, was featured a few years ago in a LifeLine newsletter about the veterans among its staff and volunteers for Memorial Day. “As much as I am grateful for my military experience,” Gentle was quoted as saying, “had I been able to work with an organization that helps animals, I would have chosen that path without hesitation or regret.”

Mountain and Dew

A Grant Park couple, Alycia

Linke and Amiel Tomlin, wound up with two new senior pets a few months ago when they went to LifeLine looking for a companion for Pam, their 2-yearold rescued chihuahua.

While they also own 15-yearold Bear, they could tell that their chihuahua was really missing their 16-year-old dog, Peggy. Linke gave Peggy to her mother after her mother’s cat died.

After that, “We noticed a change in Pam’s behavior,” Tomlin said. “She didn’t eat a lot. She seemed very sad. She just wanted to lay down all day long.”

Tomlin said Linke started tearing up when she found an 8-year-old chihuahua named Dew on LifeLine’s website. “Right then, I know we were getting this dog,” he said.

They took Pam with them to meet Dew at LifeLine’s DeKalb shelter. The dogs instantly hit it off. Done, they thought.

But then they met Mountain, another 8-year-old chihuahua who’d entered the shelter with Dew. When they saw Mountain and Dew curled up together they knew they couldn’t break them apart.

Tomlin said their dogs’ energy levels are perfect for their household because he and Linke work a lot. He’s a radio broadcast technician and Linke’s a photo stylist.

He said he wants to show love to those dogs that get the least, when it comes to adoption.

“They’re older. They may not live that long, but at least you can give them those cool last few years. These are like my friends and we look at them like family,” he said. “If I had a young kid, which we may one day, I want them to understand that there is beauty on both sides. Everything isn’t perfect, and get out of the mentality of young, old and good, bad and something not being worth something or not.”

Skeet Wright, Miss Penny’s owner, said people searching for new pets should “give senior animals a chance.”

“Just look at them. Don’t just look at the puppies,” she said. “They’ve got great personalities, and they’ll appreciate you.”

How you can help PAWS Atlanta

The shelter expects to reopen to the public in August. During the COVID-19 pandemic, you can help by becoming a monthly supporter, virtually adopting animals, hosting virtual happy hours, creating Facebook fundraisers or donating supplies from the shelter’s Amazon Wish List. For more information, visit www.pawsatlanta.org.

LifeLine

Volunteer at the shelter or from home, where you can make flyers to advertise animals and make enrichment toys for dogs. Donate supplies or money, which helps pay for surgeries for injured animals and helps support a shelter program that provides free pet care services for people in need. Senior discounts for adoption are available. For more information, visit lifelineanimal.org or call 404-292-8800.

County animal shelters

■ DeKalb and Fulton counties. lifelineanimal.org or 404-292-8800.

■ Cobb County. cobbcounty.org/publicsafety/animal-services or 770-499-4136.

■ Gwinnett County. gwinnettcounty.com/web/ gwinnett/departments/ communityservices/ animalwelfareenforcement or 770-339-3200.

Top to bottom: Miss Penny, Mountain and Dew, Hope Gentle says older dogs often require less work than younger ones

What's up, doc? A local shelter just for rabbits

By Donna Williams Lewis

Ellen Stilwell lives in a very hoppy household.

The Tucker home she shares with her husband is also home to nine rescued domestic rabbits, including a couple of senior rabbits and two certified as therapy pets.

Stilwell is an educator for the shelter that eight of her rabbits came from, a Marietta facility that’s unique in Georgia and one of very few like it in the country.

It’s a shelter for rabbits only, operated by the Georgia House Rabbit Society (GHRS) rescue organization. To date, the organization has rescued more than 3,500 domestic rabbits.

“Some of these bunnies that we’ve rescued have come from horrific situations and yet their hearts are so big and they love the safety that you give them and they’re so resilient,” said Stilwell, who runs the Crime Victims Compensation Program at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

“They bring joy to people. When you pet them, they’re soft and they’re furry and fluffy and they just elicit such a feeling of love and comfort,” she said.

Linda Reed, of Kennesaw, has volunteered with the nonprofit, no-kill shelter for several years. “I volunteer because, despite being 76, it gives me a purpose to serve in my community,” Reed said. “Bunnies have always been my passion and this keeps me active while playing with these sweet ones.”

GHRS was founded in 1996 when rabbits were rising in popularity as house pets and there were few animal facilities that would take abandoned rabbits, according to shelter Manager Jennifer McGee.

“Rabbits are the third companion animal behind dogs

and cats,” McGee said. “They stay in the home, they’re litter box trained, they’re very neat and tidy, and you don’t have to walk them.”

But the “prey animals” are often misunderstood pets that can get frightened when picked up. They bond in pairs and can reproduce at light speed, live for 10 to 12 years, and have delicate bones. “Dropping a bunny is a broken leg, for sure,” McGee said.

GHRS gets more than 1,000 requests each year from owners and breeders who want to surrender their rabbits to the shelter. Rabbits adopted from its facility can be returned, but other rabbits can only be taken under extreme circumstances, when space permits.

The shelter focuses on rescuing rabbits who are facing death at other animal shelters and rabbits that have been abandoned to the outdoors where they could be attacked or eaten by other animals, get hit by a car, or die from sickness, starvation or abuse. In 2015, the shelter took in 186 rabbits in one day that had been confiscated from a backyard petting zoo in Gwinnett County. The shelter stays hopping with an average 150 to 200 rabbits on-site and in foster homes at any given time, McGee said.

Right now, the shelter is taking a giant leap of its own. Run initially out of members’ homes, GHRS moved into its current building in 2005. This summer, the group is relocating to a 6,500-square-foot building purchased in December that more than triples its space.

Located near the historic district of Downtown Kennesaw, the new facility allows room to expand shelter operations, which include serving as an educational center, a boarding facility and a source for rabbit

supplies.

Since the coronavirus pandemic, the shelter has been open to the public by appointment only and the adoption process has been refined, McGee said.

“Because we were open to the public, people wouldn’t do their research before they would drive over and they would just walk in thinking they would leave with a rabbit, which isn’t the case. There were lots of crying children and angry parents,” McGee said. “We’ve found that that kind

Continued on page 8

At top, volunteer Linda Reed pats a bunny. At bottom, shelter manager Jennifer McGee says that after dogs and cats, rabbits are the most popular companion animals (SPECIAL)

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of spontaneity results in the rabbit not staying in the home very long.”

A two-hour Bunny 101 class was required and offered offsite due to space limitations. Now, due to social distancing requirements, that class has been converted to a 12-page digital presentation that is emailed to potential fosters and adopters.

“When they’ve reviewed it and it didn’t scare them off and they know they want to adopt, then they schedule a time to come in and take a knowledge quiz based on this presentation. Then they can adopt,” she said. “We’re not judging them. We’re

just trying to make sure they’re aware of what they’re getting into.”

McGee is happy with the results. The shelter is experiencing the same uptick in adoptions as many other animal shelters since coronavirus set in and people find more time to add a pet to their lives.

“Our numbers have skyrocketed,” McGee said. “We’ve actually had to suspend our fostering program because we’re calling bunnies in from foster care to keep our pens full.”

In May, 73 rabbits were adopted; 58 were adopted in June. Before that, monthly

Continued from page6

Ellen Stilwell dresses to show she’s a rabbit fan (SPECIAL)

adoption numbers were typically in the 30s, she said.

“We do get senior rabbits … and some people actually gravitate toward them because they don’t want a 10- to 12-year commitment. They want a 4- to 5-year commitment,” she said.

Stilwell and her husband, Carl, have taken their rescued rabbits to hospitals, nursing homes and community events. A few of them have also appeared in movies, including “Neighbors 2” and “Stuber.”

She uses her therapy rabbit encounters as opportunities to educate people about the animals.

Dante, about 7 or 8 years old, and Popcorn, 4, are her therapy bunnies. For safety, she typically puts them in a basket and places the basket on a child’s lap.

“Dante has an amazing personality. He is so outgoing, and he doesn’t mind being held,” she said.

Popcorn was part of the 2015

Gwinnett County confiscation and Stilwell has had her since she was two days old. They’ve got their own Facebook and Instagram pages, at instagram. com/dantethebunny and facebook.com.dantethebunny.

The rabbits are regulars

at Tucker holiday events, especially during Easter season when the Stilwells let families take pictures of them with their children.

“Easter is a bad time (for rabbits) because people want bunnies and they get them,

realize how much special care they require, and then they dump them in shelters or outside,” Stilwell said. “I explain that chocolate bunnies are the best.”

Learn More

The Georgia House Rabbit Society, located at 2280 Shallowford Road in Marietta, always needs volunteers just about around the clock to help with cleaning, grooming and staffing its Hop Shop, among other jobs. For more information on volunteering, donating or fostering or adopting a rabbit, visit www. houserabbitga.com or call 678-653-7175.

Come Live a Sterling Life!

SPECIAL Therapy bunnies Dante and Popcorn

Senior pet spotlights

PAWS Atlanta ►

Daydream is a female Shepherd mix who weighs 63 pounds. At 9, she’s been waiting for a home so long she’s been assigned to our “penthouse,” a little airconditioned, heated cottage with its own play yard. Inside, Daydream has three dog beds to choose from and a little area rug she keeps tidy. She loves to go for walks on our trail. She loves tennis balls and toys and Milk-Bone treats. She loves baby pools and would prefer to spend her entire summer crouched down in one, for maximum water coverage. Daydream is a part of our Secret Crush Club which means her adoption fee has been covered by one of her many fans! To meet Daydream, email info@ pawsatlanta.org.

LifeLine Animal Project ►

Buster is a delightful 10-year-old gentleman who has wonderful manners and is a great snuggler. He is already housebroken and crate trained, and he gets along well with other dogs. Buster loves people and is gentle with children. His idea of a good time includes cuddling with his human and watching TV all afternoon, although he also loves short walks and is good on a leash too. He’s up for whatever you are and is just happy to be with you. Buster is partially deaf, but it doesn’t seem to bother him. His former foster parents say he is sweet, snuggly, soft, mellow and goofy. If you are interested in meeting Buster, email adoptions@ fultonanimalservices.com.

◄ LifeLine Animal Project

Mrs. Pearlie is an affectionate senior lady who weighs 6 pounds. Sweet and friendly, she will chat up a storm when she meets someone new. In return for her conversation, she’ll expect to be pet and to be told how pretty she is. Mrs. Pearlie will soak up all the love that you can dish out, and she’ll give plenty back. She is hoping you speak her love language and will want to adopt her. To meet Mr. Pearlie, email foster@ lifelineanimal.org.

LifeLine Animal Project ▼

Nog is a calm and loving regal lady who is 8 years old and gets along well with everyone, including cats, dogs and kids! Don’t tell Nog that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. She has recently learned the commands: sit, stay, down, up and paw! Her foster parents tell us that she is a wonderful dog with a soft and quiet demeanor who is also super affectionate, sweet, kind and fun. For more information about Nog, email foster@fultonanimalservices. com.

▲LifeLine Animal Project

Exotic is a super affectionate and very low-maintenance 10-year old gal. She is good on a leash and will happily take a one-mile or two-mile walk with you, and then come home and nap. She loves to sleep and lay in the sun and run around the yard a few times between naps. She gets along well with her foster siblings, is easy to bathe and brush and loves to cuddle and have her head rubbed. Exotic is also housebroken, crate trained and knows the sit and stay commands. To meet this wellbehaved dreamgirl, email foster@fultonanimalservices.org

A call to serenity

This is a difficult time to write a column that I hope people turn to as a source of diversion and perhaps mild amusement.

Even the spreading virus and ensuing lockdowns could be fodder for jokes about weight gain and quarantine beards and wine tours that took you from your kitchen to your bathroom to your living room. Creative types repurposed popular tunes and masterworks of art with coronavirus themes. (My favorite was “The Girl with the Purell Earring.”)

ROBIN’S NEST

Robin Conte lives with her husband in an empty nest in Dunwoody. To contact her or to buy her column collection, “The Best of the Nest,” see robinconte.com.

I thought it was a tribute to the human spirit that in the face of a global pandemic, people found a way to laugh. Humor gets us through a lot. But there’s nothing entertaining about the current events of our nation, and I’ve been

hard-pressed to find a topic of diversion. Then I came across a quote by writer Annie Dillard: “A writer looking for subjects inquires not after what he loves best, but after what he alone loves at all.” So, I thought I’d start there, first focusing on what I love, which is a lot of things, then trying to identify that thing that I, uniquely, love. Chocolate and coffee are easy to cancel out, as they are items of universal adulation. Mountains and beaches, sunsets and waterfalls also garner widespread admiration.

I am developing increasing appreciation for Mason jars, versatile little things that can be used as drinking vessels, rustic vases and storage containers and are useful as a measuring utensils

to boot, but they’re making a comeback, so I’m not alone there, either.

And then, suddenly, I thought of the whippoorwill.

I know I’m not the only one to be enchanted by the call of a whippoorwill, yet for me it is singular in that it is the song of my own memories. The very sound carries me back to my childhood and nestles me softly down onto the old couch on the front porch of my grandparents’ house in rural New Hampshire.

It was there that I learned of this bird as a herald of the night and heard its call, a piercing sound that begins at the first dusky moment of twilight when the sky melts into mystical shades of bluish gray (shades which I’m sure Benjamin Moore has a found a way to can and number).

It was there that my grandfather Nono told my siblings and me a legend of a pair of star-crossed lovers who became separated, as lovers of legends are wont to become, and whose nightly calls to each other were immortalized in the whippoorwill’s repetitive trill.

It was there that I would sit as

the evening deepened and cooled, by then just with my siblings and our grandmother Nana, because Nono always retired early. We would sit in the comfort of her presence, watching and listening, and use the time to rest and reflect on the day that just faded and how it was spent and the promise of not much more to come but sleep and rejuvenation and the prospect of rising again.

I think of the song as mine alone because it is the call of my wise and loving grandmother, as well as my own naive youth. And with it I remember the words I spoke at her funeral almost 20 years ago, when I struggled to describe her to the congregation.

I admitted that my words were flat, like snapshots, and that to truly reveal the person that she was, I would have to take you with me, to her house on the hill, where you would feel serene just to be in her presence … the presence of a woman whose soul was as pure and clear as the call of a whippoorwill.

Perhaps that’s why I love that bird’s call, because in reminding me of her, it calls for me to be the same.

Q&A: Andrew Young has seen the world change

Editor’s note: This is the first of a series of question-and-answer sessions with distinguished seniors who have made a significant difference in metro Atlanta and their communities through a lifetime of work and service.

If you would like to recommend someone to be included, email editor@atlantaseniorlife.com.

Andrew Young arguably has an unmatched perspective on this year’s Black Lives Matter/ renewed civil rights movement sparked by the George Floyd killing, as well as the current state of Atlanta.

The New Orleans-raised Young first came to Georgia as a smalltown preacher, got involved

in the 1960s civil rights movement with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and helped him lead the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; served multiple terms as both a Georgia congressman and Atlanta’s mayor; and was tapped by thenPresident Jimmy Carter as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

He later established the Andrew J. Young foundation, which

focuses on education and human rights issues, and is the author of several books.

ASL contributor Mark Woolsey caught up with Young recently at his Atlanta home.

Q. How is the Black Lives Matter/renewed civil rights movement underway now different from what you took part in in the 60s?

A. We (in the 60s) were organized and we came out of a university environment. We consulted with lawyers in advance. We had a legislative strategy for Washington and the states. And it took us three months to get a movement organized that got maybe 55 people to show up. I think we had 63 in Birmingham.

This movement you have, coinciding, people getting laid off and not working because of the virus. Everybody was at home and we all saw the death of George Floyd. With the mass media available now, and the social media, they were able to gather thousands of people. It went worldwide in less time than

Andrew Young

it took us to organize one small city in the 1960s.

I am 88 and I haven’t seen anything galvanize the planet like this since the bombing of Pearl Harbor. And I was 9 years old then.

Q. What about the response of national leadership now as compared to back then?

A. We had brilliant leadership in the Second World War. Roosevelt was a genius. We don’t see leaders who are mobilizing people right now. The thing is that in each of these previous movements in our lifetime we had leaders that grew up and were trained for a time like this. Lyndon Johnson (for example) had a tremendous amount of experience legislating and he understood the importance of using a crisis to make creative changes. … There doesn’t seem to be anybody prepared for these multiple crises now.

Q. How has Atlanta changed since you first came here?

A. The first time I came to Atlanta was for a YMCA conference. I was 14 or 15 and I was at the Butler Avenue YMCA and I saw the Klan march. I rode here on a segregated train.

Things have changed and improved enormously for people of color, but I would say that economic changes have not kept up with changes in race relationships. The problems of race and poverty are intertwined.

When I came here Atlanta was maybe 300,000 people in the metro area. Now it’s six million. We have had simultaneous explosions of populations of both rich and poor. We are both richer and poorer simultaneously. The colleges and the Fortune 500 companies have brought in more rich people than any city in the world, I think, but at the same time people were abandoning the rural areas of the South and flocking to the cities. While we were prepared for the economic boom, we weren’t prepared for the poverty boom.’

Q. What role do you feel you had in the changes?

A. Between 1981(when he became mayor) and 1990, we attracted 1,100 international firms to Atlanta. There was $70 billion in direct investment. Our airport had grown to be the world’s busiest and we didn’t use any government money on the airport, except for the highways to get to it. The secret was we used private sector money from Wall Street for everything we did, starting with the airport. There was no money in Washington, but there was money in Germany and Japan. So almost immediately I started visiting those places and inviting businesses to come to Georgia.

Q. What would you say if you could talk to your younger self?

A. I’d keep reminding my younger self: keep faith, keep faith in good, keep faith in the eternal values of humanity.

Q. A lot of people have called you a hero. Who are yours?

A. Martin Luther King Junior and Jimmy Carter. Also (Atlanta businessmen) John Portman and Charlie Loudermilk. They were two guys who grew up poor and who got rich on their brains and determination. Also, I basically started out as a preacher so Gandhi was one of my first spiritual heroes.

Q. How do you feel about the future? Optimistic? Pessimistic?

A. I am faithful. I hope and am sure it’s going to work out all right, but we’ll have some tough times …My grandmother used to sing a song “I’ve got a feeling that everything’s going to be all right.” So, when there are hard times, I sing those old Negro spirituals. They were written in the hardest of times, but they were all very faithful and visionary.

The answer to all questions is spiritual and when we infuse the spiritual into the technological and the modern era, everything’s going to be all right.

zoom like a pro

With COVID-19 restrictions or safety practices showing no sign of letting up for seniors, it’s time to get yourself up to speed for Zoom or any other videoconferencing service. It’s as close as we’re going to get a personal interaction for the foreseeable future.

Zoom has become the go-to videoconferencing service for many families, churches and synagogues, and social and educational organizations.

For most families, it’s free – if you can limit a session to 40 minutes – and easy to install, configure, and use. In fact, if you’re just joining a session, there’s practically nothing to do except follow the instructions. Zoom and most other services work on any kind of computer, tablet or mobile phone.

The Digital Device Doctor cures digital anxiety for seniors and home/home-office users. A graduate of Harvard Business School, “Doctor Gene” spent more than 30 years in international business. He can be reached at generubel@gmail.com.

earbuds) and your microphone before you join.

■ Find the best combination of video and sound. Sometimes, you need to use a computer camera for video and a phone for the audio. Zoom and most other services have phone numbers you can use to get audio over any phone.

Be Equipped

But before we get into Zoom, there are some videoconferencing tips that apply to any service:

■ Make sure you can connect to the internet. As basic as it seems, the services are webbased, and you can connect as long as you have internet access through a Wi-Fi or cellular network.

■ Pay attention to your camera angles, especially with a computer. Try to center your faces (or faces in a group). We see a lot of ceiling fans because cameras are aimed too high and a lot of belly buttons when people stand.

When you join a Zoom meeting, for example, it asks if you want to “join with video.” If yes, you’ll see what others will see during the conference.

■ Check your sound. Most services give you the opportunity to test your speakers (or headphones or

Regardless of how you connect, you’ll need the right equipment, whether it’s a laptop computer, desktop computer, tablet or mobile phone. Each technology has its own set of requirements. Laptops: Most laptops come with built-in cameras, speakers, and microphones, and they’re generally adequate for Zoom. However, you can add external devices and either connect them to your laptop or use Bluetooth or wi-fi connections.

Laptops and Windows 10 also have their own sets of issues. The problems usually show up as a frozen screen or loss of video or sound. Windows has a utility program that can look for problems and fix them, and it generally works. The more extreme solution is to restart your computer by clicking on the Windows icon in the lower left corner of your screen and selecting “power” and then selecting “restart.”

Desktops: Many desktops don’t come with built-in cameras, speakers, or microphones. If they do, they may not be adequate for giving you quality time with friends and family or giving you the clarity needed for online learning. You can easily add them and get better quality sound.

Today’s external cameras have clips that enable you to mount them directly over the center of your monitor, and that will look more conversational for Zoom. However, you can also find cameras that you can place on a stand and connect to your computer with a cord or with Bluetooth or wi-fi for more flexibility. Similarly, external speakers give better quality and sound volume.

You can connect a separate microphone, or you can solve the speaker and microphone issues with a headset or earbuds that handle both functions seamlessly. Again, they’ll require Bluetooth or wi-fi connectivity, but the setup is straightforward.

Phones and Tablets

Zoom works well as a mobile app on a smart phone or tablet. You can get your sound and speak through the device’s speaker and microphone or through your earbuds or headset. The most limiting factor will be screen size. The larger the screen, the more people you’ll be able to see, and that’s one of the reasons why you use a videoconference app. However, on most smart phones, the speaker will always be highlighted – and for some, that might be better.

Be Connected

Zoom is one of those technologies that probably hit the market before it was ready, and that created issues as the company attempted to – as the saying goes – fix the plane while flying it. Zoom constantly upgrades its product through online updates, so be on the lookout to download and install new versions or major updates. You may also run into a glitch of sorts not necessarily related to Zoom.

One of those issues is a problem between Zoom and Microsoft’s Windows 10 that seems to appear when Zooming on a laptop. People have experienced unstable internet connections, resulting in the freezing or loss of video, audio or both. We consider them major annoyances that likely will be solved by Zoom and Microsoft.

You can head off the problem by checking your audio and video when you join a Zoom conference. It takes a few seconds, and if there are problems, you can usually resolve them fairly quickly. Windows has a utility program that can look for problems and fix them, and it generally works. Sometimes, the pre-conference check will let you know that you need to use either your internal or external cameras and speakers. In most cases, you simply use their onscreen instructions to activate specific devices. Some people also use a combination of computers, tablets or mobile phones to get audio and video connections.

If a problem occurs during Zoom, the first solution to try is to leave the meeting and reenter. You can also check your internet connection to make sure it’s still there or if it’s providing a strong enough signal. One lesson that’s now ingrained in our daily lives is that technology isn’t perfect. We’ve also learned that at peak hours of use, the internet can be as congested as any Atlanta highway during rush hour – or any random time that a lot of people hit the road at the same time.

The more extreme solution on a computer is to restart it.

Gene Rubel

Zoom Procedures

There are a few things you should be aware of, both as a host or a participant.

When you want to host a conference, just follow the instructions for scheduling a Zoom meeting. You must have a Zoom account to do this, and for most of us, the free account will handle personal needs. The big drawback is the 40-minute time limit. If you find you need more time on a consistent basis, you can get the Pro service for $14.99 a month that gives you up to 24 hours of meeting time per month. With the free or Pro package, you can have up to 100 participants, which is way more than enough for most of us.

When scheduling a meeting, you’ll need to select a date and time, and when you do, Zoom will assign a password, which participant can copy from their invitations. That sends them to the waiting room, where you’ll be able to admit them. The password and waiting room are security features to prevent unwanted intruders. With the waiting room enabled, you, as the host, will be notified when somebody wants to join.

Invitations are sent by email. If you use Outlook or Gmail, you can access your contact list to select those you want to invite. The email will have your Zoom link and the password for the session.

As the host, you have the option to mute everyone or individuals, which can be useful to silence crying babies or unruly adults. You also have the option to remove any participant from the meeting but be careful. Once a person is removed, they can’t rejoin the meeting.

As the host, you can also share your screen with everyone, which is great for showing photos or videos or sharing a website. You can also designate a participant as the host to enable them to share their screens.

Yes, there are numerous other services and apps for videoconferencing, but Zoom seems to be out in front right now because it’s relatively easy to use and works across just about every communications platform available.

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Don’t jump off a bridge just yet

Life goes on. That is what we keep saying to ourselves. But I think we are all getting a little sideways these days.

Covid-19 wasn’t in the bag, yet we started acting as if it never existed. Crowds on July 4 completely ignored the distancing advice and yes, they were kids, meaning the under-25 crowd -- you know, the ones who will live forever.

They had to close the beaches again to keep the knuckleheads from congregating there. The information is out there, although I too am getting a bit tired of ABC-TV anchor David Muir’s over the top “Doom and Gloom Report of the Day.” (Another thing, David: sit back in the chair and do something about your 12th grade haircut! Am I too critical?)

STAY SAFE

day, but a piece of advice from me when I’m in uniform. Stop flipping me off!

It doesn’t hurt my feelings—in fact, it’s soothing. I have thick skin and married twice. There is nothing you can say that has not been thrown at me dozens of times before.

Steve Rose is a retired Sandy Springs Police Captain, veteran Fulton County police officer and freelance writer. He is the author the book “Why Do My Mystic Journeys Always Lead to the Waffle House?” and the column “View from a Cop.”

And, while we’re on the topic, what in the world do you think will come of the talk of “defunding” police that has become so popular? You will feel the effects and you’re not going to like it. What do you think happens when they cut money from the police budget? Services are affected. Nonemergency calls just sit there, waiting for the next available officer, already backed up seven calls.

Who thought we would get to this point when we are quite sure we are losing our collective noodles and becoming those weird uncles who used to show up uninvited at reunions?

“Hey Uncle Steve, what have you been up to?”

“Oh, nothing much. Quarantine and all, sitting around eating Tater Tots with Elvis.”

I, however, choose to think of this as an opportunity to be that guy: the unfiltered one who creates awkward moments with abrasive responses to simple questions;, the guy who absolutely and unlimitedly will offer up his advice and then use the quarantine as an excuse. It’s great! It worked so well that the guy who called me saying he’s been trying to reach me about my car’s extended warranty actually hung up on me!

I thought I would miss baseball more than I actually do. They canceled the minor-league season. I loved watching the minors. As far as the majors? Not interested. They whine too much and why pay all that money to see millionaires play?

What about all the social unrest? That’s a story for another

Any police call can turn dangerous so the plan to send social workers on calls involving mental issues is a design to get someone killed. Any cop will tell you “normal” calls easily become violent. Believe me, it’s not the answer to the problem.

Still, I would like to wake up one day thinking the world isn’t slowly circling the drain.

I would like to hear national news that actually makes sense, decisions made on facts, not political agendas, and problems objectively addressed rather than sticking a Band-Aid on them hoping for another day for the problems to magically disappear.

And so, here we are, marching through the forest of the unknown, wearing our designer masks and wondering if those who do not are too vain or too lazy to consider it a small step to helping us stay alive. It isn’t too much to ask.

Still, with all that’s going on, we have a unique ability to adapt to the conditions, and that’s how we beat this coronavirus. Don’t jump from the bridge just yet because there’s a lot to live for—unless the cable goes out.

Then, you’d better make room for me.

Do joint tax filings alter SS earning limits?

Dear Rusty:

My wife and I have filed a joint income tax return for years. My wife is working and I’m 62 and wondering - if I start drawing Social Security, does the earnings limit only relate to what I earn, or does it include what my wife earns as well? Is the earnings limit tied to our IRS filing status? I need to know if I should file my taxes as a single to be sure my wife’s earnings are not combined with mine to affect my Social Security payment. Also, I’ve read that it’s recommended to register online with Social Security if you’re 62. benefits yet.

Is this true? What are the benefits for doing this?

Wondering

Dear Wondering:

your personal earnings – as reported on your W-2 or SelfEmployment tax return – count.

Russell Gloor is a certified Social Security advisor with the Association of Mature American Citizens

Income tax filing status doesn’t matter when it comes to determining if your earnings from work exceed the Social Security “earnings limit.”

If you collect Social Security before you reach your full retirement age, your wife’s earnings from working will not be counted toward your personal earnings limit. The earnings test looks only at your personal earnings and, if you exceed the limit, Social Security will take back some of your benefits. But only

As for your second question: it is not necessary, nor would it gain you any advantage, to “register” with Social Security before you are ready to claim your benefits.

Indeed, Social Security does not even provide you with a way to do that. What they do provide is a way for you to create your own personal “My Social Security” online

account, which gives you access to all of the online features provided by the Social Security Administration.

Having an online Social Security account doesn’t provide you with any benefit advantage, but it allows you to monitor your earnings record, get a replacement Social Security card and get estimates of your current and future Social Security benefits to help you decide when to claim.

This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity.

To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-securityadvisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

The 2 million member Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC] [https://www. amac.us] is a senior advocacy organization that takes its marching orders from its members. We act and speak on their behalf, protecting their interests and offering a practical insight on how to best solve the problems they face today.

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Is the coronavirus keeping you away from your doctors?

The threat of COVID-19 appears to be changing how many people think about going to the doctor or the dentist. Patients, health care practitioners and experts alike say the coronavirus and strategies to avoid it are changing the ways people seek health care.

Semi-retired teacher Riki Bolster of Atlanta has seen some of the changes close up. She has appointments every three months with her rheumatologist. This year, her March appointment was done virtually, over the internet. In June, she returned to the clinic where her doctor works to find things had changed.

Judith L.

had missed routine medical appointments because of COVID-19.

BSN, BA

“I saw lots of [personal protective equipment], individuals at the entrance to each hallway asking questions, checking your temp, giving you a sticker to say where you were going,” Bolster said. “Everybody wore masks — all staff, doctors, patients. I think they were spacing time between patients, as I did have to wait longer than usual,” said Bolster.

And the chairs in the waiting area “were cordoned off so no one would sit too close to the next person. All the protective COVID-19 protocol made me feel safer.”

But as they make changes to accommodate their patients’ safety, some hospitals and doctors have expressed concerns that fear of “catching” the coronavirus has patients foregoing treatment for some small problems — from ingrown toenails to sore throats — that could cause them future difficulties.

A recent study by the Prevent Cancer Foundation found that 43 percent of American adults

“The survey shows that, in the wake of the pandemic, people are afraid to go to their doctors. Understandably, there is a lot of fear about exposure to the virus. What we need everyone to know is that missing appointments puts you at much higher risk for serious health issues, such as cancer,” Carolyn “Bo” Aldigé, founder and CEO of the Foundation said in a press release. “Americans should get medical appointments back on the books and schedule their physicals and routine cancer screenings.”

Here’s a look at other areas and other ways the coronavirus is changing reactions to health care, at least in the short run.

From the Medical Office Manager’s Perspective

Chris Jueschke, office manager of at Peachtree-Dunwoody Medical Associates in Sandy Springs, said strategies about dealing with the virus have varied and have changed over time.

“We saw a wide range of preferences among patients, and did our best to meet everyone’s personal needs,” he wrote in an email. “In mid-March we saw a lot of patients postpone their appointments due to concern about exposure to COVID-19, but we also had many patients who still chose to come into the office. By the end of March, we provided services exclusively via telemedicine. This was for the protection of both patients and our staff.”

Preventive visits, such as wellness visits and routine checkups, were initially all postponed, he said, but “we resumed seeing patients in the office on a limited basis in May, and by June were back on a full schedule. We continue to see some patients postponing visits, but demand keeps us pretty well booked. For those patients who come in, masks are mandatory, and hand sanitizer is always within reach.”

A Dental Office’s Perspective

Many dental practices nationwide closed during the early spread of COVID-19.

unscheduled hiatus, only dealing with rare emergency situations.

The American Dental Association created an advisory group to help dental practices recover from the closings, association president, Dr. Chad P. Gehani said. “Our community is in it together as we navigate these trying times,” Gehani said to his membership.

Peachtree Dunwoody Dental Group in Sandy Springs was one of the practices that did not shut down completely during the early days of the pandemic.

“We remained open to handle emergency procedures at first,” Dr. Jeremy Rosenberg said. “Most dentists closed completely. However, we stayed open to see emergencies, but kept very limited staff. It was just myself, my assistant and one person up front,” he said. We actually stayed pretty busy just because people had infections, or a broken tooth requiring an immediate extraction — while others required root canals.”

Source: CDC/MMWR, June 26, 2020 /69(25);795-800

Dentists, oral surgeons, orthodontists, and others in the field were forced to take an

His office, Rosenberg said, always uses “universal precautions so we were set there.”

And staying open paid off in the long run. “Because we kept in contact with patients, and saw

Kanne, RN,

is a registered nurse and freelance writer who lives in Atlanta.

Jeremy Rosenberg

some with emergencies, it was a little easier for us to get back into a full dental flow,” he said. “Some dentists closed for two months, and I think it was much harder for them to reopen.”

What about Emergency Room visits?

In the weeks following the declaration of COVID-19 as a national emergency, substantial reductions in emergency department visits made the news.

On June 26, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) noted three potentially life-threatening conditions where ED visits were down by all age groups, and across genders.

In a New York Times report, it’s suggested that patients “may be coming in later and sicker.” Perhaps patients stayed home longer before they came in with worsening conditions, suggested one physician?

Tech Care for Seniors

The implication for public health practice is to educate the public about the importance of immediate emergency care, regardless of a pandemic.

People need to know that if they are experiencing chest pain, loss of motor function, altered mental status, or other lifethreatening issues, they should seek care right away.

What happened to elective surgeries

As part of a special “CovidSurg Collaborative,” a survey was done of 1,000 surgical leaders across the country to assess the surgery outcomes for patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19. The survey included academic medical centers, hospitals and surgery centers (identified by general surgery) and included certain specialties (such as orthopedics and urology).

More than half of the respondents said up to 40% of their patients had canceled their elective procedures. “As [surgical centers] start the process of reopening, it’s critical that we also strive for equitable access to surgical care across the communities we serve,” stated one professor (who partnered with the CovidSurg Collaborative).

What should you do?

There is still much to learn about this unprecedented virus. At the time of this writing, we don’t’ know how far it already has penetrated into society and we still don’t know how to completely prevent its transmission.

From patients to multiple medical practices, the public is experimenting on how to adjust COVID-19 into our lives.

And as medical offices reopen, now may be a good time for patient protection against the unseen health hazards affecting our communities.

The take-home message is: Don’t wait.

For starters, if you, or someone you care for, is feeling sick, experiencing a fever, or showing signs of difficulty breathing, call your primary care physician right away for further directions. However, if your upcoming appointment can be handled virtually, that may be another option for you depending on the medical practice.

Stay vigilant with selfcare and continue to follow COVID-19 guidelines when you are seeing your health care provider — even if it’s for bloodwork, X-rays or other tests. The good news: medical practices are safer than they’ve ever been.

404-307-8857

“We make house calls.”

Riki Bolster

Gardening in small spaces

By Collin Kelley

Gardening space is often at a premium If you live in an apartment, condo or townhouse. But if you’re itching to scratch your green thumb, here’s a few ideas to get you started.

The easiest way to get started with growing plants in small spaces is to try container gardening. If traditional clay or plastic planters aren’t your thing, think outside the pot and look around your home for alternatives. If the planter is big enough to hold soil and permits adequate drainage – by punching or drilling holes – then you’re ready to grow.

Be mindful to select the right size pot for your garden. Don’t go too small or you run the risk of inhibiting root growth as well as creating a challenge to keep the container hydrated.

If you don’t see a planter idea around your home, check out yard sales, thrift shops, or a neighborhood message board. But don’t use anything that once held toxic chemicals or is rusted. And be sure to wash the container before you plant.

If you want to use a wooden planter, consider treating it with a clear waterproof latex sealer to extend its life and durability. Some container suggestions: milk crates, bottles, jars, fish tanks, old toolboxes, glassware, coffee mugs, pallets, or even one of those shoe organizers you hang on a door. The latter happens to be perfect for growing herbs.

For something a bit bigger –to grow lettuce, kale, spinach, and other greens – try recycling an old desk or dresser to create raised beds. One of the easiest and most efficient ways to garden in a small space, like on a balcony or patio, is to find an old shipping pallet and flip it vertically to create growing shelves.

Now that you’ve got your containers, here’s a few tips from Pike Nurseries (pikenursery.com) on how to actually grow a small garden.

Sun: The most important rule for beginning a container garden

is to group plants together based on their sun requirements. Gardeners should get acquainted with their space to determine lighting – ranging from full sun (with more than six hours of direct sunlight), partial sun or shade (with three to six hours). to full shade (with less than three hours) – before choosing their container garden plants.

Soil: Fill a pot with potting and container soil that contains fertilizer and wetting agents to prevent pots from drying out too quickly. A helpful tip is to place a coffee filter at the bottom of the container near the hole to keep soil from spilling out, but still allowing proper drainage. Leave two to three inches at the top to mix in a fertilizer like Dr. Earth Root Zone – a nutrientpacked organic fertilizer that reduces transplant shock and helps establish roots. Fill in areas around the plants with more potting soil.

Water: Gardeners also want to plant species with similar water needs, ensuring no under- or overwatering takes place. Container gardens should be watered two to three times a week, increasing this to seven times a week when temperatures are at their hottest. Container gardens require more attention, so use the touch test to determine water needs; if the top one to two inches of the soil feels dry to the touch, water until it begins to drain out of the bottom. Be sure to get rid of excess water in the saucer to prevent rotted roots. Water globes and waterabsorbing granules are useful tools to ensure plants receive enough water.

Fertilize: Fertilize containers every four weeks with a blend of natural and organic compounds in Dr. Earth Annual Bloom to keep annuals thriving or every three months with Osmocote Outdoor & Indoor Plant Food that controls nutritional release.

All that’s left is to decide what to grow in your small garden. Although we’re in the middle of the summer, there’s still plenty to plant, according to the Georgia

Cooperative Extension Service (extension.uga.edu).

Some suggestions:

Cauliflower, pole and lima beans, butterpeas, cucumbers,

GETTING OUTDOORS

eggplan, okra, bell pepper, and some varieties of tomato can be planted in July. For flowers, try marigold, cosmos, cleome, and dwarf sunflowers.

Chattahoochee River NRA increases access to park

By Collin Kelley

Following federal, state, and local guidance, the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (NRA) has eased COVID-19 restrictions and increased recreational access.

The National Park Service (NPS) has allowed commercial services on the river to resume, including Nantahala Outdoor Center, Deep South Fly Anglers, Shoot the Hooch, River Through Atlanta, Kayak Classes of Georgia, Tie One On, $10 Tubing, and High Country Outfitters.

The park, which has units located along the river, charges a $5 entrance fee. Look for signage at each parking area on how to electronically pay the fee.

“We welcome visitors back to the park for increased recreation opportunities in Chattahoochee River NRA,” said Acting Superintendent Ann Honious.

“We ask visitors to remember to recreate responsibly, by recreating with the people in your household. Give others plenty of room whether you are on a trail, at a boat launch, or in a parking lot.

Follow the CDC social distancing guidelines for staying six feet away from others. Be prepared to cover your nose and mouth if you’re near others.”

Honious said that the NRA is working closely with the NPS Office of Public Health, using CDC guidance, to ensure public and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers.

When recreating, the public should follow local area health orders, practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid crowding and avoid high-risk outdoor activities. Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our website nps.gov/ chat and social media channels. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/ coronavirus.

A new NPS report shows that 3.4 million visitors to Chattahoochee River NRA in 2019 spent $152 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 2,160 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $213 million.

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Georgia Aquarium, High Museum and more reopen with social distancing

will be assigned an entrance area during ticket purchase. The main entrance to the aquarium will be closed and visitors will be assigned a designated alternate entrance to use. For more: georgiaaquarium.org.

Fernbank Museum

By Collin Kelley

The city’s tourist and cultural attractions are reopening with social distancing protocols in

in July after it had closed due to COVID-19 and was damaged during recent protests. Visit cfbhall.com for more details.

place as the COVID-19 outbreak continues.

Here’s a look at what was open – or had made a reopening announcement – at press time. Be sure to check the website and social media of the local attraction you want to visit for updated hours of operation, safety measures, and more.

College Football Hall of Fame

The museum opened for visitors

◄ The High Museum of Art Officials at the Midtown museum planned to reopen to the general public on July 18. The High will be following local, regional, and federal recommendations for reopening, according to a media announcement. The museum said face coverings would be required and masks will be available for purchase. For updates on the High’s reopening procedures and online ticketing, visit high.org.

Georgia Aquarium ►

The Downtown attraction reopened to the public in midJune after shutting its doors for

two months due to the pandemic. Tickets must be reserved online at georgiaaquarium.org. Entry will be scheduled in 30-minute timeslots and admission is valid only during that time. Only be a limited number of guests are allowed at any one time in order to maintain social distancing. All visitors must consent to a contactless temperature scan prior to entering the building. All guests older than 3 are required to wear masks, which will also be available upon entry. Visitors

The Druid Hills science museum has reopened after being closed for more than two months due to COVID-19. Most museum exhibits are open, with some hands-on exhibits, outdoor children’s exhibits and interactives temporarily unavailable. Fernbank is encouraging visitors to explore the 75-acres of outdoor experiences in WildWoods and Fernbank Forest, which features nature trails, a treelined canopy walk, a creek-lined pollinator sanctuary, and a variety of trees, native plants and blooming wildflowers. Tickets must be purchased online and in advance. Entry to the museum will be timed and visitors aged 2 and older are asked to wear masks. , Capacity limits will be in place to support physical distancing. All transactions at the museum will be cashless, so be sure to bring a credit or debit card. For more: fernbankmusuem.org.

Zoo Atlanta

The Grant Park zoo reopened

in mid-May with a new timed ticketing system to control capacity and limit the number of guests inside at any given time. Tickets may only be purchased online at zooatlanta.org.

Atlanta Botanical Garden

The Midtown beauty spot reopened in late May after being closed for two months due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The garden is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to the garden’s website. Tickets must be reserved online and will provide for timed entry, with

a limited number of visitors admitted every 15 minutes. Entry is not guaranteed to visitors who walk up to the ticket counter to reserve and purchase tickets. For more: atlantabg.org

Atlanta History Center

The history museum and its 33-acre campus on West Paces Road in Buckhead has reopened, according to the center’s website. The history center’s Midtown campus remained closed in mid-July, the website said. The center says it is following CDC public health guidelines. Entry to

the center, which is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, requires a timed ticket. Visitors must reserve tickets in advance at atlantahistorycenter. com.

◄

Skyview Atlanta

Downtown’s giant Ferris wheel is open for rides daily from noon to 10 p.m. (11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays). Tickets and social distancing guidelines are available at skyviewatlant.com.

Six Flags Over Georgia

The amusement park has reopened, but reservations are required to facilitate social distancing and attendance flow. The park is limiting the number of guests and staggering arrival times to maintain distance. For details, visit sixflags.com.

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