When you remember that “OMG I forgot my SPF?” We treat sunburns at The Jackson Clinic.
When your sunburn comes with nausea, headache, chills and blisters, come to The Jackson Clinic Family Medicine Center, and get fast, affordable care that’s backed by Jackson Hospital. Walk-ins are always welcome, so you can get back to your summer fun feeling cool again.
URGENT CARE
WALK-INS WELCOME
MONTGOMERY 1801 Pine Street 334-240-2334 Mon.-Fri. 8am-6pm
PIKE ROAD 11123 Chantilly Pkwy 334-832-2301 Mon.-Fri. 8am-6pm Sat. 8am-Noon
HealthNEWS
August 2014
for Boomers and Beyond
Smart, Safe Medicine Sensible Steps for Taking Medicines Medicines often play a role in keeping us well. But when misused, they can also be dangerous. Taking too much or too little of a medicine can harm your health. And mixing some medicines with other medicines is unsafe. Such problems are a big risk for older adults, who tend to use more medicines than younger people. In fact, experts say people 65 and older are twice as likely as younger people to end up in hospital emergency rooms because of problems with medicine.
Take With Care You can do a lot to help protect yourself from problems with medications. Follow these tips: • Know the names of all your medicines and why you use them. • Write a list of all the medicines you use, and take this list to doctor appointments. This will help your doctor check whether any of the items are dangerous in combination or inappropriate for you. Include prescription drugs and all your over-the-counter medicines, such as cold and pain medicines. Also include any vitamins or herbal products you take. Having all your prescriptions filled at one pharmacy can also help; the pharmacist can keep an eye out for possible problems.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
• Follow the directions. Don’t take more or less of a medicine than advised. • Call your doctor if a medicine doesn’t seem to help. You may need a different medicine or dose. • Don’t stop using a medicine without consulting your doctor. • Call your doctor if you develop any problems after using a medicine. This may include rashes, stomach problems or any other side effects. Your doctor can adjust the dose or give you another medicine that works better for you. • Don’t break up tablets or capsules unless directed. This can affect how well medicines work. • Never use anyone else’s prescription medicine. • Turn on the light when it’s dark so you can make sure you’re taking the correct medicine. • Throw away outdated medicine. Your pharmacist can tell you how to do so safely. • Always store medications where children can’t get to them. • Use a calendar or a pillbox to help you remember to take your medicines daily. Sticky notes on the refrigerator can help too.
Before Using A New Medicine If your
doctor prescribes a new medicine, ask: • How will it help me? • Are there any side effects I should know about? • When should I use it, and how much should I take? • Should I take it with food or before or after meals? • Should I avoid certain foods when using it? • What should I do if I forget to take it? • Where is the best place to store it? Does it need to be kept cold?
Speak Up Be sure to talk to your doctor if you
have any concerns about medicines you use.
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Join us at Frazer for a year of preaching through this life-changing book that will show you exactly who Jesus Christ is. “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” –John 20:30-31 THROUGHOUT THE YEAR 2014, Pastors Tim Thompson and Patrick Quinn will be preaching verse by verse through the gospel of John in all of Frazer’s Sunday morning worship services. Jesus made the remarkable claim that He came to give you life—real, abundant, overflowing life right now, and eternal life in the world to come. This teaching series will lead you to the heart of who this Jesus is and what it means to believe in Him.
Frazer Church: find hope, Follow Jesus • Sunday worship 8, 9:30 & 11AM 6000 atlanta Hwy. Montgomery • frazerumc.org • 334.2728622 •
BOOM!, The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Contents
August 2014
“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” Volume 5 Issue 2
Carl Bard
Thought Relationships Taste Inspiration
Humor Advice Health Community
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C.S. Lewis
3 Jackson Hospital’s Health News 6 Publisher’s Letter 10 The Maine Event 11 Vicarious Vacations 12 Nominate a BOOM! Cover Profile 14 BOOM! Cover Profile 18 The Lasting Solution for Wrinkle Correction Dr. Thomas H. Cawthon 22 My father-in-law lives alone and has memory problems...
page 18
24 Wellness Program Leads to Healthy Hearing?
Features 9 DATING Advice
Take charge of your dating life
Departments 10 This and That
Now You’re “In the Know”
20 Still Revving... ...Her Engine at 89
25 AUM’s Lifelong Learning
31 Service Dogs
26 Mental Fitness Leigh Anne Richards & Boo Archer
Canine Programs of Easter Seals
28 Bang those sticks. Hear those drums.
40 {12} Things
Solutions for Bored Boomers
32 Welcoming Your Kids Back Home
42 Greg Budell Malled In Mid Air
35 Menopause Treatment and Breast Cancer Risk 36 Outdoor Alabama Announces its 2015 Photo Contest
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COVER PROFILE
37 Thinking About Becoming An Entrepreneur?
page 12
38 Protecting Seniors from Financial Abuse
page 11 page 17 page 40
page 14
page 42
BOOM! The River Regions 50+ Lifestage Magazine is published monthly by River Region Publications, 6398 Eastwood Glen Pl., Montgomery, AL 36117. The phone number for voice and fax is 334.523.9510. Copyright 2014 by River Region Publications. No part of this publication can be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Opinions expressed in BOOM! The River Regions 50+ Lifestage Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the owners, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products and services herein.
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publisher’s letter
19.6 The mission of BOOM! is to serve the folks of the River Region age 50 plus with information and ideas to inspire new experiences, better quality of life and new beginnings.
As we age, one of the things we must come in contact with is The Social Security Administration. After all they’ve got some of our money and we want it now...or as soon as it makes sense. Perusing their website I stumbled onto a “Life Expectancy Calculator”, Oops! Did I really want to know? Would it change my perspective when I got up in the morning? Or my last thoughts before bedtime? Yes and no. Click!
Publisher/Editor Jim Watson, 334.523.9510 jim@riverregionboom.com
When you enter your birth date into the ‘Life Expectancy Calculator”, and press the “tell me when I’ll die button” my screen said in 19.6 years or when I’m 84.2 years old. Thanks...I guess I needed to see that. Soon after this realization that I probably Jim Watson, Publisher have only 19.6 years left to live I realized just how valuable time is to each of us. For example, I’ll probably only see my grandkids 20 or so more times in my life or my sisters another dozen or so times. What about some of those Big Dreams that won’t be realized or those special moments with your wife you only think about but never do.
Associate Editor Kelly Watson kelly@riverregionboom.com
Contributing Writers Boo Archer Sandi Aplin
19.6 is a wakeup call to be proactive. To choose action on your dreams and plans instead of the “Someday I’ll” attitude that will extinguish your 19.6 years before you know it. When I saw that I had 19.6 years to live, it was as if I just looked through a telescope and saw the end of my journey. With that in mind it’s time to finish this journey well and to not let my most precious resource be squandered. What’s your number?
Dr. Michael Bowman Greg Budell
Dr. Thomas H. Cawthon Lisa Copeland Sue Groce Christopher Maag Leigh Anne Richards Dr. Brittany Spahr Ana Veciana-Suarez Raley L. Wiggins Pamela Yip
In this month’s Cover Profile you’ll learn about a woman who is energetic and engaged. She seems to maximize every hour of every day...Sue Groce is probably a good role model for those of us that want to finish well! I think you’ll find Sue and her story a great way to spend some time reading BOOM! Greg Budell’s back with a story about a really Big Mall and if you have a wrinkle problem, Dr. Thomas Cawthon has a lasting solution. If you’re trying to get into fitness, check out Mental Fitness written by Boo Archer, it may toughen your thinking. Finally, we have a great story about an 89 year old woman who’s been riding Harleys since 1941, what a legend! So sit back, relax and enjoy this month’s issue of BOOM!
Cover Photography Kim Bethea The Studio @ EastChase thestudioateastchase@gmail.com
www.thestudioateastchase.com 334.239.3196
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and sharing BOOM! with a friend. Don’t forget, you can read the digital interactive version anytime at RiverRegionBoom.com. When you read the digital interactive version you have all the links to advertiser’s websites and events, which makes reading BOOM! more like exploring. Finally, when you go to RiverRegionBoom.com please join the BOOM! Community and we’ll begin sharing more good things with you. Finish your journey well!
Advertising Jim Watson, 334.523.9510
Jim
jim@riverregionboom.com 334.324.3472 cell/text 334.523.9510 office
jim@riverregionboom.com
Design & Layout Lake House Graphics
Distribution Network Delivery
Printing Publications Press, Montgomery, AL 334.244.0436 Please Recycle This Magazine, Share with a Friend!
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DATING Advice
With Lisa Copeland
How to take charge of your dating life Dear Lisa, I am 76 years old and use a cane for balance, to prevent falling. I did not mention this in my online description for fear of being rejected. Following your advice, I received a response from a possible Great Guy. How should I handle this problem? Wait till we might possibly meet, in the future? Honesty is the best policy, but I don’t want to “throw the baby out with the bath water.” _Eileen Eileen, There are lots of men and women in the world of all ages who use canes. You probably should mention your cane in your profile. With this man, let him know on the phone. The key is to do it in a fun way that makes it seem cool and like an asset, not a deficit. For example, in the future, post a picture of you with a cane participating in an activity you love doing and say, “Yes, that’s me with a cane and I can still do...”
his ex. I have no kids. He also travels a lot for his work. We don’t see each other as much as I’d like.
involving you in his life when it suits him. Think about whether this is what you really want.
Plus, even though he told me he wants me to meet the kids (he did that two months ago), he still hasn’t done it. I mentioned it to him once, just pointing out that there’s no “perfect time” to do it.
Dear Lisa, I have trouble telling if a man is taking drugs or is an alcoholic because they do it at home. By the time I find out we are friends and then I have to break it off; the men were such babies they cried. I need to find a healthy man who isn’t taking drugs behind my back. How do I figure this out before it goes anywhere? _Patty
I promised myself I wouldn’t ask him about it again. I’m not sure if he’s taking this glacial pace because he’s scared or because he really wants to make sure it’s right. Neither one of us is dating other people at this point. Suggestions? Thanks for your help. _RL Dear RL, Introducing children to a potential partner is really tough. It’s possible the kids aren’t ready to meet you or this man’s ex has expressed an opinion about her kids being exposed to “his” girlfriends.
If your activities are very limited, you might want to mention this as well. But if they aren’t and you still get around on your own, I’d do it the way I mentioned above.
You need to ask him what is going on. You can say something like, “I feel like we’ve had a disconnect happen between us when it comes to meeting your children. I need your help to understand because I’m worried this issue might be coming between us.”
Be proud of your cane even though you might not feel that way about it and share this detail as if it’s the greatest part of you because if you are okay with it...a man will be as well.
I will tell you from personal experience that minor children create a whole new dimension to a relationship, especially teenagers. And meeting his kids is one thing...living with them is another.
Also Eileen, if a man rejects your profile, its not you personally he’s rejecting. So be upfront and honest about it in an upbeat way. Keep me posted on how this works for you.
Open up the communication between the two of you to see where your relationship is heading.
Dear Lisa, Dear Lisa, I have been dating a guy for about six months. We actually knew each other as kids (we went to camp together). He is funny, handsome, charming and does well financially. We have fun when we’re together! Plus, the physical side is fantastic! Here’s the issue: we’re both divorced. He has two teenagers that he shares custody of with
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
If he doesn’t know or can’t talk about it and you still want to be with him, I suggest cutting off the physical side until he can fully commit to you in all ways. Then get out there and start dating again. Don’t do it out of spite. Do it for you... because you deserve a man who will communicate with you what is going on in the life you’re creating together. From what you’ve said, it sounds like this man is holding you at arms length and
Patty, I called a wonderful man I know who has been a member of AA for nine years and posed your question about being able to tell whether or not a man abuses drugs or alcohol when you meet. He told me that addicts can hide their habit for up to six months but there are some telltale signs you can watch for. If he orders three or more drinks fairly quickly this is a signal there could be a problem. If he consistently has to leave quickly with a sudden excuse ... it usually means he needs some type of fix and doesn’t want you to know about it. If his personality is dull when he’s not drinking or high but he’s the life of the party after using a substance this is a possible sign as well. When you continuously attract the same type of man over and over again, it usually means there is something deep inside of you that is crying out to be healed. Maybe it was growing up with alcoholic parents, grandparents or siblings. If this is the case, you might want to contact a professional for help so you can start attracting healthier partners. Lisa Copeland, “The Dating Coach Who Makes Dating Fun and Easier after 50!” (c)2014, Lisa Copeland, findaqualityman.com Distributed by MCT Information Services
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This & tHAT The Maine Event -Get Your Lobster on!
Montgomery Area Council On Aging, MACOA’s 15th Annual Maine Event, a lobster inspired fundraiser is scheduled for Thursday, August 14 and Friday, August 15. In the past, the Maine Event was a one-day pick up on Friday at the Jefferson Street main office. This year promises to be a tremendous time for everyone. Caroline Rosen, MACOA board member is this year’s chairperson. We have an added friend-raising opportunity on Thursday! It promises to be a fun-filled casual social held in the Courtyard of the AP Lofts complete with delicious cuisine and live music. Friday’s event will continue with tradition of fresh or steamed lobster for pick up at the main office 115 E. Jefferson Street pick up times are 3p.m., 4p.m., and 5p.m.. Additionally, we’re excited to offer a second pickup location at the MACOA East property located on Atlanta Highway near the Y’s Up and Somerset (look for the tent) pick up times are 4p.m. and 5p.m.. All lobsters are $25 and prepaid! Visit our website at macoa.org to purchase under the donations tab. Join In the Fun! Order Now! Bring Your Cooler! For more information visit our Facebook page at Montgomery Area Council On Aging, call 334-263-0532 or email: events@macoa.org
Hospice of Montgomery Annual Derby Benefit Over 300 guests and donors gathered at the Alley Station Ballroom and Rooftop to benefit Hospice of Montgomery. This year’s attendees mingled throughout the venue enjoying bourbon tasting sponsored by Maker’s Mark, an exclusive silent auction, live entertainment by the Black Bird Pickers, specifically crafted hors d’ oeuvres by Fleur De Lis Catering, and, of course, viewing of the ‘most exciting two minutes in racing’. Funds raised at the event allow Hospice of Montgomery to provide counseling and bereavement services to families, community education seminars, and care for terminally ill patients throughout the River Region. For more info visit HospiceofMontgomery.org
Origins: The First Twenty-Five Years of the MMFA Collection In 1930, art found a home in Montgomery, Alabama. Established under the name The Alabama Society of Fine Arts, the Museum leased its first home from the City of Montgomery for “$1.00 per year,” and its first acquisition was an “old shoe.” Since that time, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts has evolved into a showcase for the visual arts and art education in central Alabama. In celebration of the Museum’s twenty-fifth anniversary in the Blount Cultural Park, we will exhibit some highlights of the first twenty-five years of the museum’s acquisitions, including “the old shoe.” A large number of early acquisitions were works by local and regional artists—which was appropriate as artists such as J. Kelly Fitzpatrick and his students were the earliest participants in and beneficiaries of the MMFA programs. From its earliest days, the Museum has played a central role in the nurturing of appreciation for fine art in the community.
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BOOMERS, share your stuff with BOOM! We Love to Bring BOOMERS Together, send info and pics to jim@riverregionboom.com
Oak Grove Inn Celebrates New Expansion Oak Grove Inn Independent and Assisted Living celebrated the expansion of their Assisted Living community with a ground breaking ceremony on June 11, 2014. The expansion will include ten one bedroom and six studio apartments. The first phase is scheduled to open in the fall of 2014. Pictured during our celebration are the owners and operators of Oak Grove Inn, friends and professional organizations, who support the Inn. Also pictured is Mr. Jimmy Rouse, a resident at Oak Grove Inn and past board chairman of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. For additional information concerning Oak Grove Inn and the new expansion, contact Julie Benson, Administrator or O’Neal Green, Green and Associates Management Company, at 334.215.8881. http://www.oakgroveinn.org/start.html Texting for Seniors: ATD - At the Doctor’s, BFF - Best Friend’s Funeral, BTW - Bring the Wheelchair, BYOT - Bring your own teeth, CBM - Covered by Medicare, CUATSC - See You at the Senior Center, DWI - Driving While Incontinent, FWBB - Friend with Beta Blockers, FWIW - Forgot Where I Was, GGPBL - Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low, GHA - Got Heartburn Again, IMHO - Is My Hearing-Aid On?, LMDO - Laughing My Dentures Out, ROFL..CGU - Rolling on the Floor Laughing...Can’t get Up!, TOT - Texting on Toilet, TTYL - Talk to You Louder, WTP - Where are the Prunes, WWNO - Walker Wheels Need Oil, GGLKI - Gotta Go, Laxative Kicking In
Vicarious Vacations - Beat the heat with our exotic travel series Beat the sultry summer weather with Vicarious Vacations at Old Alabama Town! Enjoy themed refreshments and travel with experts as they take you to exotic foreign shores and show you local American treasures. Sponsored by Landmarks Foundation, these adventures are free to the public. Join us in the Old Alabama Town Reception Center at 301 Columbus St., every Saturday morning from July 26th through August 30th, 10:45am to noon. Travel Itinerary: August 2, 10:45 a.m. to noon • Frances Durr, Nepal August 9; 10:45 a.m. to noon • John Schneider, Australia; August 16, 10:45 a.m. to noon • Steve Brickley, France; August 23, 10:45 a.m. to noon • Twinkle Smith, Sicily; August 30, 10:45 a.m. to noon • Arthur Joe Grant, Egypt. For more info call 334-240-4500 or visit oldalabamatown.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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4 Odd Reasons Your Bruise Easily You don’t remember bumping into anything. Yet somehow, you have a shin full of bruises and a whole lot of questions. There are plenty of reasons for easy bruising, the discoloration caused by a trauma that ruptured blood vessels just under the skin. Check out the surprising explanations behind your sore spots and learn which ones are harmless and which ones need attention. 1. You take a daily aspirin. It’s the most common reason why you’re waking up with random bruises. Aspirin, as well as blood thinners, work by disabling the platelets that cause blood to coagulate or clot. With thinner blood and less clotting cells, even a minor trauma will leave a mark.
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2. It’s just your skin tone. If you have fair, thin skin, you’re naturally more susceptible to bruising even from minor bumps and bangs. Those of us with more adipose or fatty tissue won’t see a spot from the same level of trauma. Another culprit: varicose veins, spider veins or naturally more prominent veins. Smacking one of those against the coffee table is bound to leave a mark. 3. You need more citrus in your life! True vitamin deficiencies are rare in the U.S., but they do become more common with age. In fact, the reason people put lemon and limes in their drinks is because vitamin C deficiencies are common in alcoholics. Vitamin C is important in wound healing and the production of collagen, an important structural component of skin. Without
enough of it, your blood vessels are out in the open and more likely to rupture. Signs you need more vitamin C (and a trip to the doc for a blood test): fatigue, depression, bleeding gums, swollen joints, nosebleeds and dry hair and skin. 4. You never miss a chance to sun yourself. A long history of sun exposure (especially skin-damaging sunburns) will leave you with thinner skin _ and more bruises _ even faster. You lose collagen as you age, but the UV light damages it even more. While you can’t turn back time, you can prevent future sun damage (and, in turn, a future of easy bruising) with a good SPF. (c)2014, Prevention magazine Distributed by MCT Information Services
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Fleet Feet Sports Invites Community to Donate Shoes
Fleet Feet Sports invites community to donate shoes to outfit homeless and less fortunate in Montgomery. It’s one of the most basic things we all need-- shoes. Yet, there are many homeless men and women in our community without adequate or proper fitting shoes. The store, located at 2934 Carter Hill Road, will begin collecting gently used shoes as part of a new outreach program in Montgomery. Fleet Feet Montgomery Owner Avery Ainsworth said the idea came to him during a run through downtown. “I had been thinking about this idea for a while. When I saw our homeless community out and about that day, I decided it was time to step out there and help,” said Ainsworth. The plan is to collect gently-used shoes, and then personally take them to the streets and fit those less fortunate and homeless. While it is just getting off the ground, Ainsworth plans to make it an ongoing program. “Anytime you have gently shoes you wish to donate, bring them by the store. We’ll need your help to make this successful. Our hope is to give back to the community and make a difference ONE PAIR OF SHOES AT A TIME!” he said. The store has already begun accepting shoe donations. You can drop them off anytime during store hours Monday through Friday 10:00 am - 7:00 pm and Saturday 10:00 pm - 5:00 pm. For more information contact Avery Ainsworth at 334-356-5412 or avery@fleetfeetmontgomery.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Plumleaf Azaleas in Bloom at Callaway Gardens When you visit Callaway Gardens now you will enjoy the brilliant blossoms of the Plumleaf azalea. This native plant’s fiery, redorange blooms occur naturally only within a 100-mile radius of Callaway Gardens. It can be seen in abundance along the Gardens’ woodland drives, on the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Trail and in the Callaway Brothers Azalea Bowl. Founder Cason J. Callaway discovered this lovely flowering plant during a walk in the Georgia forest on a July afternoon. After learning its significance to the area, he and his wife Virginia developed Callaway Gardens partly in an effort to preserve this beautiful plant. The bloom of the Plumleaf azalea has been part of the Callaway Gardens logo since the Gardens’ inception. For more than 60 years Callaway has provided “a place of relaxation, inspiration, and a better understanding of the living world” for millions of visitors. Callaway Gardens is committed to its mission of environmental education and land stewardship for the benefit of future generations. Callaway Gardens is in Pine Mountain, Ga., 90 minutes northeast of Montgomery. For additional information about day or overnight visits, call 1-800.225.5292 or visit callawaygardens.com
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BOOM! COVER PROFILE
Sue Groce, Knows How to Catch the Big One! This month’s BOOM! profile is Sue Groce. Sue is a retired Dillard’s Store Manager, loves deep sea fishing, teaching philanthropy to children, fashion consultant with Carlisle, grandmother and volunteer at MACOA. And if she were part of a previous generation she’d most likely be in a rocking chair, but she’s part of our generation and she loves living in the moment. We were introduced to Sue through Sandi Aplin of Gallery One Fine Arts and when we shared a conversation with Sue for this month’s Cover Profile we had to catch our breath just to keep up with her. She’s energetic and involved. A good model for the aging process. We hope you’ll enjoy the experience of getting to know Sue, we certainly did! BOOM!: Please give me a brief biography, i.e. where you’re from, education, what brought you to the Montgomery area, did you raise your family here, schools, married family, etc. Sue: Born at St. Margaret’s Hospital and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. I have three older brothers, Bernie, Clyde and Jack Herring. My father and mother were both Civil Service employees at Maxwell Air Force Base. My father was a Base Administrator and my mother was a secretary. We lived in west Montgomery on the Old Selma Road where I developed childhood friends from that area and we are still, to this day BFFs. After graduating from Sidney Lanier High School in 1967, I attended Troy University for one year and then transferred to Auburn University earning my B.S. in Clothing, Textiles and Retailing. While at Auburn, I completed my retailing internship at Montgomery Fair, which became Gayfers and is now Dillard’s. After graduation, I accepted the position of Department Manager with Gayfers and within a year was promoted to Junior Sportswear Buyer. In 1973, Larry, a Troy University football player from the 1968 NAIA National Championship Team, was shopping at Gayfers. We had met while I was a student at Troy, we were both in the right place at the right time that day and married in 1974. In 1980 we were blessed with our son, Hunter. We celebrated our 40th anniversary this past January.
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Sue with a BIG Amberjack
BOOM!: You worked in the Gayfers/Dillards Department Store for 30 years and retired as a store manager, what was that experience like? Since many of your responsibilities included fashion, how would you assess the fashion world for women over 50+? Sue: My job was awesome! It was so rewarding and just plain fun. As a buyer for the store, I had an opportunity to travel to New York and see the fashion trends. Working with customers, store associates and management teams, at times, it was tedious and looking back, such a growth period of my career. One of my fondest career memories was in 1977, Roger Ciskie was our store manager and under his leadership, we opened the Gayfers Department Store in the
brand new Eastdale Mall. This was a very exciting time for retailers as more women were entering the work force and were in need of professional attire. Eastdale Mall positioned itself as the place to shop for cutting edge fashion for men and women. This is when the Montgomery growth began to move east. In the early 1980’s, I was promoted to Divisional Ladies Sportswear Merchandising Manager at Gayfer’s Montgomery Mall, the corporate office for the Montgomery Gayfer’s Group of six stores. In the early 1990’s, I was back to Eastdale as the store manager. While at Eastdale, Merchantile Stores, the parent company of Gayfers, was acquired by Dillard’s. Approximately a year later, I was transferred to Dillards in Montgomery Mall as store manager. This is where I worked the last four years before retirement. My husband is a Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley. He has helped me so much, by encouraging me to accept the challenges I was offered along the way. His support is so valuable and he has continued to help me make difficult decisions as I traveled down my own career path. After fourteen years of retirement, with his support, I am so excited about being back in the fashion world as an Associate with Sandi Aplin and Margaret Bentley, our District Manager, representing the Carlisle Collection NY. As far as fashion for women over 50, I believe many women develop their own special style over time. They know exactly what they want and more than that, what makes them feel good, such as color, jacket length, skirt length and quality. Women today are busier than
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ever, especially professional women that are in their 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, these women love working and they need what Carlisle calls road mapping -- fewer pieces that travel well and can be worn from the morning meeting to evening cocktail party and then go to dinner. I love beautiful clothes.
the College of Human Sciences at Auburn special to me and I have volunteered all five University, reached out to me to share years for the July sessions in Auburn. When I information about this new organization, served as the Vice President of the WPB, we The Women’s Philanthropy Board. The held our first Camp iCare. mission of the group, as I understood it, was to connect successful, Philanthropy is a learned driven women of all ages to behavior and the younger understand and share the a person learns to give, the BOOM!: We understand you have childhood vision of philanthropy at greater impact one will have friends that still get together and reminisce Auburn University. I soon on improving the quality of about growing up together. What has it realized that philanthropy life for others. Camp iCare meant to have long lasting friendships like comes in all shapes, sizes is a four day program for that? and financial backgrounds. students ages 6-12. It is the Philanthropy is a big word first of its kind in Auburn Sue: When I was in Maxwell Elementary with a simple meaning. It and is rare nationwide. School and Baldwin Junior High School, is sharing your time, talent, Camp iCare is dedicated Sue with CampiCare kids there were four girls that I mentioned treasure and trust to improve to teaching children how earlier, they were my BFFs. Jackie Wilhoite the quality of life for others. WPB members/ to be money smart, understanding Kelley (Pike Road, donors are committed wants vs needs, leadership and giving. Al), Sharyn Skidmore to inspiring, educating Camp iCare spawned from WPB and is Gaston (Birmingham, and enabling individuals now a division of the Cary Center for the Al), Peggy May Keller to: develop their full Advancement of Philanthropy and Nonprofit (Birmingham, Al) and leadership potential, achieve Studies, an academic center in the College of Janet Sieders Sexton independence as financial Human Sciences under the direction of Sidney (Lake Martin, Al). donors and decisionJames Nakjavan, the Executive Director. makers, serve as mentors After graduation to future generations BOOM!: How many grandchildren do you from High School and have? What’s your special experience of philanthropists and college we all went of being a grandmother? What do your to broaden the base of our separate ways. grandchildren call you? financial support for the We started careers, College of Human Sciences. married, raised families Sue: Larry and I love being grandparents. Our WPB offers educational and some moved to two grandsons, Davis, four and a half and symposiums and seminars, different cities, just Miller, just turned two, are such a joy. which have provided insight busy living life. We into many facets of finance were still somewhat One day a week, I pick them up from school such as estate planning, connected, but life had and take them home with me. We play stocks and bonds, strategic taken us in different games, feed the Koi, walk to the lake , and philanthropy and many directions, we just stroll the golf course. One of their favorite other topics to enhance weren’t as close as we things to do is visit next door with Ms. Lisa one’s financial well-being. BFF’s...left to right Sharyn Gaston, Janet had been in the past. (Lisa Turner-Vaughan) as she has great Sexton, Jackie Kelley, Sue and Peggy Keller In the last twelve years, Seven years ago, we all treats. After work that same day, Larry, WPB has provided almost decided we needed to get back together and Hunter and his five hundred thousand we met at Orange Beach. It was like we had dollars in scholarships, wonderful wife never lost touch, we were all still BFFs. We Jeri join us for a grants and programmatic have met every year since then. There is a family dinner at initiatives to the College of quote that comes to mind when I think about our house. We Human Sciences students us as a group. Michael Prichard said, “You allocate this time and faculty. When I think don’t stop laughing because you grow old. about WPB, I think about to be together as You grow old because you stop laughing.” a family. Hunter relationships, learning So, the more you laugh, the longer you live. is pursuing a together, working together, I expect this group to be laughing for many networking together and career with Alfa more years. together changing the quality and his wife, Jeri is a CPA with of life for current and future BOOM!: You are very involved with the Warren Averett. generations. We have a lot Women’s Philanthropy Board in the College We allocate of fun and if you want to of Human Sciences at Auburn University. Will this time to be know more, check out their left to right Davis , Sue, Miller you please share what the organization does? together as a website at www.humsci. What is Camp iCare? family and it gives Hunter and Jeri a break auburn.edu/wpb/. in the middle of the week. The boys call me Sue: In 2002, June Henton, the Dean of SuSu and I now know why God blesses most You asked about Camp iCare. This is very
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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We are members of First United Methodist football Church in Old Cloverdale and for the teammates at last ten plus years I have attended an Troy. We also interdenominational Bible study. Mary Ethel enjoy dining Gross is our facilitator, 10 or 12 of us meet and boating once a week. I look forward spending quality with our time praying and studying the Bible with Orange Beach BOOM!: Favorite friends. vacation spot? friends. Any travel dreams BOOM!: What is it about living in the planned for the BOOM!: Do Montgomery/River Region area that you like? future? you have time to be Left to right Larry Davis, Jeri, Hunter, Miller, Sue Sue: This is my hometown, I was born Sue: Our involved in here. We are so fortunate that so many Montgomery friends, Tom and Amy Norris community, civic or other activities? Faith philanthropic individuals have worked introduced us to DeBordieu Island, South based organizations? hard to make a difference in the quality of Carolina, just south of Myrtle Beach. This has our lives for the entire River Region. The been a favorite vacation area for us over the Sue: I have talked about Auburn, I have Shakespeare Festival, last 20 years. We have developed long lasting supported the Museum of Fine the Junior friendships with the Norris’s and six other Art, the Montgomery couples from North and South Carolina. We League and Zoo, The Alley and all rent a beach house every year for a week several other Montgomery Biscuits organizations. and some of the activities include, cooking, are wonderful family For the dining out, fishing, the guys play golf, boating venues. Hats off to and just kicking back and enjoying being last several the leadership of years, one together. Travel plans...not today, however, Montgomery. organization there is always tomorrow. that is very BOOM!: As you have close to my BOOM!: What are you most passionate aged, how have your heart is the about? priorities changed? Montgomery Area Council on Sue: Living in the moment. Sue: I don’t know Aging (MACOA, Sue with husband, Larry that they have www.macoa. BOOM!: How do you like to relax and wind changed. I just strive to be the best I can org). Through this organization I have found down? be at whatever I am doing. Enjoying family another dear friend, Sieu Tang Wood. She Sue: We love spending time with our friends and friends is a priority as well as serving the and I have co-chaired the International and they are just a phone call away. Good community. Tasting for MACOA for the last nine years. friends, lots of laughter and good food are The proceeds from this event help fund The a winning combination. We dine out with BOOM!: Give us three words that describe Meals on Wheels Program. Our 10th Annual Bobby and Anne Enslen and Alvin and Debbie you? Event will be in November at Southern Homes Dees, frequently. We have been friends and Gardens on Vaughn Road. for 40+ years. Larry, Bobby and Alvin were children with young parents, as my mother would say, “these boys are a handful.”
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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Sue: Busy, Happy and Content. BOOM!: Do you have any hobbies or other activities that grab your attention? Sue: Boating, deep sea fishing, snow skiing, gardening and shopping, I love to shop. BOOM!: Many Boomers are experiencing a renewed sense of purpose, new goals, even in retirement. How would you describe this sense of renewal in your life? Any advice for the rest of us seeking renewal? Sue: I try to keep an open mind. I don’t feel I have ever been really retired. Even when I retired I did a little work in antiques and some other things. Fast forward to today and as I mentioned earlier, I am back into the fashion world with Margaret, Sandi and the Carlisle Collection. Margaret, Sandi and I were all retired. Margaret worked with Alabama Power, Sandi was a Realtor and we met each other at WPB eleven years ago. For me it is just like old times, we three have seen the new collections on the runway in New Orleans, Atlanta and New York. Now we are all gearing up for our Fall Collection later this month.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
BOOM!: How has technology changed the way you live your life? How has it helped in your role as a grandmother? Sue: Challenging at best! BOOM!: We understand you love deep sea fishing, can you tell our readers what that’s like? How did you get started? What were the biggest and toughest fish you caught?
Last summer, in the Orange Beach Marina Ladies Fishing Tournament our five ladies fishing team just had a blast. We finished #2 in Tuna, #3 in Red Snapper and we caught Wahoo, Mahi Mahi and Amberjack. We had a good time.
Sue: In the early 2000’s This past Jeanie and John Holloway spring, invited Larry and me to we joined Doree, Buffie, Sue, Judy, Keri go on a trip to Cabo San three other Lucas, Mexico. Oh what couples a wonderful time we had sport fishing in the with Tony and Doree Nelson in Los Suenos, Sea of Cortes. That is where I caught my Costa Rica. I caught three sailfish in the first Billfish…a 135 pound Strip Blue Marlin! central Pacific. Thanks to Jeanie and John for I fought the fish for 45 minutes and was introducing us to such a wonderful sport. completely exhausted when I won that battle. I remember looking at Larry with a “help me If you have any questions for Sue you can look” and he said, “If I help, it isn’t your fish.” reach her at suegroce@hotmail.com. Thanks Needless to say, he didn’t help me. Now the to Kim Bethea from The Studio @ Eastchase Blue Striped Marlin, my biggest and toughest for her professional cover photos. If you have catch to date is prominently displayed in our home in Orange Beach. questions, comments or suggestions, please send them to jim@riverregionboom.com
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The Lasting Solution for Wrinkle Correction Presented by River Region Facial Plastics
Hello, this is Dr. Thomas Cawthon from River Region Facial Plastics. When I have a consultation with a prospective patient and ask the question, “what do you see when looking in the mirror that you would like to change about your appearance?” the number one answer is usually “turkey neck”, number two is “jowls” and number three is “sagging eyelids”. Loss of facial volume is a contributing factor to all of the above complaints. Using the artistry of injectable fillers, a noticeable difference can be achieved in select areas of the face with volume replacement. Of course, there is no substitute for surgery when needed, and we find that a blend of fillers and surgery grants the optimal result. The fillers of today are, for the most part, comprised of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in our skin. Manufactured hyaluronic acid has given us products that grant instant gratification with a natural and refreshed look when injected properly. The products have no allergic hypersensitivity and tend to last, in some cases, up to 24 months. They are slowly metabolized by our bodies through the weeks and months that follow the injection. Should a reversal of the product be needed, which is seldom necessary, an enzyme can be injected called hyaluronidase which breaks down the products. Commonly though, patients receiving a filler smile and say “Ah Ha!” when seeing their results. To continue the look granted by injection of fillers with hyaluronic acid, repeat injections are required.
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Metabolism of the hyaluronic acid through time depletes the volume of the filler and replacement by injection may be needed in 6 to 24 months to keep the status quo. The world is always seeking “a better mouse trap” (or a filler that will last longer). RRFP is proud to offer a filler that does just that! ArteFill® is a newcomer to our product line and provides up to five years of lasting quality results. ArteFill® is a soft, pliable, creamy injectable comprised of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and bovine collagen. PMMA has been used safely and frequently in the medical world with different applications for more than 10 years and is the active ingredient in ArteFill®. When injected, the ArteFill® can volumize cheeks, nasolabial folds, and hollow temples. The patient will be granted immediate visible success, but as an added bonus the Artefill® will stimulate the face’s natural collagen, supporting its presence. The appearance is both natural, refreshing and long-lasting. It is comfortably injected in our facility with minimal or no bruising or swelling. Because of a chance of hypersensitivity (less than 1%) to bovine collagen, the patient needs to be skin tested three weeks before injection with an intradermal wheal somewhat similar to a tuberculin (TB) test. We’d love to tell you more about ArteFill® – so please call our office for a complimentary consultation. Believe me, time flies by the older you are (or when you are having fun). We are rapidly approaching our second anniversary at River Region Facial
Plastics on Chantilly Parkway Court. Our staff is wonderful, and I have many loyal patients who see me there. Thanks to all of those who have seen us and had procedures or surgeries, we are very successful and growing. I hope all of you who have been to see me like your appearance and will suggest to friends and acquaintances that they book a consultation. I delight in the results given to my patients who have “done something beautiful”. I am a board-certified otolaryngologist (ENT), and a Fellow of the American Academy of Facial Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery – a great honor granted to me in 1987 by my peer group. This is an organization of fellow physicians who only operate on faces and necks. I personally have over 35 years of facial head and neck surgical experience and have continually kept up with the rapidly changing pace of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery to the head, face and neck. My credentials and those of my partner, Dr. Michael Bowman, offer the utmost expertise to help you with changes in the aging face. While board certification and other titles behind a name are admired, there is no replacement for the experienced hands of a skilled surgeon. “Experience is a good teacher” is a caption that applies. I look forward to visiting with any of our readers of BOOM! and this article and invite you to come by for a consultation. Our goal is to have you look in the mirror after we treat you and know that “Ah ha!” moment. Dr. Thomas H. Cawthon Doctors@RiverRegionFacialPlastics.com 334.270.2003 The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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Still Revving Her Engine at 89 By Christopher Maag
This summer, to celebrate her 89th birthday, Gloria Tramontin Struck of Clifton, New Jersey will ride her blue Harley-Davidson 1,700 miles to Sturgis, South Dakota. There she knows she will be treated like a queen, a celebrity, a legend. Grown men will beg to have their pictures taken by her side.
Photo-Gloria Struck poses for a photo on her Harley with her daughter Lori DeSilva in the back. Gloria has ridden motorbikes since 1940, and this summer she will again ride with her daughter to Sturgie’s rally in North Dakota. (Marko Georgiev/The Record/MCT)
When the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is over, many of those men will strap their motorcycles onto trailers and drive away in the comfort of their air-conditioned, leather-seated, globally positioned pickup trucks. Struck will point her Harley toward New Jersey and ride 1,700 miles home. “We do not trailer bikes,” Struck said. “We ride.” Few people walking around today can trace their lives back to the early days of American motorcycling; even fewer of them still ride. Struck, who was born in an apartment behind a motorcycle shop in Clifton in 1925, is known by Harley aficionados around the country as a rare living connection to the days when few people rode motorcycles cross-country, and women rode barely at all. “Gloria is the matriarch of women riders,” said Kathy McKenzie, general sales manager of Chester’s, an enormous Harley-Davidson dealership in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In May, the dealership paid to fly Struck to Florida so she could speak to an all-female group of young bikers and women interested in taking up the activity.
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Her older brother decided she should ride anyway, and so she did. Five years later, in 1946, she joined the Motor Maids, one of the earliest motorcycle clubs for women. She took her first ride to Daytona, Florida, in 1951 to watch men race motorcycles right on the
“Women were supposed to stay home, they weren’t supposed to speak unless they were spoken to,” McKenzie said of the way things were in 1941, when Struck started riding as a teenager. “They sure weren’t supposed to get out and ride their own motorcycle and make their own path.”
beach.
Perhaps it was fate. Her first photograph shows Struck inside the belly of her mother, who was pictured pregnant, smiling and standing next to a motorcycle sidecar. The next photo in Struck’s thick album finds her at age 2, tightening a loose nut on a motorcycle. “I never forgot the feeling I had at that moment,” she said. “I was so proud of myself.”
“People thought women on motorcycles were tramps. I hadn’t even had my first date and I was called a tramp,” she said. “Women weren’t supposed to be doing this.”
A few months later, her father, Ernest, died in a motorcycle accident. As a child she never wanted to ride, not from fear of what happened to her father, but because riding a motorcycle was a bold pastime for a shy girl. “I was very timid, very meek. And women didn’t ride back then,” Struck said.
And she rode against the prevailing sentiments of the time, which held that only bad girls rode motorcycles. A gas station attendant refused to sell her gas along the way, and a motel refused to let her stay the night.
Struck started riding on a 1941 Indian Bonneville Scout. Since then, she’s owned two more Indians and 11 Harleys. Some she loved more than others, including the Riviera Blue Harley she rode from Toronto to Montreal in 1950. The trip was considered so unique at the time that Harley-Davidson Enthusiast magazine ran a full-page story about it, with pictures, two years after it happened. Her current bike is a 2004 Heritage Soft Tail Classic. Unlike so many modern Harleys, it is not a trophy bike, polished to a blinding shine and trotted out on weekends for showing off. It has black The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
studded leather saddlebags that sag from use, a scuff on the windshield inflicted last summer by an errant truck tire that came bouncing down a highway and nearly cut Struck’s head off. The odometerreads 49,655 miles. “We rode 835 miles one day when I was 87 years old,” Struck said. Now she rides only in the company of her daughter, Lori DeSilva, who pilots her own Harley Electra Glide Ultra Classic. “We don’t fool around,” Struck added. Her daughter prefers to ride slowly and obey local speed limits. This drives Struck crazy. When she can’t take it anymore, Struck pulls alongside and kicks DeSilva’s motorcycle with her foot. Then she twists her own throttle and speeds off down the highway. Struck, who once stood 5-foot-5, has shrunk with age to an even 5 feet, and she weighs 125 pounds. Her bike weighs 700. She is in no way intimidated. “She’s not a large woman. But she rides better than a lot of men I know,” McKenzie said. Struck has become accustomed to people marveling about her age. It’s been going on for a quarter-century. In her photo album she keeps a 1991 story from what was then called the Herald & News about a certain gray-haired, Harley-riding grandma from Clifton. Since then, she’s become a great-grandmother and an octogenarian. She’s been featured in more magazines and newspapers than she can remember. And still she refuses to stop. Two years ago, Struck woke up the morning of her annual trip to Daytona to find the ground covered in snow. So she grabbed a shovel and cleared a path – just wide enough for a full-sized Harley _ halfway down the block.
for her motorcycle!” she recalled.
“Me! A gray-haired old woman shoveling a path
The 89 year old Struck has certain standards. For example, she can’t envision a day when, like other older riders, she switches to an easier-to-control three-wheel Harley. “My goal is to keep riding on two wheels until I’m 100,” she said. “Anybody can do that on three wheels.” (c)2014 The Record Distributed by MCT Information Services
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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Ask an Elder Law Attorney By: Raley L. Wiggins | Attorney at Law | Red Oak Legal, PC
My father-in-law lives alone and has memory problems... My father-in-law lives alone ever since my mother-in-law died five years ago. In the last year, it has become obvious that he is having memory problems. My husband checks on him constantly. We’re afraid that he will forget to turn off the stove or have an accident. He says he is fine, but we are very worried about him. His house is a mess and unpaid bills are piled up on the dining room table. My husband doesn’t want to upset his dad, but I think that we need to step in. What can we do? It’s hard to tell your mother or father that you don’t think they’re capable of handling their own affairs anymore. No matter how old you are, you are still talking to your mother or father who raised you and cared for you. When the roles are reversed, it’s uncomfortable for everyone involved. This is a situation more and more families face each year as the population continues to live longer. Your options depend upon what (if any) planning your father-in-law has put in place. First, you should understand that in the eyes of the law, everyone is presumed to be mentally competent until proven otherwise. This means that you can’t just take over a loved one’s affairs without some legal authority to do so. This authority can be generally divided into two flavors: legal authority that has been voluntarily granted, and legal authority that has been involuntarily imposed. Powers of attorney fall under the “voluntary” category. A power of attorney is generally used to grant someone the authority to handle your financial and business affairs. The scope of this authority can be as broad or as narrow as you want it to be. If your father-in-law has executed a power of attorney, then the person holding that power (called his “agent”) could use it to manage some or all of his financial affairs.
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Of course, a power of attorney is always revocable so long as the person who granted it is mentally competent to revoke it. This can create a tough spot. If your father-in-law attempts to revoke the power of attorney, then you may have to ask the probate court to determine whether or not he is competent to revoke it. While rare, this can and does happen. This leads us to the second category— involuntary grants of legal authority. If your father-in-law is not competent to manage his own affairs, and if he has not executed a power of attorney, then you may need to file a petition for guardianship and conservatorship with the probate court. This is a legal proceeding which asks the court to appoint someone to be responsible for your father-in-law’s general health and welfare (a guardian), and to appoint someone to manage his finances (a conservator). The guardian and conservator may or may not be the same person. The court must then decide who should be appointed. If your father-in-law nominated someone in a previous power of attorney to serve as his guardian or conservator, then that person will usually be appointed. After that, the judge has a list of preferred candidates (such as a spouse or adult child) who are entitled to priority of appointment. Even a simple estate plan can often prevent the need for a family to seek appointment of a guardian or conservator. A broadly drafted durable power of attorney is usually enough to manage a loved one’s affairs without involving the court.
Many people think that our spouse or next-of-kin has the authority to make healthcare decisions on our behalf if we are unable to speak for ourselves, but that is incorrect. That’s why every adult should draft an advance directive, living will, and healthcare proxy to address medical issues. This ensures that you have appointed a loved one to manage your medical affairs if you cannot, including consenting to treatment, and admitting you to an appropriate healthcare or long-term care facility. Without it, a costly and time-consuming guardianship petition may be required. In the short-term, if your father-in-law is a real and present threat to himself or others as the result of a mental illness, you could seek a civil commitment action. This is generally not a long-term solution. Alternatively, you could seek an emergency guardianship with the probate court, but only for up to fifteen days. The answer to this month’s question is, frustratingly, “it depends.” Your options depend primarily upon how much mental decline your father-in-law has suffered, and what if any prior planning he has in place. The good news is you’ve taken the first step by discussing it with your husband and seeking more information here. The next step may not be easy, but putting it off won’t make things any easier. Send your questions for Ask an Elder Law Attorney to info@redoaklegalpc.com Raley L. Wiggins Attorney at Law, Red Oak Legal, PC 334-239-3625 | info@redoaklegalpc.com 401 Madison Avenue, Montgomery AL 36104 www.redoaklegalpc.com
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Healthy Hearing
By Dr. Brittany Spahr Au.D.
How Can a Wellness Program Lead Me to Healthy Hearing? Wellness Programs are vastly expanding all over the country. The goal of the Wellness Program is to provide individuals with the information Dr. Brittany Spahr and the opportunities to continue being healthy and to help prevent health problems before they occur. Most Wellness Programs offer classes, activities, and overall health screenings, including hearing screenings. Some classes may include weight loss activities, information on how to handle distress, and education for fall prevention. Individuals who are 55 and older are at an increased risk of health problems and hearing loss. Taking part in a Wellness Program in your community can be very beneficial. Community Wellness Programs are striving for individuals who are 55 years and older to have annual screenings in hopes for early detection and prevention for major health problems. Wellness programs are being implemented across the country in large and small communities, and the results are encouraging. As part of the Wellness program initiative, Doctors Hearing Clinic is offering complimentary hearing screenings to all individuals over the age of 55. A hearing screening is a costefficient way to determine if further treatment is needed. After the screening the audiologist will classify the results as either a pass or refer. If the results are a pass, this means that there is no hearing loss present at the time of the screening and no further treatment is necessary, but should you notice a change in your hearing, please return to your audiologist who can recheck your hearing. If the results are different, the audiologist will recommend that further testing be
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done to determine the extent of the hearing loss and decide what appropriate treatment options are available to you individually. Current research indicated that hearing loss is prevalent in 20-40% of adults older than 50 years of age and more than 80% in adults aged 80 years or older. Age related hearing loss presents itself gradually over a course of several years. The average person will wait 7-10 years from the time when the first signs of hearing loss are noticed before seeing an audiologist. Studies indicate that waiting 7-10 years before seeing an audiologist puts the individual at a higher risk for major health problems. The longer the hearing loss is unaddressed the greater the risk for auditory deprivation and poor word understanding. When there is hearing loss present, the hearing nerves and brain are deprived of sound. The way to address auditory deprivation is to activate the auditory system. The sooner the system is activated, the greater the chance of success to hear better. By identifying the hearing loss early with our Wellness Program hearing screenings, word understanding can potentially be preserved with appropriate treatment. An audiologist will discuss all of the appropriate treatments options that are available to you. Research from John Hopkins Hospital found that individuals with unaddressed hearing loss are at an increased risk for dementia and that individuals with severe hearing loss are at 5 times the
risk of developing dementia. Individuals with hearing loss may become depressed or begin withdrawing from friends and family because they are embarrassed or frustrated about not being able to understand the conversation. Even if you do not feel like you have a hearing loss or are having hearing difficulty, a hearing screening is recommended. A hearing screening could be the key to help identify risks for other potential diseases. Wellness Programs are having positive results and with early detection screenings individuals are getting help sooner. So begin your journey with your community Wellness Program and start by getting a hearing screening. We encourage your friends and loved ones to join with you! Contact Doctors Hearing Clinic to schedule your Wellness Hearing Screening today at 334.396.1635 or visit www.doctorshearingclinic.com for more information. Content adapted from: U.S. Preventive Service Task force: www. uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/ uspstf11/adulthearing/adulthearrs. htm#discussion. Dr. Brittany Spahr is a licensed audiologist in Alabama and is a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology. Co-authored by Amy Davis, Doctoral Extern, University of South Alabama.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
FREE estate planning and asset protection workshop at Prime Time 55+ August 18: FREE estate planning and asset protection workshop at Prime Time 55+ (120 Cotton Street, Wetumpka, AL 36092) from 2-4 pm. This educational workshop is presented by attorney Raley Wiggins. Covers wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, living wills, probate administration, protecting assets from creditors, bankruptcy, divorce and remarriage, nursing homes, long-term care and Medicaid qualification. Registration is required. Contact Red Oak Legal, PC at 334-625-6774 or go to www. redoaklegalpc.com to reserve your seat. Montgomery Hearing Services, a division of Montgomery Otolaryngology, is excited to announce their a new main office Montgomery Hearing Services, a division of Montgomery Otolaryngology, is excited to announce the opening of a new main office located near Jackson Hospital in the Park Place building. This new location at 1758 Park Place, Suite 101, Montgomery, will offer patients the same expert audiology services in partnership with Montgomery Otolaryngology, a medical practice with decades of experience and five board certified ENT physicians. The new office will have the latest state-of-the-art technology and equipment to provide the best in hearing health care services, including hearing evaluations, video ear inspections and hearing instrument fittings. The new Montgomery Hearing Services is located on the main floor of Park Place, adjacent to a ground floor open parking lot for ease of accessibility. Located in a separate suite from Montgomery Otolaryngology, but still staying right next-door in the same building. “We are thrilled to be announcing our new office space,” said Suzanne Stanford, Manager of Audiology. “We are proud of the work we have put into making it an exciting and comfortable space that serves our ENT and Hearing patients better.” For more information about Montgomery Hearing Services or the new location, please call 334-263-2150 or visit montgomeryhearingservices.com. Agape of Central Alabama Chosen as Charity for “Changing Oil, Changing Lives” Event Agape of Central Alabama has been selected to be a part of All American Auto & Tire’s first Changing Oil, Changing Lives event, to be held in Montgomery on Wednesday, August 27th. All American Tire & Auto will launch its Changing Oil, Changing Lives campaign by donating 100% of one day’s worth of oil changes to Agape. By participating in Changing Oil Changing Lives, All American Tire will be regularly giving back to local charities, choosing a different recipient for each event. Don Duncan, owner of All American Auto & Tire, explains why he decided to participate in Changing Oil, Changing Lives. “I’ve always wanted to give back to the community, but never knew how to make it happen. Then I heard about Changing Oil, Changing Lives. It’s a wonderful organization and a great opportunity to help local charities.” Those interested in participating on August 27th can stop by either of All American Auto & Tire’s two locations in Montgomery: 2700 Bell Road and 408 Madison Avenue. Proceeds from oil changes that day will go to Agape of Central Alabama, but monetary donations will also be accepted at the locations.
reINVENT retirement Hike | Create | Golf | Learn
SAVE THE DATE
Join AUM’s
Lifelong
Learning Institute The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Attend our Fall LLI Open House August 28 from 4-6 p.m. at the AUM Center for Lifelong Learning (CLL) 75 TechnaCenter Drive, Montgomery, AL 36117 • Learn about fall classes • Meet instructors • Ask questions
• Meet LLI members • Tour our building • Enjoy hors d’oeuvres
Register to attend the Fall Open House at www.ce.aum.edu or call 334-244-3804. R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
August 2014
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Fitness over Fifty
By Leigh Anne Richards
Mental Fitness As I was contemplating my “fitness “topic for this month’s issue, I started thinking about all I had written and everything dealt with our physical fitness. Aging also changes Leigh Anne Richards you mentally and for me that is something I have had to really accept and embrace. I don’t want to be considered “old” and I don’t want to act old. However, aging is life and we have to deal with it not only physically but mentally. Physical fitness is my area that I know and could write and talk about all day. I was blessed to meet somebody that I call a mental personal trainer. Boo Archer walked into my life one day and we immediately bonded. I could tell she was some type of “counselor” because she picked me to death with her questions. As we talked about her profession, I knew we would be a great match - me the physical and her mental What a combination. I asked her to write from the mental aspect of aging and what she has experienced and how we can deal with it. Boo Archer has a B.S. from Clemson University in recreation with an emphasis in Sports Psychology. She is a Wellness/Life coach that currently has a business named Fundamentally Fit. She is also a certified personal trainer but saw the need to address the mental aspects of becoming truly healthy. Thanks Boo for this months column. “Tom!” I yelled at Dr. Kincer. “What on earth is THIS?”…“Boo, that’s a bunion. Do you..wear tight shoes or high heels?” I looked at him like he was crazy. “No, I think you know I don’t. Where did this thing come from? It burns! It hurts! Make it go away!” I said, panicking. “Its genetic, Boo, you know, just one of those things that come with age. You could have a bunionectomy, to get it removed, but you’d have to stay off your feet to recover”… “See? This is why I don’t like coming to you people (basically any doctor), you tell me what’s wrong with me, and that it’s because of my age!” Since I guess I was a glutton for punishment, I also asked him if it was my age that was keeping me from running without pain, or having to take a lot more “time off” to recover from those runs...“Well, duh!” he replied, implying that I was indeed the
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stubborn gal he had always known me to be. I just sat there, staring at that bunion, and feeling rather defeated. “Why do you keep going like this Boo? What’s compelling you? What are you running FROM?” I sat there and asked myself those same questions, hard questions that I would pose to one of the clients that I coach… FEAR….I’m running, albeit painfully, from FEAR. The fear that this machine is breaking down, falling apart, betraying me…I cannot CONTROL it. Its getting ahead of me, I cant catch up to it, its happening too fast, one thing, then another, I must catch it. STOP IT. Oh my gosh. It’s WINNING. Age Is Winning... That day was just the beginning of many realizations to come for me...I really stink at embracing my humanity...I really stink at accepting my limitations…I really stink at AGING! As a wellness/lifestyle coach, I collaborate with my clients to create action plans and tools that enrich and empower them to make permanent, healthy, lasting change in their lives. It appeared on this day, the teacher was the student. So…how are you dealing with the aging process as it affects your physical body? Are you finding that the limitations your body is imposing on you to be frustrating? How about fearful? Does your body serve as a constant reminder that you aren’t what you used to be, that it’s not going to get easier, that you are losing it, and you feel somehow a sense of failure? I get it. All of it. The good news is, it’s going to be okay. I’m not saying I have a cure for what ails you physically, but emotionally, can I give you a tool to help you cope? Try a little RAIN - RECOGNIZE, ACCEPT, INVESTIGATE, NON-IDENTIFY. RECOGNIZE. Be mindful. “I’m feeling hopeless again, like a failure, I’m “less than”. These type of thoughts cause reactions. Impulsivity, compulsion, self-loathing…this is where we go because we have always gone there. To stop this, we call it what it is. All behavior is purposeful, both good and bad behavior, it serves us in some way. Realize this and you then become able to challenge it. ACCEPT. This is life on LIFE’S TERMS, not MY TERMS. I accept that my body is showing signs of age. I accept that I cannot do what a lot of my friends do, but I CAN do something. Years ago I accepted that I couldn’t eat whatever I wanted in the moment and still
feel the way I wanted to feel, and look the way I wanted to look. I also cannot drink. My friends can drink a glass, I don’t have that option. I want the whole dang bottle! But it’s okay. I have learned how to protect myself to have the life I want. Our bodies may be putting boundaries on what we can do, but we can, through trial and error, always discover ways to work with those limitations. INVESTIGATE. Say that you have always been fit and fantastic, admired for your physical abilities…your friends admire your determination, self discipline, and commitment…now, what would life look like for you if you were no longer able to be all that. Investigate these feelings, they will reveal the truth of where your self worth resides. Is it in what I do or in who I am? Who am I without my capabilities? Am I significant without having to achieve physical goals? NON-IDENTIFY. This is where we GRIEVE…and it’s good to grieve! Loss is a part of life. We lose loved ones, we lose our youth, and we lose our physical abilities. Be sad. Heck, feel sorry for yourself for a bit. Just a bit. Grieving must take place in order to MOVE ON FULLY. Just remember, just because your best friend has a serious illness does not mean your low back pain, torn meniscus, or arthritis don’t hurt. That’s your reality. And it’s perfectly fine to be upset about it, but do NOT identify with it. YOU are NOT broken. YOU are NOT who your limitations are trying to tell you that you are. If you are a BOOMER, you have survived a lot. It may not have been pretty, but you are HERE. Life has happened to you in so many ways…and it is continuing to happen. But you have the wisdom and experience to challenge it. To challenge it mentally. To do the work it takes internally to find peace with yourself, REGARDLESS of the circumstances…you are courageous. Perhaps you just need some new “skills” to carry you through the rest of your journey, to make the rest of your life the best of your life. To finish well, regardless of ANY physical limitation…and I am here if you need a little nudge. Let it RAIN and expect great changes!!! Boo Archer, Fundamentally Fit 334.451.0225 Leigh Anne Richards, MEd, Certified Personal Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor, General ManagerMetroFitness. For any questions or comments, contact Leigh Anne at LAMetrofit@aol.com
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Bang those sticks. Hear those drums. By Ana Veciana-Suarez
Rum-pum-pum. Rum-pumpum-pum. Pum-pum... pum-pum-pum.
At The Palace on a recent Sunday, Cloyes, 52, begins with a quick lesson on how to hold drumsticks and how to coax different sounds from the instrument. There’s only one rule, he tells the class: “Don’t hit anybody with your drumsticks.” Apparently even among the more mature crowd, a student or two can get frisky.
Bang those sticks. Hear those drums. Feel that beat. At the Sunday afternoon drum and sing-along class at The Palace at Coral Gables, music is the great healer. It eases niggling worries, soothes aching joints, mends grieving hearts, restores fickle memory.
Cloyes supplies the drums and the drumsticks. He leads on keyboard. The class doesn’t sit in an actual circle, but in rows, with the more eager residents up front and the timid sticking to the back of the room.
“Music takes you to a good place,” says instructor Michael Cloyes, owner of Servant Response Entertainment.”It brings back happy memories, happy times. Who doesn’t like to sing?” Apparently no one. The Lake Worth resident offers his one-hour drumming/singing/ music trivia program at retirement communities around South Florida from Miami to Fort Pierce and west to Pahokee. But better than a chance to play drums or name that tune, Cloyes offers retirees something more valuable: a chance to stroll down memory lane without the eye-rolling impatience of those who don’t understand how a few notes can make the burdens of old age disappear. Drum circles are usually held in public places -- beaches, parks and festivals-- and aren’t constrained by skill or talent or musical education. A similar concept has now hit the world of senior centers, retirement homes and assisted living facilities.
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And while the jam sessions are probably shorter and more informal when offered to seniors, the objectives are similar: to build community and foster feelings of well-being. The extra bonus for seniors is that drumming improves balance and coordination. Plus, it’s fun. “Everybody at one point or another in their life has wanted to play drums,” Cloyes says, “but had parents who said no. They didn’t want all the noise and the banging.”
Cloyes plays waltzes, chachas and nursery rhymes that invite dancing. He warms up the audience in the second-floor theater by playing a few notes of a country music favorite on his keyboard and asking them to guess the title. “The Tennessee Waltz,” the class shouts in unison. He segues to such all-time favorites as “Hello, Dolly” and “I’m Looking Over a Four-leaf Clover,” and then romances the crowd with Patsy Cline’s “Crazy.” The more songs Cloyes sings, the rowdier the audience gets. The participants are here to have a good time, and by golly they’re going to have it. “When do we go on the road?” yells one woman. Another jokes that the group should try out for American Idol.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Cloyes’ appreciation for the music of his parents’ generation is contagious. “They don’t make music like this anymore, do they?” he asks. The residents respond by hooting and banging their drums. Their enthusiasm is a welcome sight for Palace social director Pamela Parker. “We have residents who haven’t participated in anything because they feel that they can’t,” she says. “But then they come to this class with the music and the singing, and it changes them.” This is Cloyes’ second class at The Palace, and there are more than two dozen residents in attendance, almost double the number in the first class. Word has gotten around. “Heard they had a good time last class so I decided to come,” said Bicky Goldszer, who, at 90, quickly picked up a knack for twirling her
drumsticks. “It makes you feel like you can still have a good time.” The Palace residents have come with their walkers and canes and hearing aids. Some drift into the theater midway through the class, after hearing the music in the hallway. Elegantly coiffed, the women, who outnumber the men by more than three to one, wear lipstick and earrings. Their eye shadow matches their clothes. “It’s a way for us to get together on a Sunday afternoon,” says Angela Pickett, 85, who shares a drum with husband Mic, 87. “And it’s fun. The songs he plays, we all know. They’re from when we were young.” Indeed. Cloyes’ repertoire isn’t one you hear much anymore. “Baby face,” he croons. “You’ve got the cutest little baby face. There ain’t nobody can ever take your place...”
The crowd keeps the beat on the drums. They mouth the words with surprising abandon. They sway in their seats and shuffle their feet. Parker watches from a corner of the room, grinning. She says she has learned the meaning of joie de vivre from observing the residents as they participate. The class, she adds, “is not only fun, it’s also therapeutic.” Goldszer agrees. “You know what it does? It makes all your aches and pains, all the problems with your family, go away.” Cloyes brings his drums and his keyboard to The Palace every other week, but Parker, the social director, is thinking of offering the class more often. “I’ve witnessed what it does for my residents,” she says. “They come up to me and ask, ‘When are we doing this next?’” (c)2014 The Miami Herald Distributed by MCT Information Services
Women of Hope Breast Cancer Support Group Tuesday, August 12th, 5:30 p.m. Frazer UMC, Room 8114 6000 Atlanta Highway
Enjoy fun and fellowship with your breast cancer “sisters” and friends!
The program will be:
Do I Really Need a Support Group? Presented by Ginger Sanders WOH member Everyone is Welcome!
For information please call 334-220-4599 or email womenofhope@charter.net.
Our goal is to make sure that all women AND men are educated about breast cancer and the effects it has on family and friends. Hope is the assurance that one day we will be able to live cancer free! Your support is greatly appreciated and helps so many deserving breast cancer patients and survivors including their families. Women of Hope Breast Cancer Support Group meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month (Jan-Nov). Meetings are held at 5:30 p.m.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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Featured Artists
Central Park Sunday 24 x 20 Oil on Canvas Pamela Wesley Copeland
Seeking Harmony and Piece 60 x 36 Oil on Canvas John Mazaheri
Let the Games Begin, 24 x 48 Mixed Media, Carol Barksdale
Purple and Oranges 24 x 18 Oil on Canvas Anne Hugghins
Wild Heart 60 x 48 Mixed Media Cecily Hulett
Santa Rosa de Lima, 47 x 47 Oil on Canvas, John Wagnon
A Restful Moment 24 x 20 Oil on Canvas Anita Westerberg
Petty Flash #5 48 x 36 Mixed Media Richard Mills
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Mystic Rythms Wood Sculpture, Kenneth Lever
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Vision Land 24 x 18 Acrylic on Canvas Jane Segrest
Red Poppies, 22 x 28 Acrylic on Canvas, Shirley Esco
Two Guests at a Beach Wedding 36 x 24 Oil on Canvas Ginnylu Greene
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Art & Soul
K-9s 4 Kids Graduation Celebration OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
On Sunday, August 10th at 2’oclock in the afternoon, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts located at 1 Museum Blvd here in Montgomery will be hosting a Celebration for the Graduating Service Dogs and awarding them to children and Veterans with disabilities. This program K-9s 4 Kids and K9s 4 Heros are Canine Programs of Easter Seals Alabama, a non-profit organization serving Alabama. K-9s 4 Kids rescues dogs from Shelters and Rescue Organizations which saves dogs, they train them with inmates in a prison and rehabilitates inmates, awards them FREE OF CHARGE to children and Veterans with disabilities and changes the course of their lives. I spent a little time on the website www. ServiceDogsAlabama.com after talking with their Director, Frances McGowin and shared my personal experience in the 1990’s with a similar program with my dog, Wally. We went to class, I enjoyed learning about the seven words to teach him and Wally really enjoyed the treats. We went to Nursing Homes and schools. I guess he was a Therapy Dog.
By Sandi Aplin
emotional conditions. An emotional support dog is not required to perform any specific tasks for a disability like service dogs are. They are meant solely for emotional stability and unconditional love. They can assist with conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder/mood disorder, panic attacks, fear/phobias, and other psychological and emotional conditions. Therapy Dogs are dogs that are used to bring comfort and joy to those who are ill or under poor conditions, such as those who have been affected by a natural disaster. Many people are able to connect with dogs and feel the love that they provide and this has a therapeutic effect on them. Therapy dogs are generally very calm and well-behaved, so that they do not upset or make uncomfortable those around them. Frances McGowin shared, “There will be a new class beginning on Monday, September 23rd.” Lillie and I are thinking about looking into the program. She is already working in the gallery every day. Sandi Aplin, Director of Gallery One Fine Art. A free lance writer living in Montgomery, Alabama. www.galleryonefineart.com
Service Dogs are dogs that have been individually trained to perform a specific task for individuals who have disabilities. The disabilities can vary greatly and so do the tasks that the service dogs perform. Service dogs can aid in navigation for people who are hearing and visually impaired, assist an individual who is having a seizure, calm an individual who suffers from PostTraumatic Stress Disorder, and even dial 911 in the event of an emergency. Many disabled individuals depend on them every day to help them live their everyday lives. Emotional Support Dogs are dogs that provide comfort and support in forms of affection and companionship for an individual suffering from various mental and The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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Welcoming Your Kids Back Home!
To current college students or recent graduates, the prospect of moving back in with Mom and Dad is not likely to be met with open arms. Once kids taste the freedom of living on their own, their return home to reside under their parents’ roof can feel limiting. Despite the difficulty of such a decision, statistics indicate that more and more young adults are returning to live with Mom and Dad. A 2011 report from the United States Census Bureau revealed that the number of men between the ages of 25 and 34 living with their parents had increased dramatically over the previous six years. By 2011, nearly 20 percent of men in that category lived with their parents, a six percent increase from just six years earlier. That increase was far less significant among women of the same age, but 10 percent of women between the ages of 25 and 34 lived at home.
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The end of this trend is seemingly nowhere in sight. Statistics from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that as many as 50 percent of college graduates under the age of 25 are underutilized. This means they are unemployed, working only parttime or working jobs considered to be outside the college labor market and don’t require a degree. Without an opportunity to gain valuable experience and advance in their fields, these young adults are essentially stuck in limbo and might be forced to live with Mom and Dad for even longer than they initially anticipated. While it’s easy to imagine this transition has been hard on young adults, it’s likely no easy task for their parents either. A struggling economy that has produced a stagnant job marketplace has made it difficult to pinpoint just when, or if, young adults will move out for good,
which can put a crimp in their parents’ retirement plans. For example, the 2011 TD Canada Trust Boomer Buyers Report revealed that 17 percent of Baby Boomer parents who planned to downsize their homes, and save money as a result, are delaying those plans because they have adult children still living at home. The survey also revealed that a significant portion of those parents who don’t plan to downsize admit that their decision to stay put was made with the expectation that their adult children will still be living with them when they retire. To some parents, having the kids back at home is a great experience that breathes new life into their empty nest. For others, relationships can quickly grow strained, creating a tense living situation that no one enjoys. To make the most of living with young adults who have returned home, consider the following tips. The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
● Encourage children so they can get where they want to be. No matter how accommodating their parents may be, no young adult wants to live at home, especially if they have recently earned a degree they thought would springboard them into a life of independence. But parents can help their kids in ways that go beyond just giving them a place to live. For instance, encourage kids to pursue internships even if they have already graduated and those internships are unpaid. Such opportunities, even if they don’t pay, can be a great chance for young adults to gain entry into their chosen fields. Since most parents don’t charge their kids rent, the lack of pay shouldn’t be much of a problem, and parents should explain to their children that they will support them so long as they are actively pursuing opportunities within their field. ● Emphasize that your home isn’t a dorm or college apartment. Just like kids don’t
Leigh Anne Richards
Tammy Griffin
necessarily want to move back home after college, parents don’t want their homes to resemble a dorm or college apartment should their kids move back in after graduation. When young adults move back in, parents must make it known that their sons or daughters are no longer kids and they will not be allowed to live in messy bedrooms or leave dirty dishes and laundry for Mom and Dad to clean. Be firm and forward when letting young adults know that, while you’re happy to give them a place to live, your days tidying up after them are over. ● Eventually, consider charging rent. Most parents don’t want to charge their children rent. After all, young adults are moving home to save money, not spend it. But it can be very easy for young adults with no rent to pay to grow lazy in their job pursuit or to develop an attitude that rent-free living is for them, even if they do find a job that enables
Lucile Waller
Lynn Mathison
them to support themselves. This can complicate matters down the road, so if young adults have been living at home a long time without paying a dime in rent, it’s time to start asking for money. Do this more to motivate young adults than to meet your own financial needs. In fact, when you start collecting rent, and if you don’t need the money, simply put it aside and give it back when young adults decide they do want to move out of the house. Nowadays, more and more young adults are moving back in with their parents. Though such living arrangements might not be ideal for parents or children, there are ways to make the best of the situation. Content provided by Metro Creative Services
Susan Alred
Dr. Thomas Cawthon
Read About Them @ RiverRegionBoom.com Allison Posell
Leah Leal
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Sharon Wilson
Betty Roberts and Dale Gulledge
Rhea Kirk
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Susan Fisher
August 2014
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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
We Love Women Over 50! If your Target Audience are Women with Money and Desire, BOOM! readers are your customers...70% of our readers are Mature Women, 75% of US wealth is owned by Mature Women age 50+, and Mature Women spend 2.5 times what the average person spends and they spend it on things like Beauty, Grand Kids, Pets, Fitness, Gifts, Restaurants, Healthcare, Financial Services, Caregiving, Classes, Fashion, Home & Garden, Concerts, Entertaining, Travel, and much more!
r WOMEN r MONEY r DESIRE Reasonable Ad Rates, Complimentary Ad Creation, 12,500 Readers*, Locally Focused Content, 300+ Locations, Complimentary Digital Editions *5,000 copies, 2.5 readers per issue
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Getting to Know You Advertorial (existing customers): Your Story, Full Page, 600 words, 2 pics & logo, $299
Advertising Deadline, the 20th of each month, Publish Date, the 1st of each month
Women Over 50 are Power Consumers! Call Jim Watson to learn more about BOOM! Marketing 334.523.9510 O jim@riverregionboom.com O RiverRegionBoom.com
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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Menopause Treatment and Breast Cancer Risk Upon reaching a certain age, women go through the natural process of menopause. This change typically occurs when a woman reaches her late 40s or early 50s. The transition to menopause happens over several years and results in fluctuations of hormone levels in a woman’s body. During this transition, many women experience a variety of symptoms, from mood changes to hot flashes to vaginal dryness. These symptoms can be so severe they impact daily activities and can impede quality of life. Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, may be prescribed to alleviate the side effects of perimenopause and menopause. However, HRT is not without risks, including an increased chance of developing breast cancer. According to The Mayo Clinic, HRT, which includes medications containing female hormones to replace the ones the body no longer makes naturally after menopause, used to be a standard treatment for women with severe symptoms. In the largest clinical trial to date, a combination estrogenprogestin pill was found to increase the risk of certain serious conditions, including blood clots, heart disease, stroke, and breast cancer. This type of therapy also may make a woman’s breasts appear more dense on mammograms, making breast cancer more difficult to detect. When undergone for more than a few years, HRT has been confirmed by multiple studies to increase the risk for breast cancer. Women concerned about HRT and cancer risk, especially those with a significant family history of breast cancer, generally want to avoid the use of hormone therapies. But what is a person who is experiencing many side effects of menopause that can be so easily remedied by hormone therapy to do? Research into HRT alternatives has discovered a host of natural treatments that can provide relief. Soy:Soy offers some promising results, especially with regard to relieving hot flashes. Soy is very high in phytoestrogens, or plant estrogens. Red clover and flaxseed are other sources of plant estrogens. Phytoestrogens are less potent than pharmaceutical estrogen, and scientists believe they do not contribute to breast cancer in the way natural or pharmaceutical estrogen may. Black cohosh:Black cohosh is a member of the buttercup family and is a perennial plant native to North America. Preparations of black cohosh are made from the roots and underground stems. Black cohosh has long been used by natives of North America to treat malaise, gynecological disorders, rheumatism and other conditions. Black cohosh is now sold as an herbal remedy to alleviate hot flashes and excessive sweating in menopausal women. The National Institutes of Health awarded more than $7 million to the University of Illinois to study the efficacy of black cohosh and other herbs in treating certain symptoms of menopause. Dong quai: This herb is in the celery family and native to Asia. In Chinese medicine, dong quai has been considered a “female ginseng” because of its way of balancing the female hormonal system. As such, dong quai has long been used to relieve the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and menopause. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, researchers are unsure if dong quai acts like estrogen or blocks estrogen in the body, as studies have produced mixed results. Lifestyle changes:Women may need to dress more lightly, use a water atomizer to spray their bodies to cool down and keep their bedrooms cold to alleviate hot flashes. Vaginal estrogen:If vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse are the primary symptoms, vaginal estrogen rings or suppositories may be necessary. These provide estrogen directly to the affected area while only allowing very low levels to enter the bloodstream. In turn, vaginal estrogen may not increase breast cancer risk in the same way as other hormone therapies. Hormone replacement therapy can alleviate menopausal symptoms, but also it can elevate breast cancer risk. Other options are available, and women can speak with their doctors about alternatives to HRT. (Content provided by Metro Creative Services) The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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Outdoor Alabama Announces its 2015 Photo Contest From its wildlife to its landscape, there is no more photographic a state than Alabama. Are you a photographer with an eye for its natural beauty? If so, then show us your work. Outdoor Alabama magazine is pleased to announce its 2015 Photo Contest, with winning entries to be published in the February 2015 issue. The contest is open to any amateur photographer except employees of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) and members of their immediate families. An amateur is defined as someone who does not earn a living from photography. Photographers may enter up to 10 photos. The photos may be in the same category or spread among different categories. The categories include: Alabama State Parks, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians, Other Native Wildlife, Scenic/Pictorial, Nature-Based Activities, and Plants and Fungi. Two youth categories for ages 6-12 and 13-18 allow those ages to enter any of the eight categories. Entries must be postmarked by October 31, 2014. Entry forms can be downloaded from www.outdooralabama. com/outdoor-alabama/photo_con.cfm. For more information call 800-262-3151, write to Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest, 64 N. Union St., Ste. 106, Montgomery, AL 36130, or email Kim Nix at kim.nix@dcnr.alabama.gov. To view winners of the 2014 photo contest, visit Outdoor Alabama’s Flickr page at www.flickr.com/photos/outdooralabama/ sets/72157641232250394/.
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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Thinking About Becoming An Entrepreneur? Dreaming of launching a business from your home? You’ll join an ever-growing number of entrepreneurs, according to a broad new report based on 6,000 surveys. Sixty-nine percent of all U.S. businesses start in the home and half of them are still home-based long after they launch, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report. “The median start-up cost was $15,000 but remember, that’s the median - it means plenty of people spend much less than that,” says Renae Christine, a serial entrepreneur who has created dozens of successful home-based businesses for herself and others. Recently featured in Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg Businessweek and Reuters to name a few, she shares her success and practical how-to advice in her new book, “Home Business Startup Bible.” “I started out helping other stay-at-home moms who wanted to create businesses, but there are men and women of all ages who want the freedom and independence you get from owning your own business and keeping it in the home.” Christine says she learned a lot from early colossal failures and from her successes, too. “A lot of people just starting out don’t think in terms of, ‘Will this choice still work in five years if the business is very successful?’ You need to consider that because it’s difficult and sometimes bad for business to go back and change things once you’ve become established,” she says. If you’re thinking about starting a homebased business, she shares some tips for laying the groundwork. It all starts with an idea - is yours a good one?
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You need to be able to easily explain your idea (product or service) in one or two sentences (also known as your elevator pitch) because that’s all you’ll get to “sell” it to customers, investors and the media, including bloggers who you seek out for reviews. If you can’t explain it well in two sentences, either work on a simpler way to describe it or come up with a new idea. Determine whether your idea has been done before or if it’s brand new. There are generally three possibilities: It has been done but there’s still demand; it has been done and the market is saturated; or it has never been done. You can be successful in any of these scenarios, if you know where your idea falls and strategize appropriately. Search keyword phrases to see if what you have in mind already exists. If you come up empty, there’s either no demand or it’s never been done before. If it’s been done, search for competitors and see how many there are, what they’re doing and how you might innovate to provide something even better, whether it’s product quality or service. Create a list of all the things you need to plan for in your business. The list might be a series of questions whose answers will be the basis for your business plan. They might include - but by no means are limited to: What are you going to sell and for how much? Will you make or buy the product? How will you package and ship it? Will you ship internationally? How will you communicate with customers? What will be your business colors? Will you hire a bookkeeper or explore software
to do that yourself? The list may seem daunting, but take time to make each
decision one at a time and soon, you’ll see your business taking shape. Name your company after yourself or give it a made-up, easy-to-remember one-word name. Naming the company after your product or service seriously limits future expansion (remember - it’s important to think ahead). Naming it after yourself or giving it a one-word, made-up name allows you to expand into other products, services and even industries. It also provides a common denominator that ties everything together. If you think you may eventually sell the company, go with a made-up name (think Zappos, Etsy, Google.) Doublecheck the U.S. Patent and Trademark website to ensure the name - even if it’s your own - is not already trademarked. “To be successful, we absolutely, positively have to find people who have already paid the price to learn the things we need to learn to achieve our goals.” Brian Tracy Content provided by LittlePinkBook.com
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Protecting Seniors from Financial Abuse
By Pamela Yip
I have always said that efforts to protect the elderly from financial abuse and exploitation have got to go beyond family members. That’s because many of those who prey on seniors and their finances are their children and other relatives. So there needs to be objective outside sources that can cast an extra-protective eye over seniors. I’m happy to say that things are moving in that direction. AARP and the American Bankers Association’s Community Engagement Foundation will work together to protect the financial security of older Americans with the help of the Clinton Global Initiative. They anticipate a two-year partnership that will focus on protecting older Americans from financial abuse and exploitation. “America’s aging population will transform the way banks provide financial services to their customers,” said Frank Keating, ABA chief executive. “Our planned alliance with AARP will help us provide bankers, older Americans and their caregivers with the tools they need to thwart financial crimes.” Separately, a newly formed unit at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC is handling reports from its financial advisers on potential elder financial abuse among clients. Wells Fargo Advisors is the brokerage unit of banking company Wells Fargo & Co. “We’ve been seeing the issues for a number of years,” said Ron Long, Wells Fargo’s director of regulatory affairs and elder client initiatives. However, the bank wasn’t in a position “to fully dedicate and devote the time we thought this challenge deserved.”
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Things changed when Wells Fargo saw that the number of elder financial abuse reports, or suspected abuse reports, from its financial advisers jumped from an average of 30 a month to 100 a month. “It was that tripling of the volume that allowed our upper management to say this is worth devoting specific resources to tackling the problem,” Long said. One tip-off is an elderly client asking to withdraw an unusual sum of money that’s “destined for a country that none of us has ever heard that the client was involved with before,” Long said. The bank also has seen an increasing number of romance or sweetheart scams, he said. “A number of folks _ in a couple of instances, very well-educated, very successful financial folks _ somehow fall for the romance with the overseas person who allegedly is independently wealthy but is just in a tough spot,” Long said. The Wells Fargo unit will work with state authorities, usually adult protective services, Long said. It will also work with state securities regulators. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has listed issues related to senior investors as one of its examination priorities for this year. “There are a large number of American investors who are approaching retirement and who control a substantial portion of investable assets,” the organization said. It said its examiners
will focus on how firms engage with these investors. “FINRA will also examine firms’ policies and procedures to identify and address situations where issues of diminished
capacity may be present.” The securities industry itself is also devoting more attention to elder financial issues. The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association has formed a working group on the topic. “As the population ages, new issues have taken on more prominence,” said Lisa Bleier, the association’s managing director. “We expect this working group to share good practices for the industry, work with regulators where regulatory help is needed, and advocate for state and federal laws that will help protect our nation’s senior population,” she said. All of this is good news. “It is all of us in the community working together,” Long said. “Our hope is that everyone will be alert. So if we have the hairdresser doing the shampoo and she notices bruising or something, that could be someone who can raise an alert that’s something’s amiss with that older client.” (c)2014 The Dallas Morning News Distributed by MCT Information Services
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The Business Mini Directory
A Business Mini is a little fatter than your old business card and for a limited time we are offering a Business Mini to fit your budget. Fifty dollars will get your business message in front of thousands of people over 50 who have the money to buy stuff. Every business needs one more customer, where will yours come from? Call today and get your $50 Business Mini, 324.3472 or jim@riverregionboom.com
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August 2014
{12 Things} for active boomers and beyond
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA JERUSALEM McWane Science Center Now Playing
JERUSALEM takes audiences on a visually stunning tour of one of the world’s oldest and most beloved cities. Destroyed and rebuilt countless times over 5,000 years, Jerusalem’s enduring appeal remains a mystery. What made it so important to so many different cultures? How did it become the center of the world for three major religions? Why does it still matter? JERUSALEM attempts to answer these questions and more as it follows three young Jerusalemites and their families – Jewish, Christian and Muslim. Through their eyes, audiences learn what it means to call Jerusalem home, experiencing the vibrancy, diversity and beauty of this ancient city. 200 19th St N, Birmingham. For more info visit mcwane.org
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Stars On The Riverfront Riverwalk Amphitheater Sunday-Monday, August 3-4, 7:30 pm
The Alabama Dance Theatre will present its 11th annual “Stars on the Riverfront” with two spectacular free performances. Take the entire family and a picnic and join the Alabama Dance Theatre as the sun sets on one of Montgomery’s most beautiful venues, the Riverwalk Amphitheater. These eclectic performances are the culmination of ADT’s two week Summer Dance Seminar and will feature over fifty dancers. Performances will be held Sunday, August 3th and Monday, August 4th at 7:30 pm at the Riverwalk Amphitheater. Gates open at 6 pm for picnicking. For more info visit alabamadancetheatre.com
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
Nighttime on the Cahaba – by Canoe! Birmingham Botanical Gardens Saturday, August 9th, 6-10pm
What better way to escape the heat of summer than participating in a leisurely moonlight paddle on the Cahaba River? This unique and relaxing way of enjoying a flat water portion of the Cahaba River will allow us to experience the Cahaba in a different light; we will see some familiar plants not normally viewed at night, as well as see and hear a variety of wildlife (imagine: beaver tails slapping water and the calls of night birds...). For more info call 205.414.3950 or visit bbgardens.org
MONTEVALLO, ALABAMA Cars by The Creek Car Show Orr Park, Montevallo
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Saturday, August 9th, 8am-2pm
CGS Events and The City of Montevallo Park and Recreation Board Present the 13th Annual Cars by The Creek Car Show. Saturday August 9, 8 am to 2 pm. This Fun Family Event is free to the public. Free Children’s Activity Area. There will be Food, an Oldies Dj Spinning 50’s,60’s, and 70’s Music, Shaved Ice and Plenty of Ice Cold Soft Drinks to Keep you Cool. For more info call 205.960.8587
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Mary Poppins, The Broadway Musical Alabama Shakespeare Festival Blount Cultural Park Through August 10th, various times
This summer is going to be supercalifragilisticexpialidocious at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival because Disney and Cameron McIntosh’s smash Broadway hit Mary Poppins is coming to town. Several weekend and matinee performances have already sold out. Tickets to Mary Poppins start at $30 and may be obtained by calling 800.841.4273, online at asf.net or by visiting the ASF box office located at 1 Festival Drive in the heart of Montgomery’s beautiful Blount Cultural Park.
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
Boz Scaggs in Concert Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center, B’Ham Thursday, August 14th, 8-10 pm
A casual listen to the Boz Scaggs discography makes one thing obvious: Boz Scaggs is both a musical seeker and a man of sizable talent as a singer, songwriter and guitarist. His explorations in blues and R&B, rock and jazz have produced lasting work and a career that has brought with it acclaim, a loyal following, and an enduring respect among musicians. Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center, 1200 Tenth Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294. For more info and tickets visit alysstephens.org
MONTGOMERY DOWNTOWN Buckmasters 21st Annual Expo Convention Center, Renaissance Friday-Sunday, Aug 15-17
Area’s biggest hunting show with more than 300 exhibitors, Buckmasters Top Bow Indoor Championship, Young Bucks activities, Deer Scoring, Hunter Education course, BTR scoring class, and Dock Dogs event. Concert event on Saturday night. Admission: One can of food to be donated to the Salvation Army. Free Admission. For more info visit buckmasters.com/resources/expo.aspx
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MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Elvis - The Early Years ASF Monday, August 18th, 7:30 pm
Elvis: The Early Years, starring Elvis Presley tribute artist Scot Bruce will return to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival on Monday, August 18 at 7:30 p.m. The annual fundraiser for Alabama’s State Theatre has traditionally sold out. The performance features songs made famous by the king of rock ‘roll, Elvis Presley, including Hound Dog, Burnin’ Love, Jailhouse Rock, Lover Me Tender, Suspicious Minds and more. Bruce is backed by a four-piece Nashville-based band.Tickets for Elvis-The Early Years may be obtained by calling 800.841.4273, on line at asf.net
starting at 6:30 p.m., followed by the film screening at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at the Governor’s Mansion Gift Shop, Sandra Nickel Reality, at the door the night of the event while supplies last, or from board members. Organized by the Friends of the Alabama Governor’s Mansion, proceeds will support restoration projects at the mansion.
PINE MOUNTAIN, GEORGIA Sky High Hot Air Balloon Festival Callaway Gardens Friday-Sunday, August 29-31
Come out to one of the most successful dragon boat festivals in the Southeast. This wonderful community event is free, and everyone is invited to see fellow Montgomery residents compete on the Alabama River. Proceeds will benefit two local charities: Bridge Builders Alabama and Rebuilding Together Central Alabama. To see a full schedule of events, activities and entertainment, visit montgomerydragonboat.org.
Soar into September at the 16th annual Sky High Hot Air Balloon Festival. The weekend kicks off with the extraordinary Friday Night Balloon Glow and continues all weekend long. Watch beautiful balloons in flight or hop in a basket for your own tethered balloon ride. Saturday is filled with family-friendly events, including live music, beach activities, a Kids Zone and much more. There’s something for everyone with a classic car show, disc dog demonstrations, a pyrotechnic skydiving demonstration, and more! For more info call 800.225.5292 or visit callawaygardens.com
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
MONTGOMERY DOWNTOWN
MONTGOMERY DOWNTOWN Dragon Boat Race & Festival Montgomery Riverfront Saturday, August 24th, 8:30 am until
“Fried Green Tomatoes” screening at Capri Theatre to benefit Alabama Governor’s Mansion Thursday, August 28th, 6:30 pm
Grab your best friends and come out to the historic Capri Theatre on August 28 for a special screening of the Southernclassic “Fried Green Tomatoes” at a benefit supporting the preservation of the historic Alabama Governor’s Mansion. Festivities will include themed hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction
The Fab Four “The Ultimate Tribute” with special guest Ed Sullivan MPAC Friday, September 5, 8 pm
The greatest Beatles tribute band you could possibly ask for, bringing all of the songs that you’ve been aching to hear live and in concert, making this the exact thing that you’ve been looking for in a live show. The Fab Four are well known for their authenticity, energy, and ability to get a crowd moving. For more info visit mpaconline.org
It ’s a G reat T i m e to Be Boom i n g ! P l ea s e s u b m i t a ny event s /p i c t u res to j i m @ r i ve r re g i o n b o o m .co m
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By Greg Budell
The Mayor of BOOMTOWN
MALLED IN MID AIR It’s bigger than East Chase! Bigger than THE BIGGEST- Mall of the Americas in Minnesota! You can’t get mugged or car-jacked when you visit! Chances are you will spend a few shopping minutes there at some point this year, even if you buy nothing. It’s Sky Mall! Every year, I offer a column dedicated to travel (mis)adventure. Unlike other years, like 1979 through 2013, I have no disasters to report this year. My most recent flight, a round trip to visit my daughter, went so smoothly it seemed wrong. No delays. No berserk passengers suffering from Gate Rage. Not even an alien sitting on the wing mugging me through the window! I couldn’t even create a calamity. I so resent the obnoxiousness of TSA , that I used 16 bins going through X-Ray. My watch had a bin. My belt had a bin. My shoes had left and right bins. My laptop went solo and so did the power chord that connects it. I stacked so many gray trays at the end of the conveyor I earned a bona fide pickle puss from one of the uniformed, unionized minions behind the counter. Unfortunately, I also fooled myself. I forgot the 17th bin with my magazine in it, so I boarded the plane with nothing to read. Once airborne, I turned to my old friend, Sky Mall. I want everything in it even though I don’t need it or would likely never use it. Here are a few of the items I briefly considered purchasing during my flight. “Weigh To Go” is every traveler’s dream. For $28.95, this key chain sized device weighs your luggage. If I’d had one of these I could have spared myself grief with a Delta Skycap, who informed me that my large suitcase weighed 48 pounds, resulting in an $80 surcharge! I did not own a “Weigh To Go”, so I simply moved my pair of 8 pound wrist weights from the big bag to my carry on. With all that extra weight, I had passengers ducking right and left as I swung it into the overhead bin (like an Olympic hammer toss). Sky Mall has an assortment of items for the
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I-Pad owner. I have an assortment of reasons for not being an I-Pad owner, but like I said earlier, I wanted them all- especially the “big screen experience on the go” delivered by a pair of Vuzix i-Wear! For a mere $449 your new Vuzix i-Wear – a pair of glasses that look like downsized night vision military goggles – will create a big screen sensation of anything you’re watching on your I-Pad or laptop- a sort of visual Viagra. If you actually bought these and wore them on a flight, Homeland Security would be checking your sneakers for fuses within seconds. They give the user a sinister appearance. Speaking of sinister, let’s turn the Sky Mall page to the photo of a seemingly innocent Golden Retriever. There, they offer a product called Spray Sense, which offers to reduce your dog’s “problem barking”. For $79, you get a collar that releases a “harmless burst of citronella” when your dog barks. The Spray Sense ad says (and I kid you not)“FASTER RESULTS THAN ‘SHOCK TREATMENT’ WITH NONE OF THE PAIN. Sounds like something you’d find at Pet Smart next to Abu Garib. Jeez! The best ad of all was for the “NeckPro Traction Device”. The photo shows a man who looks like he somehow got his face tangled up in his girl friend’s brassiere and one of the cups got stuck under his chin. As punishment, she took the straps and connected them to a large hook at the top of the door and left him there. The NeckPro is designed to stretch the neck and back vertebrae and from a logistics standpoint, it makes sense. I can picture the Greg Budell outcome on CBS 8 news. “When Greg did not show up for his radio show for several days, we at first thought he had another failed relationship and turned to alcohol for comfort. After 3 months had passed, we figured we should send
someone over there so we dispatched our largest employee to his house in the station van to break down the door, which proved unnecessary. Typical of Greg, he left it unlocked, but when we opened it, we heard a large thump on the other side. And that’s where Greg was, on The Other Side, dangling behind his front door. Things might have been different if he’d had a pair of shoes on before trying that dang neck thing. It was obvious that his toes had struggled mightily to make contact with the tile. Oh well”. My daughter would never forgive me if I embarrassed her with an escapade like that. The NeckPro is only $54.95. It’s that same penchant for disaster that makes the alluring “Rocky Stream Fountain” a no-go for me. This delightful yard piece recreates the soothing sounds of a mountain stream for only $169. The stones appear real, but are made of light-weight, weather resistant resin and it comes a 260-GPH pump, and a 6 foot power chord. For me, it’s the trifecta! The Rocky Stream Fountain (which really does look enchanting) creates 3 possible accidental death scenarioselectrocution, drowning or hanging myself with the power chord! I will say, RSF does look like a serene place to end one’s life. Much as I love shopping Sky Mall, I’ve never been so tempted that I actually ordered something, but it does have value. As the magazine suggests- “Take it with you!”, and I usually do. When rolled up and whacked with authority against the side of my behind, Sky Mall makes an acoustically perfect sound that brings an immediate end to my dog’s “problem barking”. Kills bugs on contact, too, and it’s FREE! Greg Budell lives in Montgomery with his dog Hershey. He’s a 25 year veteran of radio who hosts the Greg & Susan morning show 6-9 am and Happy Hour 3-6 pm on NEWSTALK 93.1, Greg can be reached at gregbudell@aol.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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