Atlanta Senior Life - September 2019

By Joe Earle

When Bettie Wooten Asip graduated from high school, she wanted to see the world. She lived in Florida at the time, back in the 1960s, and “I thought there was more to the world than Orlando,” she said.

She headed to Miami and applied for a job as a stewardess with Delta Air Lines. “They said, ‘We’d love to have you, but you’re too young,’” she recalled.

She was just 17. She found an office job working for another company and then, a couple of years later, aged 19½, she went back to Delta and tried again.

This time, she made the cut. She boarded a plane and flew to Atlanta for an interview—all stewardesses then had to pass an interview at Delta’s home office—and got the job. That trip to Atlanta, she recalled recently, marked her first flight on an airplane.

It would not be her last. She worked for Delta from 1964 until 2002 and flew across the world, to cities scattered around the U.S. and Europe to ones in South America and South Africa. “The only place I haven’t been is China and Japan,” she said.

She enjoyed working as a stewardess, and then, after the name for the job was changed to be gender neutral, as a flight attendant. “I loved it,” the 74-year-old said. “I loved meeting new people, going places.” And she liked spending time with other flight attendants. “We had camaraderie,” she said. “It was like a sorority. We always considered ourselves a sorority.”

When Asip retired from the airline, she wanted to stay in touch with her traveling pals. She joined Delta Clipped Wings, an organization formed in the 1950s to bring together former flight attendants for social events and to raise money for charities. The group now raises money for Cure Childhood Cancer, Pets for Patriots through the Atlanta Humane Society, and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, according to Clipped Wings’ webpage.

The club started with seven former stewardesses who called

Flying Together in Retirement

themselves the Dated Delta Dotties. They took the name from a promotional doll named Dottie Delta that the airline presented to women passengers in its early days, according to the Delta Clipped Wings webpage. (A companion doll, called Colonel Delta, was available for men.) The Dotties’ first official meeting was held in October 1957 at the Dobbs House restaurant in the terminal at Atlanta’s airport.

In 1962, members changed the group’s name to Delta Clipped Wings. “We just thought that was more current,” said Pep Greene, who was president at the time. The name, said Carol Ellington, who’s been a member since 1966, showed that members had retired from flying. “You had to have had your wings clipped [to be a member], which meant you couldn’t fly anymore,” Ellington said.

In those days, Ellington said, stewardesses were grounded when they married, so she was still in her twenties when she signed up. She started work as a stewardess in 1961. The 79-year-old said she joined Clipped Wings “because I wanted to be among my own peers,” she said. “When I joined, a lot of the members were girls that I knew.”

Membership in the club rose and fell over the decades, then soared after the airline downsized during the early 2000s following a downturn in flying after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, club members say. The club now claims about 800 active members. They plan to hold a luncheon at The Country Club of the South on Sept. 26 as their first meeting on the 2019-2020 calendar. The club plans to host seven events though next May.

“We flew with each other so much. That’s why our Clipped Wings group is so close,” Clipped Wings co-president Suzi Modisett said. “We have known each other so long.”

Asip said the club also offers members a way to stay in touch with Delta. She was part of the wave that retired when the airline downsized in the early 2000s, she said. “A lot of us didn’t really want to retire,” she said. “It was sad time for those of us who loved flying.”

Other Clipped Wings members also recall their flying days fondly. “I loved it, absolutely,” Ellington

Top: Delta Clipped Wings co-president Bettie Wooten Asip. Bottom: Delta Air Lines stewardess Bettie Wooten Asip appeared in these airline ads in the 1960s.

Photo by Joe Earle

said. “It was just wonderful being with people, making sure everybody is safe. When you got on an airplane, that’s the first person you see. Welcoming [passengers] is important.”

“That was my dream job back then,” said Greene, who’s 87 and who worked as a Delta stewardess in the 1950s, was a founding member of Delta Clipped Wings and served as the club’s president in 1962-63. “It was so glamorous. … I loved it. I liked the whole idea of getting on an airplane and going somewhere.”

the airlines, she said, although she remembers that only she and a handful of the other students actually found jobs as stewardesses.

In those days, stewardesses handled food service, but didn’t serve alcohol, Greene said. They wore hats and gloves. They could remove the gloves while working, but had to keep the hats on, she said. And there were physical requirements. “I’m very slight of build— petite—and I was 5 feet 1½ inches [tall] and you had to be 5’2”. I had to stretch like the devil and wear extra high-heel shoes.”

The Clipped Wings club gives them a place to gather with others who share memories of the days when flying was new and exciting and offered young women the chance to see the world.

Greene said she was hired by Delta after she graduated from a private “stewardess school” in College Park. The school trained young women in the skills they needed so they could apply to

“A lot of these people have been my friends for life,” Asip said. “I think the main thing is us staying together.”

For more information, visit deltaclippedwings.org.

Seligman, Au.D., Chelsea Kilgore, Au.D., Sara Feigencaum, Au.D. Doctors of Audiology

Top: stewardess model various uniforms in this Delta Air Lines advertisement.

Bottom: Pep Greene was president of Delta Clipped Wings when members decided to change the organization’s name.

Baby Boomers We’ve

Been

7 Places Outside of Ireland to Experience Celtic Culture

By JoAnn Bell

Many Americans feel a special connection to the Celtic traditions and nations. More than 10% claim Irish heritage and another 3% descend from Scottish or Scots-Irish ancestors. And while Ireland may be the most concentrated destination for Celtic heritage, there are lots of other countries and regions around the world where the Irish, Scots, Welsh and Celts have left their mark on the local culture.

Perhaps you have Celtic ancestry and are looking to connect with your roots. Maybe you’re looking for a taste of Ireland a little closer to home. Or maybe your voracious curiosity in Celtic culture is craving as much knowledge as possible about the influence of the Celts on the world. Whatever your fascination with Celtic heritage, read on to find out where you can learn about Celtic culture, Gaelic languages, bagpipes, Highland games and more around the world.

Who are the Celts?

The Celts are a group of people from the Iron and Medieval Ages with roots in what is now Austria. They spread their language, Druid religion and culture across Europe beginning in 279 BC. With the Roman expansion, Celtic culture became restricted to Ireland, the UK and coastal France, but a Celtic Revival emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries to recover Celtic traditions.

1. The United Kingdom

It’s not surprising that four of the six members of the Celtic League are a part of the United Kingdom, given its close proximity to Ireland: Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man and Cornwall, England. Celtic culture and language abound across these four regions: see Early Medieval Celtic art and learn about ancient Celtic chieftains in Wales, and hear the Manx Gaelic language on the Isle of Man, an island named for a Celtic sea god. Listen to Cornish Celtic music, learn about Celtic Christianity and look for Celtic crosses in Cornwall. Attend Celtic culture, music and media festivals across the UK.

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Outside of Europe, Canada may be the country most influenced by Celtic culture. Saint John in New Brunswick is nicknamed “Canada’s Irish City,” as 150,000 immigrants arrived to this coastal Canadian city between 1815 and 1867—30,000 of those escaping the Great Famine. Newfoundland has been called “the most Irish place in the world outside Ireland.” Accents, family names and the Catholic religion have survived the generations. Visit Tamworth, Ontario, the only Irish Gaeltacht (a place where the Irish language is actively promoted) outside Ireland so you can hear Gaelic being spoken by locals. Gaelic is also spoken on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, where a scenic drive along the Cabot trail and a visit to the Highland Village Museum will make you feel like you’re on the Emerald Isle across the sea.

3. The U.S.

Between 1845 and 1855, more than 1.5 million Irish refugees arrived in America, escaping the Irish Famine. Experience Irish culture in pubs and at St. Paddy’s Day parades from Chicago to Boston to Philadelphia. One particularly Irish neighborhood in New York City can be found on the border between the Bronx and Yonkers. But the area of the U.S. where Celtic culture has had the largest influence is the Southern Appalachian region. Seventy percent of early settlers to the Appalachians came from Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and the cultural influence can most notably be found in Appalachian music and storytelling.

4. Brittany, France

Just across the Celtic Sea from Ireland, the region of Brittany in France boasts a glorious blend of French and Celtic culture. It is recognized as one of the six Celtic nations — regions of western Europe where Celtic traditions have survived. You can hear a Celtic language, Breton, spoken among locals, or listen to Celtic harp music. Celebrate Celtic culture at Festival Interceltique de Lorient in August, learn about the Celtic remains in the capital of Rennes or visit Carnac, home to the world’s greatest collection of megalithic sites built by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany.

Continued on page 8

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5. Otago and Southland, New Zealand

Otago and Southland, in the southern part of New Zealand, were settled by the Free Church of Scotland. Scots began migrating to New Zealand in the 19th century, but it was in the early 20th century that Scottish New Zealanders developed Caledonian societies to keep them connected with their roots. They organized annual Caledonian Games throughout the country, and Highland games are still held today. At the turn of the 20th century, almost 48,000 New Zealanders were Scottish born, while today that number is still around 25,000.

Look for Scottish Gaelic place names, like Dunedin and Invercargill on your visit to these regions and listen for the “Southland burr” accent and bagpipe music. Celebrate Tartan Day on July 1; Burns Supper, which celebrates Scottish poet Robert Burns; or Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year.

6. Chubut Province, Patagonia, Argentina

In 1865, many Welsh emigrated to the Chubut Valley of Argentina to protect their threatened culture and established a town called Y Wladfa. Interest in the Welsh culture was revived in 1965 when Welsh people visited the area to celebrate Y Wladfa’s 100th anniversary.

Today, 50,000 Patagonians claim Welsh ancestry, and somewhere

between 1,500-5,000 people speak Patagonian Welsh, a Celtic language. Look for Welsh place names, visit Welsh tea houses and see Welsh churches and homes in Welsh towns like Dolavon, Gaiman and Trelew. Or celebrate Welsh roots at Gaiman’s Welsh Eisteddfod festival in September.

7. Galicia, Spain

Bagpipes (or gaitas, locally) can also be heard across Spain’s Galicia region, where the misty weather and coastal castles may make you feel like you’re in Ireland or Scotland. Much like Brittany, ancient Celts settled in Galicia centuries ago, leaving forts called castros behind. Celtic words survived in the Galician language, though a Romance language itself. Attend the International Festival of the Celtic World in Ortigueira to hear some bagpipes play, or celebrate the Celtic version of Halloween, Samhain. Remnants of “Castro culture” can be found across the Iberian Peninsula.

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Mountain Meals

Try these acclaimed restaurants in Georgia and North Carolina when you head for the hills

By Collin Kelley

The Red Barn Cafe at Tiger Mountain Vineyards

After a weekend tour of Tiger Mountain Vineyards, relax on the patio over a meal. The café is open May through November for Friday and Saturday night dinners as well as Saturday and Sunday lunch/brunch. The menu includes soups, salads, small plates, entrees and desserts. 2592 Old 441 South, Tiger. Information: tigerwine.com.

◄The Dillard House

Famed for serving up Southern and country cooking, The Dillard House Inn and

Restaurant doesn’t skimp on breakfast either. Whether you’re checking in for a getaway or just want some homestyle cooking, you’ll find out what’s been drawing hungry visitors for more than a century to Dillard. 768 Franklin St., Dillard. Information: dillardhouse.com.

Bodensee Restaurant

If you’re soaking up the charms of Helen’s Bavarian village, be sure to try some authentic German favorites like spätzle, Weiner Schnitzel, and house-made sausages. There’s also a great outdoor patio to enjoy the view. 64 Munich Strasse, Helen. Information: bodenseerestaurant. com.

The Sawmill Place

Blairsville residents and visitors alike swear by the big breakfast served at The Sawmill Place. We’re talking homemade biscuits, bacon, baked apples and much more. You can also grab lunch there, too. 1150 Pat Haralson Drive, Blairsville. Information: thesawmillplace.com.

Beechwood Inn

Check in for the weekend and enjoy panoramic views of Black Rock Mountain from your room and the restaurant, which offers awardwinning cuisine prepared from local food and the inn’s own wine list. 220 Beechwood Drive, Clayton. Information: beechwoodinn.ws.

Wild Thyme

This gourmet restaurant in Highlands, NC serves up an American menu with Asian influences, not to mention a wine list praised by Wine Spectator magazine three-years running. 343-D Main St. Information: wildthymegourmet.com. Continued on page 12

Jim’s Smokin’ Que

If it’s barbecue you’re hankering for, head to Blairsville for smoked baby back ribs and expertly smoked pork, chicken and turkey. Don’t forget the Brunswick Stew! 4971 Gainesville Highway, Blairsville. Information: jimssmokinque.com.

Harvest on Main

Consistently named one of North Georgia’s best restaurants, Harvest on Main uses seasonal products from local farmers ¬– grass-

fed beef, veggies and trout – to craft its menu. 576 E. Main St., Blue Ridge. Information: harvestonmain.com.

Hofer’s Bakery

Enjoy breakfast and lunch in the Bavarian dining room, featuring entrees specially prepared European staff and breads baked in a stone hearth oven. Deli sandwiches are perfect to pick up for picnics or hikes and there’s also an outdoor biergarten. 8758 N. Main St., Helen. Information: hofers.com.

La Pizzeria at Cucina Rustica

If you’re in the Blue Ridge Mountains but craving a taste of Italy then La Pizzeria’s menu of wood-fired pizzas will take you there. 76 Forge Mill Road, Morganton. Information: lapizzeria-ga.com.

61 Main

This farm-to-table restaurant serving up quail, grouper, rabbit and shrimp is located inside the historic Jasper Theater building. 49 S. Main St., Jasper. Information: 61main.com.

The Orchard

Set in a century-old farmhouse, this Cashiers, NC favorite serves up local fish, beef and a big selection of wine and beers to enjoy while gazing out over the orchard. 905 Highway 107 South, Cashiers Valley. Information: theorchardcashiers.com.

The Black Sheep

The restaurant serves up new American dishes, including local beef and veggies, with private label wine and a giant outdoor patio with raw bar and craft cocktails. 480 W. Main St., Blue Ridge. Information: blacksheepblueridge.com.

Table 64

If you’re in Sapphire Valley, be sure to have dinner at Table 64 with its unique tapas menu and diverse wine selection. 3093 Highway 64E, Sapphire Valley, NC. Information: tablesixtyfour.com.

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The Ever-Expanding Middle Age

September is Healthy Aging Month

Healthy Aging Month, observed annually each September, brings us this reminder from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The population of older Americans is growing and living longer than ever.

Adding years can result in an extended middle age—and those years can become a double-edged sword, medical experts say. Increased longevity is a huge blessing for many. But with more years, there is an increased chance to develop chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer and forms of dementia.

It doesn’t have to be that way. The gift of more middle age years might be changing our lifespans and adding a more productive and creative period. Just don’t let it lead to an expanded waistline and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle.

Advice and programs for living longer and healthier

The healthcare systems in our area are involved in helping older adults stay healthier longer. Emory, Northside, Piedmont and WellStar all have professionals, programs and/or studies dedicated to the well-being of the senior population.

Dr. Rodrick Lawton, a hospitalist with WellStar’s Cobb Hospital, said that physical activity, as much as reasonably possible, is important. “We will all see our activity levels decline as we age, however, we should continue to make activity a priority,” Lawton said.

He added that it’s also important to stay mentally engaged. “You would be surprised how something as simple as scanning the morning paper can keep your mind sharp.” He encourages his patients to read books, magazines and a daily newspaper.

Lawton recommended a

variety of programs to help seniors learn about important topics relevant to healthy aging, such as WellStar’s “Speaking about Wellness for Seniors” quarterly series.

“As physicians, we must encourage our patients to remain active as it yields better outcomes,” Lawton said.

Geriatric nurses help seniors

Jennifer Davenport, a clinical nurse specialist and her colleagues are hoping to change negative concepts of aging to more positive ones. “Ageism is still quite prevalent in our society,” she said.

Healthy aging is a prominent factor in their day-to-day work. “Northside Hospital offers geriatric specialty training for our nurses, along with other disciplines,” Davenport said. She is personally working with the medical and geriatric population at Northside’s Atlanta campus and remains enthusiastic about her role.

“There is a shortage of geriatricians,” Davenport admitted. Therefore, she and her nurse colleagues encourage patients to “advocate for themselves.” That means they teach patients to “ask questions and voice concerns until someone listens.”

Northside is particularly proud of its ongoing NICHE program (Nurses Improving Care for Health system Elders), said Davenport. The NICHE teams include multi-disciplinary professionals who work to improve patient care, especially when it comes to transferring older patients. Such transitions might include safely sending a patient from a hospital to their home or to other healthcare providers, such a rehabilitation facility.

Community programs

Another well-regarded program is Sixty Plus Services at Piedmont Healthcare, which continues to help older patients through their “service phone line” and more.

The program was created in 1987 to promote healthy aging and offer a special continuum of geriatric services. It provides programs, education, support and counseling for older adults, which may—when appropriate— include family members and caregivers.

“Sixty Plus Services is our resource for seniors to support the physical, emotional and financial changes associated with aging,” explained Natalie Phillips, nurse and manager of Transitional Care/Sixty Plus programs throughout Piedmont Healthcare.

Healthy aging study

Emory University embarked on the largest clinical research study ever conducted in Atlanta a few years ago—the Healthy Aging Study. Its aim is to learn about aging and age-related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and diabetes, by learning more about lifestyle choices from the public.

At its inception, researchers expected to recruit 100,000 volunteers as participants, according to their website. The only requirements are that participants must be at least 18 years of age and able to read, write and understand English.

“We already have over 15,000 participants in the study,” said Dr. Michele Marcus, a professor with the schools of public health and medicine. “The Emory Healthy Aging Study is an exciting clinical research endeavor to further our understanding of how we age as a population.”

Study participants sign up online, complete a brief health history questionnaire and are asked—occasionally—to respond to surveys and take online memory tests.

“Some individuals will be invited to come to the Emory Brain Center for a more complete assessment,” explained Marcus.

It’s not too late to change

If you think it’s too late to ‘re-invent’ yourself, you need to think again,” said Carolyn Worthington, publisher of Healthy Aging Magazine, healthyaging.net. “It’s never too late to find a new career, a new sport, passion or hobby.”

Worthington hopes readers will use the entire Healthy Aging Month of September as the motivation to take stock of where they’ve been and to think about what they would really like to do.

Take Betsy Bean, owner and publisher of BoomAthens Magazine, for instance. She is a positive role model for longevity.

With her late-in-life move to Athens, Ga., 72-year-old Bean decided to start a magazine.

“BoomAthens is specifically for seniors and it has a different twist,” she said. Bean explained her mission: “To share very honest stories of Boomers as they navigate the huge social changes that mark their lives.”

She is passionate about her work and feels like she’s making something good happen for the Boomers who live in and around Athens.

“I have to stay engaged in something meaningful,” Bean said. “It keeps my mind and my body agile.”

The advances in science and technology mean that seniors in industrialized countries can expect to live well into their 80s—and perhaps beyond.

According to the CDC, about 10,000 people turn 65 daily and 80% of people age 50 and older have plans to work past 65.

The big question is: how can we make this expanding middle age contribute to better and healthier outcomes for us?

For additional information

Emory Healthy Aging Study: 404727-4877, healthyaging.emory.edu

Northside Hospital Healthcare System: 404-845-5555, northside.com

Piedmont Sixty Plus: 404-605-3867, piedmont.org/sixty-plus/sixty-plushome

WellStar Health System: 770-956-7827, wellstar.org

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

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Keep It Private

When I was a detective, we had our regulars, comprised of conspiracy theorists warning us of everything from aliens to the ever-popular government spying conspiracy. One such regular was a woman, who came from an upscale family, a trustfund woman in her mid-fifties.

She was convinced that the late President Ronald Reagan had dispatched agents to spy on her every day, all the time. She lived in a nice condo she swore was bugged. We made frequent visits to “cleanse” the walls from the listening devices Reagan had installed just so she wouldn’t sleep in her car. She insisted on sitting upon two phone books,

STAY SAFE

(remember phone books?) when she drove her car, because they would block the transmitters from sending signals to the President.

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.”

She never said why Reagan spied on her, but she was convinced. When she visited, she implied that the popular foil helmets should be worn. She insisted that many of our everyday appliances were actually devices designed to spy on us. Here we are, some 30 years later, and some of what she said—rhetoric that I dismissed as coming from a delusional mind—has actually evolved.

I recently read an article in USA Today, addressing privacy and some

tricks you can use. These are designed for those of us who are already “out there” in cyberland, so some of this may seem farfetched, but the goal is the same. Protect your privacy.

If you have a Mac, you may be familiar with the AirDrop function, designed to share large files with nearby devices. Okay, now think of the worstcase scenario. You AirDrop in a crowded area such as a coffeeshop or the annual Toadlick Music Festival*, meaning you’ve created the possibility of AirDropping to someone else—a total stranger, someone who may not even like frogs or music related to frogs—who happens to be holding a similar device. This is an easy fix. Set your AirDrop to

send only to those in your contact list.

Remember that your car and your phone connect also. What happens when you sell them? You may pass along that information, so be sure to “wipe” those items before selling them.

Your car is essentially a computer and contains information about you. The Federal Trade Commission offers good advice, including the fact that some cars have a factory reset option. But even if you reset it, you may still need to cancel subscription services like satellite radio, mobile wi-fi hotspots and data services. Either cancel or transfer them to your new car.

Make sure you also cancel your phone and address book, mobile apps, music, location data and your garage code. (Nothing like your garage door opening at midnight when the new owners of your car have a five-dollar bet the code still works.)

Speaking of your car, it is possible to intercept the code so that your car can be entered. Granted, these thieves are a bit savvier, but it can—and more importantly has—happened. Setting up outside the home, a thief could intercept the code. Wrap the fob in tin foil.

Also, engage in quality reading on how to disarm Alexa, Siri and Google from listening to you. [You can find that info online, by— interestingly enough—Googling it.]

Remember, it’s up to each of us individually to ensure our privacy in order to keep the robots from taking over because, if they do, they could bring back disco, and that just doesn’t end well for humanity.

lso, invest in tin foil.

*The next Toadlick Music Festival brings nationally known musical artists to Dothan, Ala. The next festival is scheduled for January 1, 2020.

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Pet Pick

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He already knows some basic commands and is mostly housebroken, so he’ll just require a little bit more training in his future home. He gets along with just about every dog he meets, and he’d love to meet your current dogs to make sure that everyone will be BFFs in your home. (Linus is sure they will!)

He doesn’t have much known history with cats or children, but he was gentle and sweet with every child he met during a recent offsite event. An AHS Adoption Counselor can teach you how to do slow and proper introductions to ensure the whole family adjusts well to having a new dog in the house.

Linus is an energetic pup that would love to attend training classes with you or simply accompany you on your morning run. He is neutered, microchipped, up-to-date on vaccinations and ready to meet you at the Howell Mill location, located at 981 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta.

For more information about Linus, please visit atlantahumane. org/dogs or email adoptions@atlantahumane.org.

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Americano Trio

February 29, 2020 at 8:00 p.m.

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Jane Bunnett and Maqueque

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Ask Rusty – Should I take Social Security at 62?

By AMAC Certified Social Security Advisor Russell Gloor

Dear Rusty:

My husband took an early retirement at age 62, and I will be turning 62 next year. I am having some health issues and I’m thinking about taking an early retirement. Is this a good idea?

Signed: Uncertain what to do

Dear Uncertain:

That’s a difficult question to answer with so little information, but I’ll try to give you some pointers, which may help you decide. In choosing when to start your Social Security benefits you should always look at several things, including how badly you need the money now, your current health and how long you expect to live.

If you take your Social Security benefits when you’re 62, the monthly amount you receive will be 27.5% lower than you would get at your full retirement age of 66 1/2. But if your current health issues mean that you must stop working and lose income you rely upon to make ends meet, then taking your benefits at age 62 will give you some badly needed financial relief.

The fact is that Social Security was designed to pay about the same total amount of money whether you claim early or wait until your full retirement age. However, whether you actually get the same total amount in either case depends upon you living long enough to break even.

Most analyses I’ve done reveal that if you wait and take your benefits at age 66, you’ll need to live until you are about 78 to collect the same amount of money you would have gotten if you claimed at age 62. If you live longer than your break-even age, you’ll have collected more in cumulative benefits by waiting until your full retirement age to apply.

Another thing I suggest you consider is that by applying for Social Security benefits at age 62, you will be automatically deemed to be filing for both your own benefit and any spousal benefit you may be due from your husband’s record. A lower earning spouse is entitled to a “spousal boost” from the other spouse’s record, but only if that spousal benefit will be higher than they are entitled to on their own work record. At full retirement age (FRA) a lower earning spouse can get 50% of the higher earning spouse’s “primary insurance amount” (or “PIA,” what the second spouse was entitled to at their FRA).

But you only get that 50% if you have reached your full retirement age; if you take it earlier than that, for example at age 62, the spousal benefit will be cut to as little as 32.5% of the higher earning spouse’s FRA benefit amount.

So, is it a good idea to take your Social Security benefits at age 62? Again, it depends upon your health, financial status and your expected longevity. If you apply early, your payments are smaller, but you get more of them; if you wait to apply, your payments are larger but you get fewer of them.

Unless, of course, you live to a ripe old age, in which case the larger monthly payment you get by waiting will undoubtedly come

Joyce DiDonato by Brooke Shaden

in handy when you’re older and your total cumulative benefits will be more. But all of that doesn’t matter if your current health and financial status mean you need the money now. It’s a choice only you can make.

And here are a couple of final thoughts: If you continue working while collecting early benefits, you’ll be subject to Social Security’s annual earnings limit ($17,040 for 2018). But if your current health issues are severe enough that you can’t continue working, you may want to consider

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-security-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@ amacfoundation.org.

applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.

If approved, SSDI benefits would be based upon your FRA benefit amount, resulting in a higher benefit at an earlier age. And you can file for both early retirement benefits and SSDI at the same time, which would allow you to collect benefits earlier while your SSDI application is being considered.

Watch SeniorFit by Bradford!

When:

Monday - Friday at 8:30am

How:

• AIB Network

• Comcast Channel 295

• AT&T Channel 6

Get fit with senior fitness expert and exercise physiologist, Bradford Bailey in this new AIB Network series, Senior-Fit by Bradford. Each episdoe features chair exercises that work all the major muscle groups in one easy-to-follow workout.

Tune in to Atlanta’s only fitness show designed exclusively for seniors! Bradford

“Exercise is Medicine”

seniorfitatlanta.com

Hospital’s volunteer corps celebrates a half-century ‘paying it forward’

Carol Niemi

Ten years ago, after a successful career as a corporate executive, Dunwoody resident Chris Cox retired and soon found herself in a bed at Northside Hospital recovering from breast cancer surgery.

Filled with fear and uncertainty about her future, she was visited by a former patient who had survived the same surgery. Dressed in a Northside Hospital Auxiliary blue volunteer’s coat, Cox’s visitor answered her questions and allayed her fears.

Thus began a whole lot of healing beyond cancer. When she felt better, Cox began spending four hours a week doing for other breast cancer patients what had been done for her. Gradually, those hours became part of her own recovery as well.

“When I retired, all of a sudden, I had nowhere to go,” she said. “I was pretty lost and didn’t know what to do with myself.”

Volunteering at Northside gave her what she was missing.

“The doctors’ job is to fix things. We help patients get through the aftermath,” she said. “As a volunteer who visits with breast cancer patients the day after their surgery, I’m the face of survivorship.”

And the leadership skills she had honed during her long career didn’t go unnoticed. Soon, she was asked to join the auxiliary board.

“When I got the call to join the board, I was like, ‘OK. I’m back in the groove,’” she said. “It became part of my reinvention after a busy work life.”

As a volunteer in the auxiliary, Cox is not unique. Patients and visitors at the hospital would be surprised at how often the person greeting them in the lobby, pushing their wheelchair, delivering flowers, staffing the gift shops, bringing in therapy dogs, taking baby pictures, driving courtesy carts and offering information and comfort to patients and their families is a retired corporate executive. Others are teachers, artists, veterans, homemakers, high-school students and more.

Though from diverse backgrounds, they all seem to have one thing in common: they were inspired by the kindness of other volunteers when they or their loved ones were patients.

“Most of us who volunteer have experienced being in the hospital and had someone do something that changed our life,” said Vicki Atkinson, Auxiliary board president and breast cancer survivor.

As personal as volunteering is, the Auxiliary volunteers are essential to the overall operation of the hospital.

Formed in 1969, the year before Northside Hospital officially opened, the auxiliary is celebrating 50 years of providing services. Since its founding, auxiliary members have volunteered more than 2.3 million hours and raised more than $20 million, all of which is used to benefit the hospital.

The auxiliary also operates Camp Hope for cancer survivors, the Special Projects Fund, which allocates $200,000 a year to fund hospital wish list requests, $40,000 for advanced training scholarships for hospital employees and volunteers and the Educational Grant Fund for teenage volunteers in the summer “Volunteen” program.

Other projects the auxiliary has funded include playground equipment for the Children’s Developmental Center, the Serenity Garden, a security system for newborns, CAD digital mammography equipment, a

mobile mammography truck, PCI (angioplasty) equipment and a daycare center bus.

Besides fundraising, one of the most valuable things auxiliary members do is free up the staff.

“We’re everywhere in our blue coats,” said Atkinson. “As greeters, we’re usually the first people patients see and also the last because we wheel them out.”

The auxiliary has been celebrating its 50th anniversary all year through a series of events. One of them included fielding a team on July 4 that “ran” the Peachtree Road Race, also celebrating its 50th anniversary. For some of the team in their 60s, 70s and 80s, it was their first Peachtree ever.

But not all auxiliary members who ran the Peachtree are corporate retirees.

One of them, Sonia Ray, is a young mother who lives in Rex, about 45 minutes south of Sandy Springs. A two-time breast cancer survivor, Ray says “paying it forward” is proof her “battle was not wasted.”

In addition to counseling patients, she has started a nonprofit to help fund services for breast cancer patients who live in her underserved area.

The auxiliary has a tagline: “Be the Difference.” Members say you can be the difference by giving just four hours a week.

For information, visit northsideatlaux.com.

“Besides making new friends, I love the library, exercise classes and someone to change my linens on my big bed!!” PAT LANDER Resident since 2017

“When I retired, all of a sudden, I had nowhere to go. I was pretty lost and didn’t know what to do with myself.

CHRIS COX

►Out & about

The Arts

Books, Bites, Beverages and Bestselling Authors

Tuesday, Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m. Lynn Cullen is the bestselling author of “Mrs. Poe” and more than 15 award-winning children’s and adult books. Her newest novel, “The Sisters of Summit Avenue,” has just been released. Patti Callahan Henry is the New York Times bestselling author of 15 novels including “Becoming Mrs. Lewis.” Books will be available for purchase and signing. The silent auction and wine bar are sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

Peachtree Corners City Hall, 310 Technology Parkway, Peachtree Corners 30092. Find out more at gwinnettpl.org or call 770-9785154.

MJCCA Page from the Book Festival

Thursday, Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m. A Page from the Book Festival of

Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) presents Vern Yip, veteran interior designer of Trading Spaces and HGTV, as he presents his newest book, “Vern Yip’s Vacation at Home: Design Ideas for Creating Your Everyday Getaway.” General admission tickets are $13 for members, $18 for the community; $30 for admission and a copy of the book. The event will be held at MJCCA, 5342 Tilly Mill Rd., Dunwoody 30338. Purchase tickets and learn more at the MJCCA Box Office, 678-812-4002 or atlantajcc.org/bookfestival.

12 Angry Jurors

Runs Sept. 13-29. On a long hot day, a jury votes 11 to 1 that a 19-yearold man is guilty of murdering his father. However, as the evidence is re-examined, new uncertainties come to light. This courtroom thriller, based on the highly acclaimed movie with Henry Fonda, explores what it means to live in a democracy. Tickets are $15 for seniors (65+)/ students and $18 for adults. Reserve tickets, $20 and $23, are also available. Act3 Playhouse, 6285-R Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. Go to act3productions.org or call 770-241-1905 for tickets and details.

◄Art in the Park—City Lights

Saturday, Sept. 28, 2-5 p.m. Let the natural beauty of Hammond Park inspire you to get in touch with your inner artist. Come with friends to celebrate a special event or just enjoy getting together for fun and creativity. Through November, the Hammond Park Community Building transforms into an artist studio. Each month features a different canvas painting. Cost is $30 per person. Hammond Park Community Building, 6005 Glenridge Dr., Atlanta

►Out & about

30328. Register at registration. sandyspringsga.gov.

Christel Minotti

Opening Reception ▼

Saturday, Oct. 5, 5-7 p.m. Christel Minotti is an award-winning artist whose paintings explore the relationships of colors and shapes. Her childhood was spent

Beltran, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent with the University of Georgia - Gwinnett Extension, and Olga Jimenez, Senior Manager of Community Outreach with the American Cancer Society, will oversee this seminar. Coupons for a free mammogram and exam will be available for those who qualify after the program. Gwinnett County Public Library, Buford Branch, 2100 Buford Highway, Buford 30518. Learn more at gwinnettpl.org or by calling 770978-5154.

High Country Standup

Paddleboard (SUP) Yoga

in Finland where basic modern forms were admired and blended with the nature-centered mysticism of the past. Minotti’s paintings will be exhibited at Gallery 4945 Oct. 3 through Dec. 1. Gallery 4945, a volunteer run gallery offering exhibition space for emerging and established artists in the Atlanta area, is located at 4945 High Point Road, Sandy Springs 30342. For more information, call 404-252-3324 or visit gallery4945.weebly.com.

Music in Newtown Park

Saturday, Oct. 5, 7 p.m. For the season finale of the Johns Creek Summer Concert Series, join the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra for a free concert of light classical and Pops favorites performed at the Newtown Park Amphitheater. Mark Burkhalter Amphitheater at Newtown Park, 3150 Old Alabama Rd., Johns Creek 30022. More info is available at johnscreekga. gov. For information about the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra 2019-2020 season, visit johnscreeksymphony.org.

Health & Wellness

Don’t Let Cancer Stop You ►

Tuesday, Sept. 10, 1 p.m. Ines

Sunday, Sept. 15, 9:30-11 a.m. SUP YOGA is a combination of yoga and standup paddleboarding. Each class starts with brief instruction on paddle technique. Then participants paddle out to a nearby protected area on the river and the paddleboards are anchored. Following the warm up paddle, students are guided through breathing techniques and basic sun salutations before flowing into more challenging postures on the water. Cost is $35. Overlook Paddle Shack, 200 Morgan Falls Road, Sandy Springs 30350. Get details and register at highcountryoutfitters. com.

Senior Fitness Assessment and Exercise Demo

Monday, Sept. 23, 10 a.m. and Tuesday, Sept. 24, 1 p.m. Presented in partnership with Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation. Receive a brief Senior Fitness Assessment, watch exercise demonstrations to improve mobility limitations, and learn how to help prevent falls and injury. For Sept. 23,

pre-register by Sept. 20 at gwinnettparks.com with code BEP41905, or call 678-2770179. The event will be held at Bethesda Park Senior Center, 225 Bethesda Church Road, Lawrenceville 30044. For Sept. 24, no pre-registration is needed; the event will be held at Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville Branch, 1001 Lawrenceville Highway, Lawrenceville 30046. To find out more, visit gwinnettpl.org or call 770-978-5154.

Learn Something

Social Security

Pre-Retirement Program

Saturday, Sept. 14, 11 a.m. Get the facts from a Social Security Public Affairs Specialist and receive information about benefits and tools for you and your family. This is a great opportunity to get answers to your questions. Gwinnett County Public Library, Collins Hill Branch, 455 Camp Perrin Road, Lawrenceville 30043. For details, go to gwinnettpl.org or call 770978-5154.

▼Georgia Perennial Plant Association Presents Shannon Currey

Association. Reservations are recommended. Atlanta History Center, 130 West Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta 30305. Visit atlantahistorycenter.com for info and to make a reservation.

Geology of Sandy Springs

Walk & Talk

Thursday, Sept. 19, 6:30-8:45 p.m. The hills and hollows of Sandy Springs, its vistas of the Chattahoochee and even its name, are tied to its geologic past. The program starts with a gentle walk to view the geological wonders located at Lost Corner. Then Dr. Bill Witherspoon, co-author of Roadside Geology of Georgia (georgiarocks.us), presents a slide lecture on Rocks, Rejuvenation, and Ridges: The Geology of Sandy Springs. The program is free, and the book is available for purchase; the walk is held if weather permits. Lost Corner Preserve Cottage, 7300 Brandon Mill Road, Sandy Springs 30328. To get more info, email info@ friendsoflostcorner.org.

Festivals

28th Annual Marietta StreetFest

Saturday, Sept. 21, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. & Sunday, Sept. 22, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 16, 7-9 p.m., Shannon Currey is the current Southern Region Director for the Perennial Plant Association and serves as the Marketing Director for Hoffman Nursery in North Carolina, a wholesale nursery that specializes in ornamental and native grasses. This free event is in partnership with the Georgia Perennial Plant

Held in the historic Marietta Square, Marietta StreetFest is a celebration presented by the Marietta Museum of History. There’s something for everyone. Artist Alley and Jewelry Row feature works from more than 75 artists. Kids Korner and Tiny Tot Town include inflatables, crafts and games for young attendees. The Marietta Grassroots Music

Festival showcases local bands and singer/songwriters and the Hubcaps and History Classic Car Show will bring a variety of interesting cars. Admission is free. Glover Park on the Historic Marietta Square, 50 North Park Square, Marietta 30060. For more info and a festival map, visit mariettastreetfest.com.

53rd Annual Roswell Arts Festival ▼

Community

60th Annual Atlanta AAUW Bookfair

Runs Monday, Sept. 30-Sunday, Oct. 6. Browse among tens of thousands of gently used books, all available for sale at bargain prices. Presented by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), the book sale supports scholarships and community projects offering opportunities for women and girls. Perimeter Mall, 4400 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Atlanta 30346. Go to bookfairaauw.org for hours and additional information.

A CHaRMing Evening

Saturday, Sept. 21 & Sunday, Sept. 22, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fine art and original crafts will be available, as well as live entertainment and children’s activities. A variety of food trucks will be on site to satisfy hungry attendees. The festival is presented by the Roswell Recreation Association to raise funds that will benefit the city’s Recreation & Parks programs. Historic Roswell Town Square, 610 Atlanta St., Roswell 30075. Go to roswellartsfestival.com for more info.

Thursday, Oct. 3, 6:30-10 p.m. Atlanta’s Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) is Atlanta’s only permanent dropoff facility for materials too harmful or bulky for the curb. The annual fundraiser helps cover the organization’s costs, growth and programs. This year, the evening includes a live performance from Yacht Rock Revue, heavy hors d’oeuvres, Sierra Nevada and a selection of wines. Tickets are $50 per person and increase to $60 on Sept 17. The event also features a car raffle, and the prize is a three-year lease of a new BMW i3 donated by Global Imports BMW; tickets are $100 each. Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, 980 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta 30306. For tickets and more info, visit charmbmw.org.