Atlanta Senior Life - September 2020

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By Donna Williams Lewis

For five years, Brandt Ross has packed up his guitar and PowerPoint presentations and traveled across Atlanta and beyond to inform and entertain rooms full of seniors.

The retired CEO presents popular programs related to his passions — history, baseball, and the hazards of aging in place — at senior centers, senior residences and at continuing education programs for seniors.

The global coronavirus pandemic didn’t stop him. He recently wrapped up a slate of summer programs and will teach for four different senior programs this fall. Every class he teaches now is done online,

SCHOOL’S IN FOR SENIORS AS LOCAL ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS GO ONLINE

using meeting apps such as Zoom.

“The online world has become an important component of senior life and we just have to get more people into it,” Ross said. “I talk in my senior transition program about socialization and keeping people connected. I think this … connection that we create for seniors who are isolated is so important.”

Senior education programs, such as Emory University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) program, are rapidly adjusting to that new normal.

“We lost a lot of students in the beginning (of the pandemic). We dropped down to about 100 students from 1,000,” said Jeffery Alejandro, OLLI program manager. “We had a lot fewer

Hatcher Hurd

courses because instructors were reluctant to teach online. But now they’ve been missing teaching and students have been missing taking courses and the socialization.”

Alejandro anticipates offering 15 to 20 online courses this fall, with topics ranging from art and music to the history of Broadway to world travel.

OLLI is also working to maintain a sense of community for students through special

interest groups and virtual gatherings.

“We’re doing watch parties where everybody watches performances together or takes a virtual tour of a museum together,” Alejandro said.

Virtual programming has become a permanent part of OLLI’s new normal.

“When we go back to safe spaces, we will still livestream classes from the classrooms because of health concerns and accessibility issues,” he said. “So, there’ll be people in the classroom and people online taking the class together.”

Bill Berger, president of Perimeter Adult Learning & Services (PALS), looks forward to returning to in-person classes someday, but he’s also seen the benefit of online classes, which

continue at PALS this fall.

“One of our participants is in dialysis and he’s able to log onto the class, sign in while he’s on dialysis, and be involved in the class,” Berger said.

Now that classes are online, PALS and OLLI are recruiting volunteer instructors from across the country. Berger found one of the instructors for PALS’ upcoming Election 2020 course after reading about the Virginia resident in a Washington Post article on reapportionment.

PALS’ fall lineup of four Zoom classes features a series of lectures on early presidents, an in-depth exploration of Antarctica, a course on avoiding frauds and scams and the program addressing Election 2020 themes.

Berger said the value of these

courses is that they, among other things, engage the brain and bring people together, “even if only on a computer screen in this time of social isolation.”

“Knowing about early presidents, you know, is that going to help you get along in life? Maybe not, but it’s something that’s fascinating to a lot of people to hear facts that they never knew about, and even if they never use it in the future, it’s still learning,” Berger said.

“Other information like avoiding scams and frauds is absolutely essential, especially for seniors, to know about,” he said. “And, of course, we have what many call the election of a lifetime coming up in no time at all.”

The fall session of Buckhead-

continued on page 6

Did you know?

In Georgia, seniors ages 62+ can attend the state’s public colleges and universities tuitionfree.

Check college admission web pages for information on their tuition waiver procedures.

Top: Emory University medical students host an on-line Game Night for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, also known as OLLI.

Above left, researcher and ethnographer Althea Sumpter teaches a “Difficult Conversations” class online. Sumpter appears in the top center square in the screen image. Above right, her online OLLI students consider a point for discussion.

Facing page: Hatcher Hurd teaches a class on the life of Winston Churchill for Seniors Enriched Living.

continued from page 5

based Lifespan Academy will be totally virtual.

“Our thinking during this difficult time is “Stay Safe - Stay Engaged,” said Peggy Palmiter, Lifespan’s executive director.

“We help older adults get online and learn how to use Zoom, and we offer technology classes … on a variety of topics.”

Lifespan’s fall course outline features classes on the U.S. Constitution, mindfulness and visioning, “Healthy Eating Ideas from other Countries,” and a series about “the challenges of aging in these unprecedented times.” Also on the roster are a town hall session on current events and live instruction in Tai Chi and line dancing.

Ross, a frequent instructor for

Get schooled!

Here’s a roundup of some popular education programs for seniors offered by metro area nonprofit organizations.

Some of these programs offer scholarships or grants or state that they will turn no one away for inability to pay.

Public libraries and senior centers are also good sources of classes and activities. Check their websites for virtual programs.

Enrichment of Life Movement (ELM)

The fall session of Mariettabased ELM was cancelled due to the pandemic. Founded in 1984, ELM provides educational programs, social interaction and volunteer opportunities for residents of the Cobb County area, ages 50+. The nondenominational organization

Lifespan, recently completed a couple of new programs to add to his lengthy repertoire.

“Perhaps the Greatest Cowboy,” is his course about

normally offers a full day of more than 60 classes for eightweek sessions in the fall, winter and spring at First United Methodist Church of Marietta. Info: elmcobb.org.

Lifespan Academy

Created in 1981 by a collaboration of churches, Buckhead-based Lifespan Academy is an education and enrichment program of the Lifespan Resources organization. Lifespan will offer virtual classes for its fall session, which begins the week of Sept. 7. A single eight-week class is $50. The full schedule of classes costs from $59 to $84. Info: lifespanatlanta.org or 404273-7307.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Emory University

Four-week online classes begin monthly, except in December, and cost about $50. An optional one-year membership is $50 and provides benefits such as discounts on OLLI classes,

Charlie Goodnight, a cattle rancher commonly referred to as the “father of the Texas panhandle.”

The other is about Bass

access to OLLI book clubs and other special interest groups, and discounts at some local restaurants. Info: ece.emory. edu/olli or 404-727-5489.

Other OLLI programs can be found at Kennesaw State University, cpe.kennesaw.edu/ olli and at The University of Georgia, olli.uga.edu.

Perimeter Adults Learning & Services (PALS)

Founded in 1991, Dunwoodybased PALS is an all-volunteer organization led by seniors for adults ages 50+. The fall session of life enrichment learning runs from Sept. 14 to Nov. 11 with four Zoom online classes offered on Mondays and Wednesdays. The $55 fee covers all of the classes. Info: www.palsonline.info.

Seniors Enriched Living (SEL)

This all-volunteer, interfaith organization based at Roswell United Methodist Church is

Reeves, a man who was born into slavery, became the first black deputy U.S. marshal, and was credited with arresting more than 3,000 felons.

in its 30th year of offering classes for seniors. The fall term begins Sept. 28 and runs for eight weeks. Registered members can take five online classes a week for a registration fee of $55. Open to anyone age 50+. Registration is $55. Info: selroswellga.org.

Senior University of Greater Atlanta (SUGA)

Tucker-based SUGA will do a virtual fall session beginning Sept. 22. Seven classes will be offered Tuesdays through Fridays, and members can take one or all classes, which run from six to eight weeks. SUGA began in 1979 on the Emory University campus, and later moved to Mercer University and then to leased space at Rehoboth Baptist Church. The normal annual registration fee has been $195 per person, which covers the entire year of classes. For information on current charges, send an email to sugaatlanta@ gmail.com. Info: su-ga.org.

— Donna Williams Lewis

Brandt Ross teaches a virtual class on John Wesley Powell, a 19th century explorer and scientist, as part of his “Game Changers” series.

Ross is diving into Zoom technology, adding intermission periods to his programs, and enjoying answering questions sent to him by his audiences. He’s also getting a kick out of creating artificial backgrounds.

“For example, I’m doing a program Wednesday on the Grand Canyon for Lifespan, and I’ve got great pictures of the Grand Canyon, so it’s like I’m sitting on the rim of the canyon,” Ross said.

Virtual programs do have their challenges, though, he said.

“One of the tough things is I’m singing songs and playing guitar. The sound is really, for the most part, not good, and I need all the help I can get,” he said, laughing.

Researcher and ethnographer Dr. Althea Sumpter began teaching at OLLI in 2018, starting with “Documenting Your Cultural History,” a course on how to create family stories through PowerPoint and video.

She’s also taught “Navigating the Gullah Geechee Coast,” a course based on her first-hand knowledge of the area’s culture.

“This year I created a course that is very prescient for the time, ‘Difficult Conversations,’” she said.

The course focuses on the development of the U.S. from a cultural and ethnic perspective with a goal of inspiring people from diverse backgrounds to become allies in forging a

common future.

Dr. Sumpter said online teaching for OLLI is working out well for her, “along with the ability to remain in contact with those in the class through email.”

“Zoom allows me to share my PowerPoint materials along with online links to additional materials,” she said. “I also like that a support person is always available if something goes awry.”

Because having the confidence and peace of mind of accreditation is important. That’s why The Piedmont is accredited by CARF International, an independent organization that sets exceedingly high standards for care and service. It’s a lot like an accreditation for a hospital or college. Or a five-star rating for a hotel.

So if you’re looking for assisted living services, take a good look at The Piedmont at Buckhead. We think you’ll find that our CARF accreditation is only one of the many reasons you’ll like what you see.

What will change once COVID-19 finally is controlled?

By Mark Woolsey

Every week -- sometimes each new day -- brings a new wrinkle in the ongoing coronavirus crisis. While the daily scramble shows no signs of abating, some people already are taking a longer view of how we will live with the disease in the future.

Professional futurists, government planners and senior service specialists are thinking about what life may look like for seniors, who have proved to be more susceptible to the disease, once effective treatments and/or a vaccine are developed for COVID-19.

The consensus: connectivity, engagement and inclusiveness will all be crucial. And that because of the pandemic, big changes are coming in where and how older adults live, ways in which they engage with

technology, ways services are delivered to them, and how will they fit into the overall mosaics of their communities.

They predict seniors will be able to access more services from their homes and that both government agencies and private businesses will alter how they deliver them. They’ll be more tech-savvy and more inclined to get involved multigenerationally on ways to help the community. And that another prime factor-where they’ll hang their hats-will look significantly different.

Not everyone’s on board with the idea of a dramatically altered landscape, though.

“One of the first things out of my mom’s mouth was, ‘Once they have a vaccine, it will go back to normal.’ I don’t necessarily agree with that,” said Leigh Cook, associated vice president of strategy at

Leigh Cook

North Highland, a transformation and consulting firm in Atlanta.

Cook compares 2020 and the pandemic with 2001 and 9-11, the terrorist attacks that produced permanent changes in security, accessibility and other areas.

“I think there will be a spectrum of how people will react, regardless of generation. And even with my parents, their personalities are very different. I think the big issue will be connectivity.”

Trendwatchers think it’s likely that more families will take their elderly members into their homes, in a return to the multi-generational approach that faded as the U.S. population became more mobile. Others think that seniors might gravitate more toward cohousing or shared living arrangements outside of nursing homes and assisted living centers, some of which have become hotbeds of Covid-19.

And for families and seniors still opting for institutional care?

“People might well be more demanding in terms of longterm care options than before,” said Kerstin Gerst Emerson, clinical associate professor in the Institute of Gerontology at UGA.

“How do you watch for infections?” and “how do you handle a lockdown situation?” could be among the standard questions that mature adults and their families will ask in the future, she predicted. And forecasters say that increased care and concern could lead into more rigorous government standards for assisted living, memory care and nursing homes.

She added that “I think we’ll be more demanding not only on how to protect older adults [from disease outbreaks] but how to make sure that seniors can communicate within those settings.”

That’s where online

communication tools like Zoom and Skype come in. Some people predict that when coronavirus restrictions finally are gone, families will rush to visit their older relatives in person in previously lockeddown institutions. But that once

continued on page 10

Kerstin Gerst Emerson

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the excitement settles down, anything from tele-health visits to real-time interactive exercise classes could become the norm for many people.

State health officials are addressing that projected need by promulgating programs to put tablets and other devices in the hands of older adults, even as they worry about seniors who may have traditionally used on-line services at library and senior centers and might be disenfranchised going forward. It goes back to back to the traditional balancing act: on one hand, said the AARP, polls show 90 percent of seniors want to stay in their homes as long as possible. Conversely, that creates a danger of isolation, a situation with “consequences as bad as smoking 15 cigarettes a day,” said Becky Kurtz, managing director of aging and independence services at the Atlanta Regional Commission.

She and others say today’s health concerns will dictate changes in how seniors connect to have various needs met, from doctor’s office visits to housekeeping to purely social gatherings.

Kurtz thinks one possibility already being discussed in Congress will be investing more Medicaid money in at-home services, as opposed to the traditional emphasis

on institutional care. She said whether the service is provided by a family member or a worker, many more people would get care at home if Congress provides more money for home and community-based care.

“If you’re in a nursing home [now] and you are eligible, you automatically get Medicaid

We are definitely seeing people reluctantly go into nursing homes. Family members can be paid by Medicaid to provide that care, lessening older persons’ newfound reluctance to have health care aides inside their home due to the pandemic.

BECKY KURTZ

Atlanta Regional Commission

to pay for your care, but not if you’re at home,” Kurtz said. “We are definitely seeing people reluctantly go into nursing homes. Family members can be paid by Medicaid to provide that care, lessening older persons’ new-found reluctance to have health care aides inside their home due to the pandemic. “

So-called assistive technology also will help seniors become more independent within their homes, said forecasters. One example: a more nimble bath chair that would eliminate the need for an aide to help with bathing chores.

Another concept that may snowball is the “senior center without walls” said Renae

Brown, the chief dietician at the Division of Aging Services at the Georgia Department of Human Services. She said among approaches being utilized are handing seniors restaurant meal vouchers and shying away from traditional congregate meals.

At the same time, the agency is putting more programs online. “People who have an impairment or who just had trouble coming in are now discovering

State officials said another concept poised to take off is to allow more consumer-directed services rather than onesize-fits-all service mandates coming from government officials.

“They’d be given a budget

and could contract for services within the framework of what’s allowable,” said Karen Nelson of the state’s Aging and Disability Resource Connection. For example, seniors could arrange for home care outside of traditional service hours and parameters.

Changes in services to seniors are spilling over to private businesses as well.

“We worked with a large entertainment company,” said Cook, “helping them figure out connectivity. …they started out with a focus on designing specific products, but it evolved into a focus of more inclusivity being built into the company culture.”

Still other crystal-ball gazers think older adults will become

more community-focused and join with younger people, such as millennials, to work for the betterment of their home turf.

Jean Accius, AARP’s vice president of global thought leadership, predicts seniors increasingly may volunteer in places such as local schools while younger folks undertake programs to teach seniors about handling the latest technology.

“What we’ve learned over the years is that older adults are a major contributor to our society,” Accius said.

“What we’re seeing now is the generations coming together.”

Former Atlanta mayor helped Buckhead stay ‘a destination of choice’

Sam Massell is a prime example of the term “pillar of the community.” The Atlanta native’s early real estate career drew him into a life of civic involvement: Atlanta City Council member, Atlanta mayor from 1970 to 74 and later, founding president of the high-profile Buckhead Coalition civic and business group, a position from which he just retired after 32 years.

Now in his early 90s, Massell says he has every intention of staying active and adds that hard work has been a hallmark of his life. He spoke to Atlanta Senior Life contributor Mark Woolsey recently by phone.

Q. What prompted your retirement from the coalition?

A. I saw other people had retired 40 years before and thought maybe that’s what I was supposed to do. Actually, no one thing prompted it, other than I have a new wife I just married two or three years ago and wanted to spend more time with her. I didn’t have any one item that triggered it. In fact it wasn’t a week after I announced it that I had seller’s remorse.

Q. What do you consider major accomplishments in connection with the Buckhead Coalition?

A. It was an ongoing effort to nurture the quality of life of the people who visited, worked or played in Buckhead and that population kept increasing and, as it kept increasing, we branded it as a destination of choice.

One item I am particularly proud of is that we were the first entity in the U.S. that placed external defibrillators where people were, not just in ambulances….we put them in hotels, shopping centers, office buildings and churches in the Buckhead area.

[Another was] promoting and persuading City Council members to support the extension of Ga. 400 from I-285 through Buckhead to I-85, which connected us to the rest of the world…it just opened up commerce and industry for Buckhead very dramatically.

Q. How do you feel Buckhead has developed as an entity?

A. I feel it has developed well. We were welcoming and encouraging people to come there and make it their home as well as their business location...We don’t feel that it’s been overbuilt.

Q. How do you feel the city of Atlanta is being led?

A. It’s different from the way we led it. I think my legacy, I guess, is being the one who was in charge when the city went through a peaceful transition from an all-white power structure to a predominantly black city government. Other cities went through that same change in different ways and to different degrees many of them had unrest and those are problems we avoided.

Q. Is the city moving in a good direction?

A. I think the city is in as healthy a shape as you can be considering the health issues we’re facing now. I don’t see that getting resolved for another year at least. I am quarantined because of my age. Mayor Bottoms appointed me to a committee on that issue (COVID-19). She and her staff came up with a good formula [for dealing with the pandemic], which is very detailed -- Phases One, Two and Three. And now we’re back in Phase One again. I think she is right that government should respect home rule and be happy that cities take on the responsibility and make decisions.

Q. What do you think of the Black Lives Matter movement?

A. I think it’s going to be a major organization nationally. There are several other groups that have tried to get started, but they [BLM] seem to have the best leadership, so they don’t have people who are purposely looking for trouble and are looking for progress instead. The solution is to go from confrontation to the conference table.

Q. What do you think the next chapter of your life holds for you?

A. I am waiting for the first opportunity to come my way. I did register as a write-in candidate for the unexpired 2020 term of Rep. John Lewis. In the meantime, I’m thoroughly enjoying the quarantine time with my (new) wife Sandra, as well as keeping abreast of all the business and political news. Plus, there’s the daily happy hour at about 5 p.m.

Sam Massell is embraced by his wife Sandy Gordy shortly after announcing his retirement as president of the Buckhead Coalition at its annual meeting on Jan. 29.

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Restaurants facing COVID navigate shifting waters

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By John Ruch

Like most restaurants, Ray’s on the River, a fine-dining bastion in Sandy Springs for over 35 years, has been sharply focused on all the safety rules and guidelines it must follow to operate in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. When Ray’s learned on June 3 that an employee tested positive for asymptomatic COVID-19, the restaurant began a required deep-cleaning -- but also did something big it didn’t have to do.

It went on Facebook and told the world about the COVID case.

“I think the public is entitled to know what goes on and be [made] aware of it,” said Ray Schoenbaum, the restaurant’s founder and operator of two other Ray’s locations. “We owe it to them as a service organization to do what’s right. And, you know, it’s something we all should do and be honest about it, and tell them that we’re doing everything we can to make sure that it doesn’t pass on.”

Customers who assume that restaurants and other businesses must notify them about positive COVID cases are in for a surprise. The pandemic precautions Georgia restaurants operate under are largely unenforceable guidelines that it appears inspectors are not proactively double-checking, and which do not include public notice of cases.

For restaurant owners, that means navigating an ever-shifting sea of suggestions and rules for avoiding a devastating outbreak. Beyond the basics of cleaning and distancing, the biggest practical rule is adapting quickly to maintain customer trust and confidence.

“I’ve been practicing law now for 39 years and this has been the most unique set of circumstances I’ve worked at because the law is unclear” and new ones are still in the works, said Rick Warren, a labor and employment attorney at the Atlanta office of FordHarrison who specializes in the restaurant industry.

Rules like social distancing are easy enough to figure out, Warren and some restaurant owners say. But applying bigger issues, like legal liability for COVID infections, to a particular business can be a complex puzzle. And the answer can lie somewhere between what businesses can do and what they might want to do for better customer and employee relations.

Warren said that, under a new state shield law that was to take

Ray Schoenbaum gets his temperature checked at his Ray’s on the River restaurant in Sandy Springs.

effect by Aug. 7, it is highly unlikely that a customer could prove and win a liability case for a COVID-19 infection against a business that is making good-faith efforts to follow safety rules. But, Warren said, businesses still need to consider whether they want to cover their bets by posting a sign warning customers that they enter at their own risk.

“I’m not sure the posting in itself gives you any more protection than the law does without posting the notice,” said Warren. “I think you’re going to see businesses putting the signs up because… it will dissuade the public from filing frivolous claims.”

But at McKendrick’s Steak House in Dunwoody, another finedining mainstay, such signs have already come and gone. “We did that initially,” said Carol Conway, the restaurant’s general manager. “We’ve taken those signs down. We feel that’s intrusive.”

Instead, she said, the restaurant focused on following federal and state public health guidelines so that there is no pandemic problem to worry about. Signs she is interested in posting are those issued by the state’s “Georgia Safety Promise” campaign, where businesses can publicize themselves as following basic COVID-fighting rules.

The most complex decision of all comes when a COVID diagnosis rears its ugly head. Warren said there’s a clear trend in the questions he is hearing from his clients: “Someone has come in and they have tested positive. What do we need to do? What is the extent of what we need to do? How long do we have to do it?”

Shifting rules

Georgia restaurants currently operate under non-mandatory guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration. They also have been following an executive order from Gov. Brian Kemp that cover topics such as cleanliness, social distancing and employee screening.

For customers who wonder whether a restaurant or other business is really following all the procedures, however, there is little to go on

besides word of mouth and experience. Warren said he has not heard of any proactive inspections of restaurants for pandemic-precaution compliance and expects that they would be driven by customer complaints if they happen. Schoenbaum said he hasn’t seen inspectors, either, and has noticed some breaches when he has dined at other spots.

“I think the government people are all busy trying to figure out stuff that they haven’t figured out yet. They don’t want to start arguments with the restaurants,” said Schoenbaum. “I’ve been to several restaurants that are definitely not in [compliance with] code.”

Violating the governor’s order is officially a criminal misdemeanor, Warren noted, and he said businesses have plenty of motivation to stick to the rules because of the economic devastation a shutdown could bring. But the flip side of no government inspections is little government help in interpreting those rules.

Warren said dealing with COVID-positive employees depends on the type of business and the situation. There is no mandate to notify anyone about such cases, he said, although CDC guidelines recommended informing coworkers who may have been exposed. Then there are wrinkles, like legal prohibitions against disclosing medical information, and, in Georgia, the possibility that a public health official can need notificaion for contact-tracing or other purposes.

“There is substantial flexibility in what employers choose to do in terms of notifying the workforce and notifying the public of a positive test result,” said Warren. He added that, while businesses have no obligation to tell non-exposed employees about a COVID-positive coworker, some might do so for a “philosophical, moral, employeerelations reason.”

A similar reasoning is followed by the restaurants that choose to inform the public. “Keeping a secret’s just going to get you in trouble, because somebody’s going to report,” said Schoenbaum. “Somebody in the kitchen’s going to say something to somebody. It can get back to you.”

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Misuse of over-the-counter painkillers can lead to ulcers

Some call them “n-saids.” Others clearly state one letter at a time: N-S-A-I-D, then add an “s” sound at the end.

But all seem to agree that the nickname’s easier than using the full name – “non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs” –when talking about our use of common, over-the-counter pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and others.

What’s important (actually, critical) to understand is that NSAIDs, whatever you call them, can be (and are) dangerous if taken over long periods of time.

“Probably the most significant risk factor for NSAID-induced injury in older adults relates to the fact that older adults are more likely to be taking multiple medications,” said Dr. Alan Fixelle with Gastro Consultants of Atlanta in Sandy Springs.

The problem of multiple meds is called “polypharmacy,” he said. For example, he said, the combination of NSAIDs and antidepressants may increase the risk of bleeding around the brain.

Combining prescription NSAIDs and OTC NSAIDs may not only increase the risk of adverse events due to NSAIDs, he said, but may affect the drug levels of other medications by interfering with the metabolism of prescription medications.

“If you have decreased kidney function, which gradually progresses with

increasing age, NSAIDs may contribute to further damage and deterioration,” Fixelle said. Because NSAIDs are sold over the counter, buyers may wrongly think they are safer than comparable prescription drugs, he said. “However, if an individual uses NSAIDs regularly or takes higher- thanrecommended doses of the over-the-counter medicine, this selfmedication often results in the administration of more medication than the typically prescribed dose, which may be adjusted by the prescribing physician when factoring in risk factors and age of the patient,” he said.

Seniors most at risk

According to Physician’s Weekly, older (over 65-) and elderly (over 75- and 80-) yearold patients are “most at risk” for bleeding and other potential ulcer problems related to NSAIDs. “Elderly people and those with pre-existing heart conditions are more likely to suffer heart damage or strokes from NSAIDs,” states the article.

Gastroenterology

Journal warns that “NSAIDs may occasionally cause small intestinal perforation, ulcers and strictures requiring surgery.” This type of damage can be hard to repair surgically and can involve long recovery periods.

About 4 million Americans have peptic ulcer disease, according to the American Gastroenterological Association. Is it too many medications, or possibly a lack of information about the meds, which may successfully treat a headache or a sore muscle in a 50-year-old, but may not be the drug of choice for those of us who are over 65?

In addition to NSAIDs, there are other causes or contributing factors for peptic ulcers, including an infection in the stomach lining.

For example, H. pylori (a specific bacteria) is problematic for many people worldwide. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)

is a spiral-shaped bacterium attributed as the cause for greater than 90% of duodenal ulcers and up to 80% of gastric ulcers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Globally, 4.4 billion individuals are estimated to be H. pylori-infected.

Before 1982, when this bacterium was discovered, spicy food, acid, stress, and lifestyle were considered the major causes of ulcers. The majority of patients were given long-term medications without a chance for permanent cure.

These acid suppressing medications relieved ulcerrelated symptoms, healed inflammation and even healed ulcers, but they did not treat the infection. This resulted in recurrence of the ulcer(s). Today, there are numerous combination regimens, consisting of both antibiotics and acid suppression, available to eradicate the H. pylori

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

Alan Fixelle

infection, which has changed many millions of lives for the better. Other contributing factors for peptic (or stomach and/or duodenal ulcers) include smoking; drinking alcohol; being in poor health and other overuse of a multitude of medications.

Prevention

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a couple of things you can do to help prevent peptic ulcers include opting for the lowest effective dose of an NSAID, taking the medication with meals, quitting smoking (if you smoke) and drinking alcohol in moderation, if at all. Lastly, speak with your physician about possible alternatives to NSAIDs, such as acetaminophen.

The Mayo Clinic includes “stress control” on their list of items to help people from worsening the signs and symptoms of a peptic ulcer. “Some stress is unavoidable,” says the Mayo Clinic’s website, but learning to cope with stress via exercise, spending time with friends or even journal writing may make for helpful lifestyle changes.

Fixelle said that when you use NSAIDs, it is important to make sure there are no interactions with other drugs you may be taking. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to be safe.

“Do not take more than the recommended dose of your medications, either prescription or OTC medications,” Fixelle said.

“You need to be cautious regarding the use of NSAIDs, limit the duration of use due to risks, especially the increased risks of GI [gastro-intestinal] bleeding, further impairing kidney function and heart failure,” he said. “Just because NSAIDs are ‘over-the-counter’ does not mean that these drugs are inherently safe.”

Simply stated: “be careful.”

Live like a turtle and keep your shell thick

Hundreds of years from now, when historians talk about us, they’ll refer to us as the soft-skin era, the time when we reverted to non-verbal and non-threatening hand signals to avoid any potential offending of someone, according to someone else, not the actual person who should be offended.

Who are these advocates for those who are may be or may not be offended?

Should we all seek such advocates?

If we don’t need one, then why are they so readily available and why are they from places

STAY SAFE

community in Alpharetta a qualified advocate for changing the name of the Washington, D.C., football team, which now is named “The Washington Football Team?”

around in our comfortable non-threatening metrosexual attire to pan flute music. In the meantime, the terrorists, or worse, zombies, will simply walk right in.

“That you are not an officer.”

“I’m offended by that.”

“Of course, you are.”

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

See? It has already started. They’re afraid to name the team for fear of offending someone. How much time did Karen spend in the Native American community or did she have an epiphany, a sudden revelation that came upon her during her wine-and-book club meeting? Why does a turtle have a thick shell? Because in days of old, even before disco, when they didn’t have a solid shell surrounding them, they were eaten. The shell evolved from the experience of knowing what the heck happens without one.

Okay, maybe not the best example. But point made. Where are we going with all this? Quite simply, we need to be offended occasionally to keep our thick skin thick. Otherwise, years from now, we’ll be a nation of harmless twits, dancing

Put two cops in a room and a war story will evolve. Such was the case recently with a group of people, some I knew, some I didn’t, at a lunch. One of the other guys was a police officer and soon we began to swap a couple of stories.

Mine was about a couple who for many years engaged in alcohol-fueled fighting each and every weekend, taking it to new levels each week. One story had to do with her trying to set him on fire one late Friday night.

In the middle of the story, one of the other attendees, probably named Karen, said: “I’m offended. You’re telling a story of domestic violence like it was nothing.”

“Yes, a story. Not advocating it, just telling the story based on experience, something that happened to extreme, but it happened.”

“Still, you shouldn’t tell it.”

“So, erase it?”

“Yes, if I were an officer, I would never tell any story of violence.”

“Well then, I speak for many when I say that I’m thankful.”

“Thankful for what?”

It is impossible to wipe the slate clean, to pretend something did not happen, but we cannot erase the past. If we could, disco would have never happened.

We can be productive and observant and respectful of others without this saturation of political correctness shoved down our throats. Let’s take it a bit at a time, but humans are made to be tough. Like an engine that needs to be run occasionally, we need to have something thrown at us once in a while to see if it still bounces off. We need thick skin.

We need to be respectful of others, but let’s balance it out with the fact that we are human and, as such, flawed and prone to an occasional stupid comment. There is no need to go all “Karen” and embellish each stupid mistake into a national tragedy.

Why don’t we combine our flying the flag of correctness for others with a goal of getting our own houses in order first.

Start from inside and work out. Once we realize there was plenty of work to be done in our own lives, we can then move on to finding a productive, nonintrusive, non-threatening, gluten-free name for the Washington Football Team.

“Saint

Anne’s Terrace has a beautiful setting and the staff is professional, friendly, courteous, which creates a family atmosphere. I’m very happy to be a part of this community.”

What will be my wife’s survivor benefit from Social Security?

Dear Rusty:

I am a 68-year-old retired male and had planned on waiting until age 70 to begin collecting Social Security benefits. My wife is currently 53 years old. When I die, would my wife’s spousal benefit at her full retirement age be equal to what I would be receiving at age 70, or be reduced? Also, if I were to die before 70 and before collecting Social Security, what would be my wife’s survivor benefit at her full retirement age?

Older Husband

Dear Older Husband:

Your wife’s survivor benefit as your widow will depend upon two things – the amount you were receiving (or were eligible to receive) at your death, and the age at which she claims her survivor benefit as your widow.

If you were receiving an increased benefit because you waited until age 70, your wife’s benefit - if she has reached her full retirement age - will be 100% of the amount you were receiving at your death. If she hasn’t yet reached her full retirement age when she

claims her survivor benefit (she could claim as early as age 60) the benefit will be actuarially reduced according to the number of months prior to her full retirement age that she claims it.

The amount of reduction for claiming her survivor benefit before her full retirement age is 0.396% for each full month earlier, which is 4.75% per year earlier than her FRA, to a maximum of 28.5%. And for clarity, your wife isn’t required to take the survivor benefit immediately upon your death; she can wait until the benefit reaches 100% at her full retirement age, if desired and if financially feasible.

If your wife also is eligible for a Social Security benefit on her own work record and you die before she reaches her full retirement age, she will have the choice to take either her own Social Security benefit or her survivor benefit from you. If her survivor benefit will be her highest possible benefit, she would have the option to take her own retirement benefit from her own work record first and delay taking the larger survivor benefit until it reaches maximum at her full retirement age.

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.

Or, if her own benefit at age 70 would be more than her survivor benefit from you, she could take the smaller survivor benefit first and delay taking her own Social Securty benefit until it reaches maximum at age 70 and switch to her own benefit at that time. The goal is for her to get the highest possible benefit for the rest of her life.

Finally, if you were to die before you started collecting your increased Social Security benefit at age 70, your wife would still have the same

options, but her survivor benefit amount would be based upon the amount you were eligible to receive at your death, even though you were not yet collecting.

In other words, all those delayed retirement credits you are now earning (and will continue to earn until you are 70) will not be lost – the benefit you have earned up to the point you die will be what your wife’s survivor benefit is based upon.

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

Take an armchair tour of American history through architecture

By Peter Spiers

You’re probably staying close to home these days. Your travel plans may be on hold, but you can continue to learn about distant places (and avoid going stir crazy!) through Road Scholar’s “Armchair Explorer” series. In this article, the Armchair Explorer looks at nine buildings that tell American history.

The stay-at-home architectural tour starts in the Southwest and proceeds roughly counterclockwise around the country, and roughly in chronological order, ending in Los Angeles.

■ Whitney Plantation in Louisiana, once a sugarcane plantation, is now a museum dedicated to educating visitors about slavery in the Southern United States.

At right: the main house; blacksmith shop where slaves worked.

■ America’s Founding Fathers were a bundle of contradictions, and none more so than Thomas Jefferson, Enlightenment man and slave holder. One of his great achievements was designing and building Monticello, his home in the Virginia Piedmont near Charlottesville, and a gem of Neoclassical architecture.

■ Our first stop is Mesa Verde in the southwest corner of Colorado. This national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site has been inhabited by humans for nearly 10,000 years, and nearly a thousand years ago Ancestral Puebloans began constructing the magnificent cliff dwelling that today draws half a million visitors a year.

■ The next stop is in New Mexico and celebrates Spain’s influence on the New World. The San Francisco de Asís Mission Church in Rancho de Taos—built in the late 1700s and early 1800s and, later, a favorite subject of painter Georgia O’Keeffe—is considered one of the finest examples of Spanish mission architecture. The exterior of the Mission Church is adobe and must be re-plastered every year, an event one volunteer describes as “God’s way of bringing his people together on an annual basis to work on the structure.”

■ After the United States became an independent nation it began to stretch westward, and in the 1820s the Greek Revival movement in architecture was an expression of the nation’s rising self-confidence. One of the greatest examples is the Second Bank of the United States in Philadelphia.

Road Scholar calls itself the nation’s largest educational travel organization for adults–a true university of the world. The not-forprofit educational organization offers 5,500 extraordinary learning adventures in 150 countries and 50 states. Road Scholar educational adventures are created by Elderhostel, the not-for-profit world leader in educational travel for adults since 1975. Learn more at RoadScholar. org.

■ After the Civil War, steel technology, the invention of the elevator, and the shift in work from farms and factories to offices gave “rise” to a new kind of building, the skyscraper. The Flatiron Building in New York City is an early example, and certainly one of the most beautiful tall buildings ever constructed.

■ Have you ever heard of “Nebraska marble”? While New Yorkers were growing accustomed to taking the subway to work, other Americans were forging new lives on the Great Plains in sod houses.

■ The final stop on our architectural journey around the United States is the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, a masterpiece designed by the celebrated contemporary architect Frank Gehry.

About the Author

Peter Spiers is the senior vice president of strategic outreach at Road Scholar. He is the author of “Master Class: Living Longer, Strong, and Happier,” recently selected by The Washington Post as one of the best books to read at every age, 1 to 100 (Peter’s book was selected for age 70).

Spiers holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a master of science from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

■ The flat expanse of the Great Plains was a source of inspiration to Frank Lloyd Wright, perhaps the greatest American architect. Wright’s Wisconsin estate—Taliesin North—is an outstanding example of Prairie School design.

Atlanta’s Parrot Heads know a good party

By Tiffany Griffith

They’re the Jimmy Buffett fans called Parrot Heads. They’ve fans of chilled cocktails and Hawaiian shirts. You find them by the ocean and in landlocked states, getting lost in Buffett’s music. You find them in Canada, France, Australia, Mexico, and Belize. Just about anywhere. Including, of course, metro Atlanta.

“I have friends who traveled to Ireland and London to see Buffett,” Leslie Maske said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s the first time you’ve met other Parrot Heads, you all become friends.”

The main desire of this multicultural and multigenerational fan base is escapism. And at a time when many people are stressed and uncertain, there couldn’t be a better time to find your piece of paradise.

“After ‘Margaritaville’ exploded, everyone liked that idea of escapism,” said Maske, who lives in Decatur. “Going to a tropical isle, having a margarita, having your toes in the sand, not worrying about anything.”

She added that surgeons routinely listen to the septuagenarian Buffett’s brand of soft rock to relax themselves during stressful operations.

Buffett’s music has also provided calm for Eliza Peake of Dahlonega during an especially worrisome time in 2020.

“My family came in contact with someone who was COVID positive,” she said. “I had Radio Margaritaville on the whole time. It helped me forget while we waited for our test results.” Fortunately, everyone in her family is okay.

So, what does it take to join this colorful cocktailed club? Does it require indulging in a margarita from your Official Jimmy Buffett blender? Does it require wasting away on a Margaritaville Booze Cruise or at

his branded restaurants, resorts, and retirement communities?

“You just have to know more than ‘Margaritaville,’ ‘Fins,’ and ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise,” Maske said with a chuckle. “If you enjoy Buffett’s music, if you enjoy the lifestyle, then you can be a Parrot Head.”

Maske has true fan credentials. She met the musician twice and traveled from Atlanta to Orlando, where she was featured in his 1994 music video for “Fruitcakes.” Her devotion to Buffett goes beyond being hypnotized by the songs. Since 1990, she’s been a member of the Atlanta Parrot Head Club. Founded as a joke on April Fool’s Day 1989, the local club holds the distinction of being the original Buffett fan club.

She also calls her fellow Parrot Heads a second family.

“I’m still friends with all of those people I met back in 1990,” Maske said. “We’ve watched people get married, and have kids, and have grandkids. We all stay in contact, even if we move. We love each other very much.”

Peake found her love for Buffett through her “party girl” aunt. Her best memories involve poolside barbeques and dancing to the singer’s tropical tunes. It was difficult for Peake to enjoy the laid-back music after her aunt’s death five years ago, but the good memories came back when she introduced her teenaged daughter to the

At top, Decatur Parrot Head Leaslie Maske shows souvenirs she’s collected as a fan of singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett Above, Buffett’s fans love the laid-back life at the beach. At left, Buffett performs one of his trademark tunes. Facing page: Buffett’s song lyrics inspired the lifestyle reflected in the Margaritaville resort at Lake Lanier.

Parrot Head lifestyle.

“It was the best experience,” she said about taking the teen to a Buffett concert. “My daughter was also close to my aunt. We had a really good time and it meant a lot to share the experience.”

Parrot Heads love the music, love each other, and they love their communities. Clubs around the world are dedicated to philanthropic work, which is also important to Buffett. Fans are the most passionate about fighting Alzheimer’s Disease following the diagnosis and death of Buffett’s father. The musician

also contributes in cities where he plays, including a donation to Atlanta’s efforts against Spina bifida.

And, sometimes, Parrot Head fundraisers can be hilarious.

“We played an underwater Monopoly game for charity!” said Maske.

The pandemic has downsized the Atlanta Club’s gatherings to Zoom Meeting Happy Hours, but the group remains committed to cleaning the Chattahoochee River and a 2021 Parrot Head Cruise to fight breast cancer.

So, when will anxious Parrot

Heads see their savior again?

Buffett tells Rolling Stone, “I’m waiting for that day…whenever it is, and wherever it is, it’s gonna be a hell of a show.” In the meantime, Parrot Heads are enjoying Buffett’s latest album, Life on the Flip Side.

In her closing argument for becoming a Parrot Head, Peake said, “We all have lives we’re trying to live and children we’re trying to raise and making it through without depression or anxiety or whatever we’re dealing with,” she said. “But when you listen to Buffett, it makes you remember fun.”

Embracing and Empowering Life

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Atlanta, GA 30305 | (678) 931-9335