1
2 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Helpful Hints for Your Home Sponsored by Capital City Ace Hardware, The Helpful Place
10 Ways To Conserve Heat This Winter Controlling heating costs is always a good way for homeowners to save a significant amount of money in the winter. Here are 10 tips to help you out: 1. Have your heating system checked annually. For about $75 to $100, a service technician will clean the unit, replace filters in the furnace and humidifier, and inspect the unit for parts that need replacing. This helps prevent emergencies, and keep the equipment running at its most cost-efficient and optimum capacity. 2. Install a programmable thermostat. Wellinsulated homes can save up to 30 percent on heating costs with one. You can program these thermostats to coordinate with your schedule. Set it to lower temperatures when at work or while sleeping and to bring the house up to comfortable temperatures when you wake up or arrive home. Keep your adjustments within about 8 degrees. Any more and it will take more energy to bring your home up to temperature. Look for helpful features like an easy-toread display, 7-day programming cycles, furnace filter reminder or even wireless control. 3. Be smart about setting the temperature. Homeowners can save up to 3 percent on energy bills simply by turning down the thermostat just one degree. You won’t even notice the change in temperature, but your heating bill will.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
4. Add weather stripping around windows and doors. Door thresholds, window caulking, and plastic window film can really help. In a drafty home, you could save up to 20 percent with an investment of as little as $25. Use caulk or spray foam around nonmoving spaces in your home. Weather-stripping is best for areas that move or open – like doors and windows. 5. Install ceiling fans. Running the fans slowly and in reverse will keep warm air circulating throughout the house, thereby reducing running time for the furnace. Ceiling fans add a nice decorative touch as well. 6. Check furniture arrangement. Are you blocking vents and radiators with a sofa, shelving, rug or draperies? If so, you’re restricting the airflow in your home, resulting in higher output from your furnace or boiler. Rearrange the furniture and install a hood over your vent cover to direct warm air out into the room. 7. Install a tankless water heater. People need to be reminded that this amazing technology has been around for decades, yet U.S. homeowners have been slow to adopt it. These days, units are less expensive, and by creating hot water on demand as opposed to continuously
heating stored water, homeowners can save hundreds of dollars over time. 8. Install thermo-pane windows in your home. A typical single pane window has an R-value of 1. These multi-pane windows can have R-values of as high as 9.1. The higher the R-value, the more resistant the glass is to losing heat. If you can’t afford all new windows, replace them one at a time and, use window film kits on your older windows. They can increase the R-value by 90 percent over a single pane window. 9. Properly insulate your ceilings and attic. Heat rises, and if there isn’t enough insulation in the space above, your money literally is going out the roof. Most ceilings and attic spaces should have at least an R-30 rating, although some areas of the country recommend an R-40-50 rating. 10. Let the sun be your guide. It’s free energy! During the day, open up drapes and blinds and let the sun heat your home. At night, draw the curtains to keep the heat inside. We’re always here to help. We welcome our neighbors in Montgomery! Capital City Ace is a local family owned hardware store ready to meet all your needs in any area of improvement in your home or property. Come see us today, we are just a few miles from your Montgomery neighborhood. Our Hours are: Mon - Sat: 8 am - 7 pm and Sun: 11 am - 5 pm. Capital City Ace Hardware, 3215 Taylor Rd (1 block from Vaughn Rd.), Montgomery, AL. capitalcityace.com
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
3
Y O U R H E A LT H OUR MISSION
WHAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT
POSSIBLE IS ALL WE THINK
A B O U T.
BAPTIST HEALTH OFFERS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY WITH EXCEPTIONAL MEDICAL EXPERTISE.
Delivering exemplary surgical outcomes using Mako robotic-arm assisted technology, our nationally recognized physicians are delivering more precise treatments that result in shorter stays and less recovery time. Providing outstanding healthcare and specialty services for you, close to home. LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AT
BAPTISTFIRST.ORG
Brock Howell, M.D. Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon
5
Come Worship with Us! Sunday Worship: 9:30 a.m. Christian Education: 11:00 a.m. on Sundays and 6 p.m. on Wednesdays
Founded Upon God’s Word
Liturgically Joyful
At Christchurch, Holy Scripture serves as the final authority for our teaching and preaching. Indeed, over the course of three years, almost the entire Bible is read aloud and preached upon.
At Christchurch, worship involves the entire congregation, as we offer God praise, thanksgiving and adoration using worship traditions that can be traced back to the earliest days of the Church. Our worship is not designed to entertain us, but to honor the true “audience” of worship, the Lord!
Warm and Loving
Committed to Mission
By God’s grace and through His Spirit, the people of Christchurch enjoy the richness and joy of being a true family. We’d love for you to become a part of us! Regardless of who you are, you will always find a home at Christchurch.
The people of Christchurch respond to God’s Word by going out into the world proclaiming the good news of Jesus, and we joyfully serve as His hands and feet whether in places like Uganda and Guatemala or within Montgomery.
8800 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, AL 36117 www.christchurchmgm.net 334.387.0566
BOOM!, The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Contents
October 2018 Volume 9 Issue 3
You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
Facebook.com/RiverRegionBoom C.S. Lewis
Thought Relationships Taste Inspiration
Humor Advice Health Community
“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”
Carl Bard
3 10 Ways To Conserve Heat This Winter 8 Publisher’s Letter 10 DOVER QUARTET in Concert 11 2018 Fall Quarter at OLLI at AUM Is Underway 12 I Don’t Have Time to Garden
page 30
Features
30 Installing Cameras in Your Parents Home Departments 22 This and That
42 Awesome Alpharetta-Jeff Barganier
52 {12} Things
Interesting Stuff
14 Happy Anniversary Rock Steady Montgomery Leigh Anne Richards
45 The Beginner’s Guide to Glamping
18 I Have A Will, Now What? McDonald Hagen
46 Greg Budell
For Active Boomers
20 Move over, Millennials. 50+ you tubers coming
NUMB and NUMBER
25 Alabama’s Grand Hotel $35 million renovation 26 Southern Writers Festival 32 To Do When a Loved One Enters a Nursing Home Ask an Elder Law Attorney 34 BOOM! Cover Profile page 34
page 24
page 42
page 14
38 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk 41 Eating Smart with Tracy Bhalla: 49 Walk to End Alzheimer’s
page 53
page 10
page 38
page 20
BOOM! The River Regions 50+ Lifestage Magazine is published monthly by River Region Publications, P.O. Box 6203, Montgomery, AL 36106. The phone number is 334.324.3472. Copyright 2018 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.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
7
Publisher’s Letter
My Breast Cancer Story
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.
Publisher/Editor
Jim Watson, 334.324.3472 jim@riverregionboom.com
Contributing Writers Jeff Barganier Jason Bryant Tracy Bhalla Greg Budell
Amanda Lambert Melisa Mote Leigh Anne Richards Dr. Pam Strickland Nick Thomas Christina Whitlock Raley L. Wiggins
Cover Photography Shellee Roberts Total Image Portraits www.totalimage.com 334.261.2080
Advertising
Jim Watson, 334.324.3472 jim@riverregionboom.com
Please Recycle This Magazine, Share with a Friend!
Facebook.com/RiverRegionBoom
BOOM!
Digital & Interactive “Free Subscriptions” www.riverregionboom.com
Many of you have one. Mine began with my first wife, Marty. Each year during October I share my Breast Cancer Story with our readers. Everyone who has experienced Breast Cancer knows the bond we all share yet everyone’s story is unique. I consider my experience a blessing. Breast Cancer’s Blessing Could life be any better? My wife and I were truly enjoying the fruits of our labor. We were business partners, she was the boss and I was her advisor. We had been publishing Montgomery Parents for eight years and serving our community with something we thought was worth doing. We were “empty nesters”, and our schedules allowed for travel and plenty of time to love on the grandkids. Through our effort we had discovered the joy of “made for each other”, because both of us brought something to our marriage and business relationship the other didn’t have. We became a complete work of love. After a 40-year relationship stemming from a 9th grade history class encounter, Marty and I had discovered the “sweet spot” of happiness and we were enjoying the blessing of God’s design. And then we weren’t. In April of 2003, our lives changed. Marty and I were sitting in our living room as our family doctor told Marty she had metastatic breast cancer. We were paralyzed by the thought. It’s as if our brains were frozen. It was a Friday afternoon, so we would have to spend the weekend with this intruder; we were being held hostage by breast cancer until Monday’s appointment with the oncologist. We both struggled to understand the why. I researched breast cancer and learned too much while Marty began sharing with family and friends the “news” no one wanted to hear. As an optimist I was going to get to the bottom of this problem and find a solution. Marty, who had a deep faith, knew the solution was with God. Of course, we both would press and probe our doctors for answers and hope and got some of both. But in the end, our journey with breast cancer led to God and the peace that only He can provide. Breast cancer changed our lives, but God was the director. I became a caregiver, and like many men, was pretty unfamiliar with the job description. But when your wife has breast cancer and every day together is truly precious, you ask a lot of dumb questions and you get smart quick. I’m not talking medical stuff, I’m talking laundry and cooking and pill organizing and, most importantly, serving. Marty lived 30 months after her diagnosis and I wouldn’t trade one moment of serving her for anything in this world. The blessing of serving is hard to realize and appreciate because we all want for ourselves. Our nature is to be selfish. But when you serve someone you forget about your needs and value someone else’s. I learned that from Marty. She was a selfless, caring person and when I took on that role in our lives it was an abundant blessing. Marty showed me where to find hope and how to never lose it. Our hope was and is in God. God’s blessings aren’t about being in the best place of your life, they’re about being in the best place with Him. Our Cover Profile this month is Dr. Pam Strickland, who's practice, Central Alabama Breast Care, specializes in breast care. She is a breast surgeon and naturally cares for women who have concerns about being diagnosed with breast cancer or have already been diagnosed. Either way, Dr. Strickland is there to provide encouragement and compassion for the most challenging time of a woman's life when she has to live with the fear of breast cancer. I enjoyed getting to know Pam this month and I think you'll enjoy getting to know her as you read her profile. She's a blessing to so many and the River Region is better place for her service to the breast cancer community. Thanks to her and all of the caregivers and survivors for the love and the fight, we appreciate what you do. Thanks for being part of our BOOM! Community.
Jim jim@riverregionboom.com 334.324.3472 cell/text
8 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
9
DOVER QUARTET in Concert The phenomenal Dover Quartet catapulted to international stardom following a stunning sweep of the 2013 Banff Competition. Recently named the Cleveland Quartet Award winner, and
awarded the coveted Avery Fisher Career Grant, the Dover has become one of the most in-demand ensembles in the world. The Quartet’s rise from up-andcoming young ensemble to occupying a spot at the top of their field has been “practically meteoric” (Strings). With its burnished warmth, incisive rhythms, and natural phrasing, the Quartet’s distinctive sound has helped confirm its status as
“the young American string quartet of the moment” (New Yorker). The Quartet serves as the quartet-in-residence for the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University. In 2017-18 the Dover Quartet performs more than a hundred concerts around North America and Europe. The Quartet opened the season with performances for Texas Performing Arts, Chamber Music Houston, and Performance Santa Fe before appearing for the Kennedy Center, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Library of Congress, Detroit Chamber Music Society, the La Jolla Music Society, and throughout North America and Europe. The Quartet performed together with the superstar violinist Janine Jansen and pianist JeanYves Thibaudet in Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium and will also continue multiyear residencies for the Walton Arts Center’s Artosphere, Peoples’ Symphony, and the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival. The River Region will have the opportunity to experience these talented musicians on Thursday, October 11th at the Wilson Auditorium at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art. If you haven't experienced chamber music before, now is the time to create a new experience of listening to world class quality music. For ticket info or season tickets visit www. montgomerychambermusic.org. Treat a friend to this unique musical experience, they'll be glad you did. For more visit www.doverquartet.com
10 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
2018 Fall Quarter at OLLI at AUM Is Underway The 2018 fall term at OLLI at AUM is off to a successful start, with a variety of exciting new courses and popular repeated courses. Some of the offerings include Bradley Moody, AUM retired professor of political science, who is leading an in-depth study of the 2018 elections. Robert (Bob) Beshear, retired pediatrician, is teaching a class that will try to suggest solutions for Alabama’s problems that cause the state to be at the bottom of all statistical analyses of family and child well-being. Rick Anderson, retired English professor from Huntingdon College, is leading a study of some novels by James Lee Burke. Retired English professors Cliff Browning and Nancy Anderson are continuing the study of capital punishment with a
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
reading of Anthony Ray Hinton’s The Sun Does Shine and a viewing of the film of Ernest J. Gaines’s A Lesson Before Dying. Visiting speakers to the class will be lawyers, a judge, Anthony R. Hinton, and a person who currently works in a prison ministry with death row inmates. The active and hands-on classes are repeated courses with dedicated participants. OLLI members are staying active in line dancing and ballroom dancing. The hands-on courses that continue to be quite popular are pine needle basket weaving, paper engineering, zentangle, and photoshop. We are currently working on adding some exciting new courses in addition to the popular repeated ones for the 2019
winter term, which will be highlighted in the upcoming 2019 winter, spring, and summer catalog. Come to the Open House on November 8 from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. at the AUM Center for Lifelong Learning (75 TechnaCenter Drive) to meet instructors and to see what new skills you can develop in OLLI classes. During this time, there will be an art show where OLLI participants will display the works that they have created in classes and why these courses continue to be so popular. Hope to see you on November 8th! For more information about AUM OLLI or view a catalog, go to www.outreach. aum.edu or contact: Brittany at 2443804.
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
11
By Christina Whitlock
I Don’t Have Time to Garden I get it. As a past self-employed military wife, and mother of five… I was busy, too busy to have the gardens of some of my neighbors. I envied them, but I knew that wasn’t a practical fit for my active family.
“What color would the flower be?” “When could we eat the parsley?” “Why do we have parsley?” And then came the joy of the harvest! Everyone wanted to be the dinner helper (bonus for me!) because snipping parsley and putting a sprig on each plate came with the job.
I also, however, had a deep appreciation for my grandparent’s garden and the memories I made there as a child. This inspired my love of flowers. It inspired my love of fresh foods. As a result, I worked as a florist’s assistant in high school, took classes in flower arranging anytime I could, taught a garnishing food class for years that always included an herb section, and usually found the local farmer’s market before the grocery store. I realized that I had found meaningful ways to add my love of gardening to my life (even while not personally gardening). Epiphany! This could be done with my family! No matter where we were living, I could find ways to give my children “a garden experience” while not having to carve out another large section of time from our schedule. I was trying out a new chore chart at the time and was listing chores for the younger children which inspired a simple Saturday activity of planting three pots with flowers, parsley, and dwarf chives (coined our “garden”) and created the daily chore of checking the soil and watering as needed. What I didn’t expect was the universal pride in our garden. Everyone who came to visit had to see it. Each new plant that broke through the soil was talked about over after-school snacks or dinner.
12 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
Sometimes chives were sprinkled on baked potatoes or in salad. We talked about my Grandmother, a restaurant owner, who wouldn’t put out a plate without parsley even at home. We laughed at the faces everyone made as we munched a little to “freshen our breath”. We were making garden memories! Over the years, and with each move, we adapted our “garden” as needed. In the suburbs, we filled four large urn-
style containers with herbs outside our front entrance. In the city high rise, we planted a tomato plant and cucumber vine on our balcony. Overseas we kept a few pots of herbs on the kitchen windowsill. Once when we had an especially tiny space, we resorted to hanging pots in front of a window. This was successful gardening for our family. Doable, adaptable, teachable, memorable…wonderful! The benefits of growing with children kept multiplying. We gave plants as gifts, shared our flowers with loved ones and teachers, and even ventured outside to plant a vegetable garden. The children requested plants for their rooms. This led to a discussion and some research on the easiest houseplants to keep alive, then the plants that do best with little light, and finally which helped most with air quality. Plants were purchased according to each child’s focus and care for them helped my children learn responsibility and consequences. The heartbreak of a dying plant taught the importance of constant nurturing of a living thing better than any story or lecture from me. My children are almost all grown now but in every apartment or dorm I visit, there are a few plants, parsley always among them…proof to me that gardening, no matter how limited, is an easy way to pass on traditions, heritage, and valuable skills. So if you are like me and don’t have much time, “garden small…and reap a bountiful harvest of happiness.” Christina Whitlock, an intern in the 2018 Master Gardener Class, lives in Montgomery. For more information on becoming a master gardener, visit www.capcitymga.org or email capcitymga@gmail.com. The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
13
Happy Anniversary Rock Steady Montgomery I was diagnosed with Parkinson's five years ago, and up until January 2018, I'd never heard of anything other than medication that could possibly help with the symptoms of this illness. When I was told about the Rock Steady program in Montgomery, AL, I called to set up a date to observe. After evaluation, I enrolled. I appreciate Metro Fitness allowing this program the use of their facility five days a week, so that the participants can fit Rock Steady into their schedules. Also, thanks to Leigh Anne Richards, the General Manager of MetroFitness, for taking time from her busy schedule to be our personal trainer. Samantha and Travis also give of their time and teach us all the boxing techniques that I love and make me feel so strong and powerful. What a great team of instructors Metro Rock Steady provides for us.
muscular dystrophy and ALS combined. Every year 60,000 more get the diagnosis, a number that is continuing to go up as
Fitness over Fifty by Leigh Anne Richards
the population ages. They face gradual loss of their muscles, leading to tremors, loss of balance, and difficulty walking or speaking. Parkinson’s is chronic and has no cure.
In 2006, Scott Newman, a former prosecutor and public safety director, along with his friend and former Golden Glove boxer, Vincent Perez, founded Rock Steady Boxing. At the age of 40 Newman was diagnosed with Living 45 miles from Parkinson’s. Montgomery, I Soon after attend at least two days a week and the diagnosis would participate Newman even more if I started boxing lived closer. The Kyle Curington, Rock Steady Boxer and felt a exercises and the dramatic boxing have improved my flexibility and difference in his overall physical healthbalance. An added benefit is all an iconic twist since boxing has been meeting and exercising with others who linked to dementia, Alzheimer’s and even are dealing with the same issues Parkinson’s. of Parkinson's that I am. Kyle Curington, Rock Steady Boxer Private donations allowed Newman and Perez to open a small gym in Indianapolis Parkinson’s disease afflicts about a million they named Rock Steady. They created Americans- more than multiple sclerosis,
14 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
specific workouts for Parkinson’s patients in their levels of fitness. Now, the gym has 170 members and has gone through an expansion to accommodate the growing number of participants. Ages range from 30-90. Christy Follmer, a former professional boxer and head trainer at Rock Steady has watched the clientele grow at Rock Steady. Follmer said that boxing is one of the most intense types of physical exercise an athlete can endure. By focusing on different methodologies in one workout, cardiovascular, strength, balance agility, footwork and eye hand coordination, trainers create a well-rounded training plan to combat Parkinson’s. Because this is a noncontact program, the risks to patients are the same as with any other exercise program, said Dr. Mark Stacy, professor of neurology, at Duke University Medical Center Follmer said the trainers constantly change up the exercises which creates muscle confusion that can benefit the strength training and balance Parkinson’s
Phillip Hardy, Rock Steady Boxer
patients need. For patients with more The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
severe symptoms, trainers stand beside them to lessen the risk of falls. The participants never get bored- they are always moving from station to station. It is very fun and challenging but doable to their fitness level. Participants work drills such as jump rope, ring work, speed bags, double end bags and focus mits to improve eye hand coordination, balance and agility. Follmer states they try to implement tough love and push these people harder and beyond their perceived limits. However, they are aware when too much is too much.
Rock Steady Boxers working on balance with hip abduction exercises
Please join us on October 10 from 11:00-1:00pm for our one- year celebration and open house. Lunch will be provided and door prizes. Tell anyone that might have recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s about this program. It caters to anyone that is newly diagnosed to those that have had the disease for years. All fitness levels are welcome in this program. Come see what we are doing to Fight Back!
Leigh Anne Richards, MEd, Lucy McCall and Linda Glass , Rock Steady Boxers Joe Padgett, Rock Steady Boxer Certified Personal Rock Steady has been one of the most Trainer, Group people and we now have 40 boxers on rewarding ventures in my 30-year fitness Exercise Instructor, General Managerour roster. It’s all about the comradery career. MetroFitness is celebrating our MetroFitness. For any questions or and encouraging each other because one-year anniversary on October 10, comments, contact Leigh Anne at everyone is in the fight together. 2018. We began the program with 10 LAMetrofit@aol.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
15
16 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
17
I Have A Will, Now What?
Brandt McDonald introduces his September guest columnist, Jason Bryant...From time to time, I will be introducing several of our advisors through this column. They will share their unique insights into financial markets, financial planning and overall wealth management concepts. At McDonald & Hagen, we have a deep bench of talent that is eager to serve our firm’s clients and our local community. This month’s column is written by Jason Bryant. Jason entered the financial advisory business in 2008 after earning a bachelor’s degree in business-finance from Elon University in North Carolina. Jason and his wife Alice live in Old Cloverdale with their daughter Emily and their dog Nash. In his free time, he enjoys college football, reading, and spending time with his family on Lake Martin.
What do Abraham Lincoln, Pablo Picasso, and (the artist formerly known as) Prince all have in common? None of them had a will when they died. Not having a will or any form of estate planning is an easy way to cause stress and fighting amongst your family when you are gone. But while having a will is a great solution, it is only one small part of prudent estate planning. Consider all the personalities that make up your family. From your spouse to your parents to your children, every person has various strengths. You might be the best cook. Your daughter might be the doctor of the family. Your father might be the one who knows how to fix a broken toilet. But no matter what your strengths may be, every household has someone in charge of the financials. If you are not the “financial guru” of the family, it is easy to ignore all the details. Your spouse may be the one who follows the stock market. He or she may know how to take advantage of all the tax benefits of 529 accounts, Roth IRAs, and 401(k) plans. So, why would you need to spend your time worrying about those things? In fact, we often find comfort knowing that someone in our family is in charge of managing the money. It is a stressful task that most of us would choose to avoid.
Financial Thoughts with Jason Bryant
crucial error – they fail to properly plan for when they are gone. Now, they may leave a lot of money behind for their family and they may also have an updated last will and testament. But there are so many more problems that are often overlooked. Who will manage the budget and pay all the bills? Who will file the taxes? Where are all of the financial accounts located? We often have people come to our office who have recently lost a loved one. Unfortunately, the family has no idea where all the money actually is. They are forced to watch the mailbox and dig through files to try and find out which banks, insurance companies, and investment firms have active accounts. It is not uncommon for a family to have a checking account, a savings account, a mortgage, a certificate of deposit, a credit card account, life insurance, and a 401(k). More than likely, all of these accounts are held at different companies.
One aspect about money is that it is a very personal and private matter. We tend to be insecure about how much we have or how knowledgeable we are on the subject. No matter how close your family may be, it is not something we usually talk about at the dinner table. The same goes with planning for our ultimate demise. Therefore, the financial guru may have done an enormous amount of planning, but they also may not have shared this information with the rest of the family.
The emotional toll of losing a family member is only half the battle. Children and spouses are usually faced with the difficult task of breaking the news to family and friends. They also have to deal with planning the final arrangements. And overnight, they have to learn how to be the person in charge of the financials. If the financial guru of your family passes away, do you know where all the accounts are located? Do you know who to call?
Over the years, I have found that even the most financially savvy people often make a
Having an updated will is simply not enough. If you manage the financials for your family, you should have a document
18 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
that shows where all your accounts are located and who to call in order to gain access to them. You should have a discussion with your family about how to manage the financials and you should have a trusted advisor who your family is comfortable talking to about those sensitive issues. Money and death are not fun topics of conversation. But prudent financial planning involves having that conversation. The next time the money manager of your household goes to meet with their financial advisor or estate attorney or CPA, ask to join in on the meeting. Bring a list of questions. One day, you will end up being the one in charge. Jason Bryant, Financial Advisor Brandt McDonald, Managing Partner McDonald & Hagen Wealth Management LPL Branch Manager www.mcdonaldhagen.com Direct comments and questions to Jennifer.Hunt@LPL.com or 334.387.0094 Securities offered through LPL Financial. Member FINRA & SIPC. Investment advice offered through McDonald & Hagen Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor, and separate entity from LPL Financial. Sources/Disclaimers: This material was prepared for BOOM Magazine and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
19
Move over, Millennials.
These online video creators are bucking YouTube’s youth movement and proving it’s never too late to shine Every June, more than 35,000 visitors, most of them teens and twentysomethings, descend upon the Anaheim Convention Center for Vidcon, the annual convention for people who make online videos. But in this wild and woolly world of YouTube creators, a new type of star is slowly emerging: the 50+ online video star. True, the growth in the ranks of YouTube channel creators over 50 is more of a trickle than a flood—especially when you count those with a substantial number of subscribers. “When I go to YouTube Space Toronto [conferences] for meet and greets or other creator sessions, I’m the oldest person in the room by about 20 years,” says 67-year-old creator Maarten Heilbron. But, as Heilbron notes, “The gap is narrowing as more creators in or closer to my age bracket seem to be participating.” The average age of YouTube viewers is rising too, with the number of those over 55 tripling between 2015 and 2016. For many older YouTubers, the transition to video storytelling is accidental, the outgrowth of a passion, hobby, or side hustle. But their channels—everything from travelogues to fitness tutorials, tech explainers to cooking shows—provide a savvy and engaging way to get their businesses in front of a larger audience and potentially bring in a little money from brand sponsorships or affiliate marketing relationships.
20 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The gentle motivator: Wendy Ida
The Channel: Wendy Ida
www.youtube.com/user/WendyIdaFitness/featured
Subscribers: 19,400 The premise: At 66, Wendy Ida holds two Guinness World fitness records: oldest active instructor in multiple disciplines, and the woman who’s done the most burpees (37) in one minute (also known as squat thrusts). But you might think she’s 20 years younger by looking at her washboard abs
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
and inspiring workout videos, which run the gamut from meditation tips and skin care advice to motivational speeches and dance-workout sessions. It’s all delivered in an accessible, gentle manner that’s regularly punctuated by an encouraging “you can do this!” mantra.
The photography coach: Maarten Heilbron
about these videos, but, as you’d expect of a former newspaper writer, they’re thought through and detailed. Whether it’s a review of the latest Canon fullframe prosumer DSLR or a roundup of the best travel cameras, Heilbron leaves no stone unturned or unexplained, offering verbal and visual demonstrations of camera features and photo-taking strategies.
The Channel: Maarten Heilbron
Serious photographers and camerashy novices alike can benefit from his insights, and it’s a welcome break from the breathless spec and model rundowns and hyperkinetic graphics of many gadget and camera vloggers. The appeal is universal: Heilbron says that more than 50% of his viewers are in the 25- to 45-year-old demographic.
What’s to like: If there’s proof that it’s never too late to get in shape, or change your life, then Ida is it. After escaping an abusive 13-year relationship, she moved with her two kids to California, where she started to work out and ultimately shed 80 pounds, becoming a certified trainer in the process. Taking up body building at the age of 57, she has since won several national championships. “I want women 40 and above to be able to handle the setbacks in life—whether it’s divorce…relocation…promotion…disease… or the death of a parent,” she says in one of her videos. Ida makes such seemingly insurmountable challenges as easy and fun as jumping onto a dance floor.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
www.youtube.com/channel/ UC5akMMbBLdJ1XxszpqraBrQ
Subscribers: 54,000 The premise: Born in Holland and raised in Canada, Heilbron, 67, spent most of his career writing about technology and travel for the Toronto Star and other publications. When the print assignments dwindled, Heilbron learned how to produce videos. Now he uploads several a week, which run the gamut from straight-up camera reviews to photography pointers and explainers. What’s to like: There’s nothing flashy
Source: www.considerable.com see more youtube stars over 50 here https://considerable.com/7-youtubestars-who-are-making-a-splash-after-50/
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
21
i
This & tHAT
Nationally Recognized Exhibition is a Must See at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts is pleased to be a part of one of the largest creative collaborations in US history. The exhibition For Freedoms: Citizenship in Art is mounted in partnership with For Freedoms | The 50 State Initiative and is intended to bring awareness to the value of active participation in our American Democracy. Both the exhibition at the MMFA and the 50 State Initiative finds inspiration in President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s State of the Union Address of 1941. In that speech, Roosevelt proposed four fundamental and essential rights that he believed people not only in our American democracy, but around the world should possess–the freedom of speech and freedom of worship, both For Freedoms: Colleen Browning (American, born Ireland, 1929–2003), Union Mixer, protected in the First Amendment of 1976, from the Kent Bicentennial Portfolio, Spirit of Independence, lithograph on our Constitution, along with freedom paper, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Gift of Lorillard, a Division of Loews Theatres, Inc., 1976.152. from want and freedom from fear. More than 75 years later, these ideals are often still contested. The artwork on view in For Freedoms: Citizenship in Art explores these issues. The public can experience the exhibition anytime through Sunday, November 18, 2018. MORE EXHIBITS: There are other exhibits starting this Fall including: Continuum: 1808 to 2017/Goya to Erdreich, through January 6, 2019; Lino Tagliapietra (Italian, Views of the South: Photographs from the Do Good Fund, through January 6, 2019; Lino Tagliapietra: born 1934), Angel Tear, Master of Beauty, November 10, 2018 through January 20, 2019. For more info visit www.mmfa.org 2011, blown glass
An Evening with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder A life full of music. That’s the story of Ricky Skaggs. By age 21, he was already considered a recognized master of one of America’s most demanding art forms, Bluegrass. With 12 #1 hit singles, 15 GRAMMY Awards, 13 IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Awards, eight ACM Awards and eight CMA Awards (including Entertainer of the Year), Ricky Skaggs is truly a pioneer of Bluegrass and Country music. Known today as Bluegrass music’s official ambassador, Ricky Skaggs has brought the genre to a greater level of popularity and continues to lead in bringing vitality to country’s most down to earth art form, the Bluegrass sound. The all-star lineup of Kentucky Thunder includes Paul Brewster (tenor vocals, rhythm guitar), Russ Carson (banjo), Jake Workman (lead guitar), Mike Barnett (fiddle), Dennis Parker (baritone vocals, guitar) and Jeff Picker (bass, bass vocals). 2018 marked the 59th year since Ricky struck his first chords on a mandolin. He will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville in October. Performing at Enterprise High School Performing Arts Center, Thursday, October 25, 2018, 7:30 pm. For tickets/information, call 334.406.2787 or visit the web at www.CoffeeCountyArtsAlliance.com
22 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
BOOMERS, share your stuff with BOOM! We Love to Bring BOOMERS Together, send info and pics to jim@riverregionboom.com
MACOA To Honor 2018 Seniors of Achievement 2018 2018 marks the 31th year of MACOA’s Seniors of Achievement Awards, which recognizes seniors who have made significant lifetime contributions to their communities. Over the years, hundreds of seniors have been selected to receive this outstanding award. These distinguished senior citizens have come from every walk of life. Our purpose is to recognize those who have truly blessed the lives of others. We are pleased to honor 11 senior heroes for their community, personal, and professional achievements on Wednesday, October 11, 2018 at 11:30am at the Montgomery Country Club. We are pleased to have Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama serve as the Presenting Sponsor. See list of the 2018 honorees below! 2018 Seniors of Achievement: Nelma Ausley, Lois Brown, Jerry Burnette Ruth Duncan, Doris Epler, Al Hildreth, Sue Loftis, Margaret Philhower, Marion Young, Lelar Wilson, C.W. White. In addition to this prestigious award, MACOA will present the Special Friend of MACOA Award. MACOA Special Friends are those individuals who have made significant contributions of time, money or both, to enhance the MACOA mission. The 2018 Special Friend Award will be presented to First United Methodist Church. Tickets are $50 per person and tables of eight may be purchased at $400. To reserve your seat for this special occasion, contact Jennifer Dvorak at 334.263.0532 or visit www.macoa.org/seniors-awards/.
St. Michael and All Angels holds Angel Fest St. Michael and All Angels, 5941 Main Street, Millbrook, MACOA Seniors of Achievement 2018 Alabama 36054, will be presenting our 18th annual Angel Fest on Saturday, October 20th, from 9am - 3 pm. There will be a bake sale, which includes all kinds of cakes, pies, cookies, candy and canned pickles and sauerkraut. The ever popular silent auction, concessions, children’s carnival and vendors with unique wares… and last, but not least our fabulous Boston Butt sale, with lots of good entertainment for the whole family…gospel music and more… there is no charge to the public and our proceeds go for the outreach program of our church. We are located on Main Street in Millbrook beside the CVS. More information can be obtained on Facebook or our website www.stmichaelandallanagels.com and click under Calendar of Events.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
23
This & tHAT
i
More
Would you like to volunteer to be a Field Trip Facilitator E.A.T. south offers an interactive field trip program called Good Food Day where participants interact with the farm in many ways. During the field trip, students gain hands-on experience and enjoy an amazing day outside. The organization needs community members interested in teaching in an outdoor classroom setting during this fun event. Good Food Days normally take place during weekday mornings in the Fall and Spring between late September through early December and then again from March through May. The field trips are 1.5 to 3 hours in length depending on the school. During the field trip, volunteers man learning stations on the farm, including Growing Greenhouse, Children's Garden, Compost Pile, Chicken Coop and Honey Bee Hive. Register today www.handsonriverregion.org or visit www.eatsouth.org/good-food-day. To learn more call 203.770.8029.
FRANKIE VALLI and the FOUR SEASONS A Special Evening with The Original Jersey Boy! Oh, what a story. Frankie Valli, who came to fame in 1962 as the lead singer of the Four Seasons, is hotter than ever in the 21st century. Thanks to the volcanic success of the Tony-winning musical Jersey Boys, which chronicles the life and times of Frankie and his legendary group, such classic songs as “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Rag Doll,” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” are all the rage all over again. With the play in its seventh blockbuster year on Broadway, and five other casts performing Jersey Boys nightly from Las Vegas to London, the real Frankie Valli is also coming to BJCC Concert Hall, Birmingham, for One Night Only on Friday, December 28 at 8:00PM. Tickets now on sale and available at www.Ticketmaster.com. For more info visit www.frankievallifourseasons.com
Capital City Master Gardener Association Presents Free Lunch & Learn 2018 Capital City Master Gardener Association presents Lunch & Learn 2018 the 1st Wednesday of Every Month from 12-1 pm. We meet at the Armory Learning Arts Center, 1018 Madison Avenue, Downtown Montgomery. Mark your calendars, October 3rd, Native Drought Tolerant Plants, Dr. Sue Webb, Petals from the Past and 7 November 7, Capturing the Beauty in Photography, DiAnna Paulk. For information, please contact the Montgomery County Extension Office 334.270.4133. Also visit www.capcitymga.org. FREE GARDEN HELPLINE: Can’t find the answer to a home gardening question? Call our Free Help Line for the general public. 1-877-252-GROW (4769), Mon-Thurs 9am-1pm I March-August. The help line is operated by Master Gardener Volunteers who use research-based information to best answer your gardening questions.
Digital & Interactive
f re e su bsc r i pt i on s at w w w.rive r re gio n b o o m.co m 24 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Alabama’s Grand Hotel completes $35 million renovation, rebrands as Autograph resort
The “Queen of Southern Resorts” has added more sparkle to her crown. The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa in Point Clear has completed a three-year, $35 million transformation that is marked today by a rebranding from Marriott to Autograph Collection Hotels. “What that means is we will be able to do more of what we want to do and what we want to be to be independent as a hotel,” said Scott Tripoli, general manager of the Grand Hotel. “That’s really the moniker of Autograph: ‘Exactly like nothing else,’ and we feel like the Grand Hotel brings that right to the forefront.” Autograph Collection Hotels are part of Marriott International Inc. but reserved to more than 150 one-of-a-kind hotels that have established their own identities. The recent transformation has been among the most extensive since the Grand Hotel first opened in 1847. All its 405 guest rooms have been renovated, as have its meeting and conference spaces, its spa, golf course, pool, pier grounds and restaurants. Signature cocktails can be enjoyed at Bucky’s Lounge while everything from burgers to steaks and specialty craft beers can be enjoyed at the Bayside Grill. The main dining room is home to Southern Roots restaurant, featuring fresh, farm-to-table seasonal Southern cuisine. While much has changed, Tripoli said he wants longtime fans of the Grand Hotel to know that the important elements of Southern charm and great service are intact. For more visit www.grand1847.com
Alabama Dance Theatre Presents DRACULA, “A Ballet to Die For”
Sink your teeth into a thrilling vampire drama back by popular demand as Alabama Dance Theatre presents the classic story Dracula, a ballet to die for. The Alabama Dance Theatre, a pearl of the River Region, opening its 32nd “Once Upon a Season” cordially invites you to witness the dramatic epic tale of Dracula. Performances will be held Saturday, November 2 at 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, November 3 at 2:30 p.m. This masterpiece production, choreographed by Sara Sanford and performed at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival on the Festival Stage will thrill audiences with special effects, lavish costumes, and breathtaking scenery. Philip Feeney’s score illuminates Bram Stoker’s classic novel with incredible clarity and breathes new life into this timeless story. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.alabamadancetheatre.com or by calling 334.625-2800.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
25
This & tHAT
i
More
ASF Presents Southern Writers Festival
Explore Southern identity by looking at who we are today during the Southern Writers Festival of New Plays, October 19 – October 21, 2018. This lively three-day event features premiere theatrical readings, stimulating conversation, and delicious food. During the festival, playwrights will develop and polish their stories by working with actors, directors, dramaturgs, and the audience—every voice matters. The SWF Weekend Pass includes all events, meals, and readings listed above. If you are a true theatre enthusiast, the weekend pass is the right choice for you! You can buy a weekend pass for $125 or purchase readings and events individually. The deadline for purchasing weekend passes or events with meals is Friday, October 12, 2018. To learn more visit www.asf.net/southernwritersfestival/
Beat the Odds Casino Night The Cancer Wellness Foundation is helping cancer patients in the River Region “Beat the Odds” the evening of Thursday, October 18, with our annual Beat the Odds Casino Night and Drawdown at Wynlakes Country Club from 6-9 p.m. Join us for a fun evening of casino games, slot machines, a silent auction and raffle prizes, and help
local cancer patients on their way to wellness! Drawdown/ Event tickets are $125 with entry for two including buffet and drink tickets. www.cancerwellnessfoundation.org
Christmas Clearing House Every year, during the holidays, families gather together to celebrate with festive decorations, feasts of all flavors and varieties and often also an exchange of gifts. What’s very easy to forget during these times of feasting and celebrating is the fact that there are so many families in our community struggling just to put food on the table for the kids, that holiday gifts and elaborate parties just aren’t in the picture for them. HandsOn's Christmas Clearinghouse is the River Regions' largest Christmas charitable giving program. We partner with over 40 social service and faith-based organizations to ensure the area's most needy families are screened for eligibility, checked for duplication and registered for assistance. Then the fun part begins - Families in need are matched with families and groups that want to help. It's that simple. We cross cultural and economic lines to spread JOY, HOPE, and PEACE for donors and recipients alike. Approximately 10,000 individuals in the River Region - including more than 8,000 children - are registered annually with the Christmas Clearinghouse. The Christmas Clearinghouse keeps families from being overlooked and makes sure that all donated resources are used wisely. For more information about partnering with The Christmas Clearing House visit www.handsonriverregion.org
Caring for the Caregiver, Alzheimer/Dementia Support Group Meeting the 2nd Wednesday of each month, 1-3 pm at ChristChurch, 8800 Vaughn Rd. Montgomery, AL. A place for RESPITE: a pause or rest, EXCHANGING: practical information on caregiving problems, possible solutions, and resources in our community, SHARING: needs and concerns, TALKING: through challenges and discovering new ways to cope. Often, we hear caregivers say they are looking for support from people who “really understand because we have been there too.” This group offers just that-a safe place for caregivers, family and friends of persons with dementia to meet and develop a mutual support system. We welcome caregivers. For more info call 334.462.2613.
Digital & Interactive
f re e su bsc r i pt i on s at w w w.rive r re gio n b o o m.co m 26 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Rare Guitar I recently saw an online ad proffering Joe Cocker’s air guitar, and the attached photo documents that it was played at Woodstock. I’ve never seen one that nice. Moreover, I didn’t know that Cocker was a southpaw...I recall seeing the Chicago Transit Authority, Joe Cocker & the Grease band, and Santana at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium in Oct. ‘69 (two months after Woodstock) for six bucks...
Support Meetings for Cancer Patients and Caregivers Support Meetings for Cancer Patients and Caregivers. Includes monthly education series, encouragement from cancer Survivors, caregiver support and sharing common experiences and solutions. October 9th. All meetings held in Education Conference Room, Montgomery Cancer Center, 4145 Carmichael Road. Education series starts at 12N; Support meeting starts at 1pm. Call 334.273.2275 for more information.
Willie Mosely, willie@vintageguitar.com
Women of Hope
Breast Cancer Support Group Tuesday, October 9th, 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:
Breast Cancer Update Presented by
Dr. Stephen L. Davidson Medical Oncologist Montgomery Cancer Center Everyone is Welcome!
For information please call 334-220-4599 or email womenofhope@charter.net www.thewomenofhope.org
Digital & Interactive
f re e su bsc r i pt i on s at w w w.rive r re gio n b o o m.co m The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
27
This & tHAT
More
U.S. News & World Report ranks AUM among South’s top regional universities Auburn University at Montgomery claims status as top university in the River Region and as one of the top public regional universities in the state. U.S. News & World Report recognized Auburn University at Montgomery among its top regional universities in the South in its annual survey of the nation’s best educational institutions. Among regional universities in the South, AUM ranked 22nd for the quality of its undergraduate teaching program and 38th among public institutions. AUM’s College of Business also ranked among the business schools nationally. “We are delighted that Auburn University at Montgomery’s academic programs have once again been recognized for their high level of quality,” said AUM Chancellor Dr. Carl A. Stockton. “This newest set of rankings serves as testament to the hard work of our faculty and staff and underscores our commitment to our core values — particularly our desire to put students first and to pursue excellence in all that we do.” Earning a place among the top 25 regional universities in the South for putting a particular focus on undergraduate teaching highlights AUM’s strides in the area, such as the university’s Virtual Avatar Laboratory (VAL), the state’s only virtual-human hybrid learning and teaching environment, and its National Science Foundationfunded Logan Project, dedicated to mathematics learning and evaluation processes for learners with severe vision and mobility limitations. For more visit www.aum.edu
Memories of Young World On display through October 2018 in the second floor lobby. This exhibit features puppets, props, photographs, and other memorabilia from the popular 1970s and 80s WSFV-TV children's program, Young World. Alabama Department of Archives & History
28 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
29
The Case For Installing Cameras...
In Your Elderly Parent’s Home
By Amanda Lambert
Should You Use a Video Monitoring Camera System? Cameras and recordings are simply a way to get more information in a changing situation. Cameras can help you answer questions such as: I Is going down the stairs more of a problem than your parent tells you? I Is your parent using the stove properly? I Are they eating properly? I Are medications being taken? I Are they using oxygen as instructed? Benefits of Adding a Monitoring System I Audio cameras allow you to actually talk with your parent and the caregiver. I The ability to track movements in and out of rooms. I Advertising a camera system can thwart break ins. I Most systems allow for live viewing on the internet or your smart phone. I Determine if level of care is appropriate, or if more care is needed. Using Cameras with In-Home Caregivers Even if you have a caregiver for your parents, a video monitoring camera system can alert you to necessary changes to their home or the care plan. Elders with cognitive impairment due to medications, post-hospitalization delirium, dementia or other conditions can be sensitive to change and exhibit moments of confusion and paranoia.
30 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
In these circumstances, a very few people will lose track of time, place and physical objects, and accuse a caregiver of taking or hiding a valued object. Cameras in the home are solution to this problem. In fact, many caregivers feel safer and more protected when there is a “recording of record” from the camera system. A video monitoring system protects everyone. If an issue comes up, always reach out to your agency’s care manager. Legal Issues With Video and Audio Recording in Your Home Laws vary for individual states. Google “recording video [or audio] in home {your state}” to research the legality of using cameras in your state. Read this article on state by state requirements. I Most states allow video recording of activity in the home, with an explicit agreement. I Explicit agreement is written and signed by both you and the caregiver… What is “Consent?” → When in doubt, get everyone’s (written…) consent to avoid potential problems later. (Consent
must be explicit and both parties… eg. caregiver and homeowner must sign a document…) I For all states, no video nor audio recording may take place in locations where someone would have an expectation of privacy, such as a bathroom or bedroom. This article explains some of the ethical and legal intricacies of video recording. I Using cameras that record audio means you must follow rules for video recording and for audio recording. Most states have separate rules for video vs. audio recording. Ethical Issues and Privacy When Recording Elders Cameras can be an invasion of privacy for your parent. Obtain consent from your parent before installing cameras. Your parent may also be uncomfortable being filmed during intimate tasks such as dressing. Your parent is still an adult, and even with cognitive impairment, would never want to be filmed dressing. If your parent can not provide legal consent, a family member with legal authority can provide that consent. Using hidden cameras is lawful in many states.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Talk With Your Caregiver About Cameras Trust and respect are the basis of a good relationship. Knowing that you are being filmed can be awkward. It’s important to have an open and honest dialogue about the reasons for having a camera in the first place. Reassure the caregiver that you trust and appreciate them. Cameras don’t take the place of good communication. Whether you opt for a camera system or not, stay involved with your parent’s care. Maintain a good working relationship with the agency and the caregivers. Features to Consider When Buying Monitoring Video Cameras Home security systems are becoming the norm. A few years ago, they were an anomaly. Technological advances have given consumers numerous options. The choices can be overwhelming and the costs quite high for installation. Doing your research will help you make the best selection for your situation. To
get you started, Google 2018 review of indoor cameras from PC Magazine. Deciding on a system requires some attention to the details. Consider the following when evaluating features among different systems: Range of View: Some cameras have limited viewing space. Others have a wider view. Dome cameras have a wider viewing range. Audio: Not all systems have audio. If this is an important feature for you, make sure you get the right system. Connectivity: Most systems operate via Bluetooth eliminating the need for wires. However, if the internet system goes down, this could affect connectivity. Some people opt to hard wire their systems to eliminate this problem. A wired system may require a professional installation. Cost: Check on possible subscription fees in addition to the cost of the system itself.
Extras: Consider these additional extras. Night vision, live stream smart phone app, motion detection, two-way talk. Deciding whether to install a camera system is not easy. Discuss the possibility with the agency, caregiver and your parent. Approach the subject with an attitude of trust and care. Resources: 1. Security Cameras, Ethics and the Law 2. The Best Security Home Cameras of 2018 3. Video Surveillance Laws by State: Everything You Need to Know Amanda Lambert is the owner and president of Lambert Care Management, LLC which provides care management for older and disabled adults. She is the co-author of, Aging with Care: Your Guide to Hiring and Managing Caregivers at Home (Rowman and Littlefield, 2018). She has worked for over 20 years in the senior-related industry including mental health, marketing and guardianship. She has a passion for topics related to health, wellness and resilience as we age.
T This article is sponsored by Home Care Assistance, for more info visit www.homecareassistance.com
Live Well at Home with a Higher Class of Care We do home care differently • 24/7 Live-in and Hourly Care • Balanced Care Method™ to promote healthy longevity • Cognitive Therapeutics Method™ to boost brain health • Hospital to Home Care Call today!
334-593-3988 Changing the Way the World Ages The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
HomeCareAssistanceMontgomery.com R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
Call Kristy today for your free in-home consultation! October 2018
BOOM!
31
Ask an Elder Law Attorney
By: Raley L. Wiggins | Attorney at Law | Red Oak Legal, PC
3 Things to Do When a Loved One Enters a Nursing Home Sending a loved one to a nursing home for care is never an easy decision. Families often feel guilty because they cannot provide the level of care that their loved one needs at home. During such a difficult time of transition, financial or planning issues may be the last thing on your mind.
Mrs. Smith can protect up to half of their assets for herself. But, if Mrs. Smith dies first, and her will leaves everything to Mr. Smith, the result is that Mr. Smith loses
spending $5,000 on the cost of their care, or pre-paying for an expense that all of us will eventually have.
In addition to the $5,000 in prepaid services, the applicant may Estate Planning and Asset Protection Workshop actually spend Wednesday, November 28: Hosted by Red Oak Legal, PC: 1:30-3:30 additional funds But the fact is that nursing home for other items or care is expensive—somewhere in pm at the Archibald Senior Center (MACOA) in Montgomery. This merchandise that the range of $6,000 per month— educational workshop presented by local attorney Raley L. Wiggins are part of those and financial concerns must be covers wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, living prepaid services as addressed. I hope to give you some wills, probate administration, protecting assets from creditors, well. For example idea of what to do if you are faced bankruptcy, divorce and remarriage, nursing homes, long-term care they may purchase with this scenario. and Medicaid qualification. Registration is required. a burial plot, headstone, casket, Call 334-625-6774 today to reserve your seat or register online at 1. See an Elder Law Attorney and a pay for the It is not uncommon for a nursing www.redoaklegalpc.com. opening and closing home stay to devastate a family’s of the grave. While finances. Neither your private funeral shopping is probably not anyone’s his Medicaid eligibility, and will have to health insurance plan nor Medicare will idea of a fun way to spend a Sunday spend down the other half of their marital cover the cost of a long-term nursing afternoon, it is absolutely something that assets before he could qualify again. home stay, so many patients must pay should be done while there is money left out of pocket until they run out of money, to do it. If Mrs. Smith had updated her will, she then apply for Medicaid benefits. could have left Mr. Smith only the minimal amount required by law, and passed 4. Do Your Homework The Medicaid qualification rules are the rest on the their children. And, the There is a great deal of misinformation complex. This is one time in your life minimal amount left to Mr. Smith could out there about nursing homes and where a good attorney can save your have been protected in a supplemental Medicaid. You should be very careful family a great deal of money. Look for an needs trust, to be used for paying for about taking advice from your friend at attorney who practices Elder Law. Many things to improve his quality of life. Even the coffee shop or Sunday School. Every of the Elder Law Attorneys in Alabama better, their children could have inherited case is different, and just because a are members of the Elder Law Section of what was left in the trust after his death. planning strategy may have worked for the Alabama State Bar, or the National Because they did not plan, Mr. Smith died someone else, doesn’t mean it will work Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). penniless, and their children inherited in your case. nothing. 2. Update the Estate Plan Do your homework, and get some good Mr. and Mrs. Smith are in their 80’s and legal advice. The stakes are high, and it’s 3. Make Funeral Arrangements have been married for 50 years. Mr. important to get it right. Just because someone enters a nursing Smith enters a nursing home, while Mrs. home doesn’t mean you’re just waiting Smith is healthy enough to continue living on them to die. But this is the time to in their home. When Mr. Smith enters the Raley L. Wiggins consider making funeral arrangements. nursing home, Mrs. Smith should update Attorney at Law, Red Oak Legal, PC her will to disinherit Mr. Smith to the 334-239-3625 | info@redoaklegalpc.com Medicaid rules allow a nursing home greatest extent allowed by law. 322 Catoma Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, resident to purchase up to $5,000 in www.redoaklegalpc.com prepaid funeral services (or deposit Sound harsh? Perhaps. But consider $5,000 into a designated burial fund) this. Mr. Smith must spend down his half without penalty. The choice is a noof their assets below $2,000 before he brainer. An applicant has the option of can qualify for Medicaid to cover his stay.
Attend Free Workshop
32 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
November 28, 2018, Registration Required
33
BOOM! COVER PROFILE
Dr. Pam Strickland, Breast Care
This month’s BOOM! Cover Profile is Dr. Pam Strickland. Pam is a surgeon who specializes in breast care through her practice at Central Alabama Breast Care. Her specialty brings her into contact with women who have concerns about breast cancer... either living with it or concerned about being diagnosed with it. Pam has a heart for those experiencing the fear of breast cancer, offering compassion and encouragement to help overcome the challenges this disease presents to survivors. One aspect of trying to help her patients is her office wall art, beautiful flowers, photographed by Montgomery artist Elmore DeMott, from her series "Flowers for Mom", a tribute to her mother with Alzheimer's Disease. Pam describes the flowers as soft, feminine, calming and hopeful—a reflection of the beauty and strength of the women she cares for. Our breast cancer community is blessed to have a compassionate doctor like Pam to help us cope with the uncertainty and anxious moments we all share. We hope you enjoy getting to know Dr. Pam Strickland as much as we did. BOOM!: Please give us a brief biography, i.e. where were you born, education, family, what brought you to the Montgomery area, etc.?
where I met my future husband, the brother of my classmate and best friend. I attended medical school on a health professions scholarship through the Air Force. After graduating in 1996, I completed my surgical internship at UT-Southwestern in Dallas and then my surgical residency at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena. After finishing my surgical training, I entered active duty Air Force to
Pam: I grew up in Canton, Mississippi, a small town just north of Jackson. I decided in high school that I wanted Pam preparing for work to become a physician—not because of any specific repay my commitment. I exposure I had to the medical field, but chose Maxwell AFB to be because it was challenging, prestigious, closer to my family as well and there weren’t many women in the as that of my husband, field at the time. I graduated from high who is from Huntsville. school a year early and went to college Montgomery grew on to pursue this dream, graduating with us, and we decided to a degree in chemistry from Mississippi make it our home once I College. I went on to graduate school completed my Air Force at Ole Miss where I earned a Master’s commitment. degree in chemistry. After seven years of college, I took a break from school and BOOM!: Central Alabama worked for Lockheed Missile and Space Breast Care is the Company as a systems engineer on a name of your medical project to build solid rocket boosters practice, you’re a doctor for the Space Shuttle. After two years, who specializes in I left to begin medical school at UAB comprehensive breast
34 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
care, please share with us how you chose this specialized medical care? You also describe your breast care as always including compassion and encouragement, tell us why those words mean so much to you?
Pam: I trained as a general surgeon originally. While stationed at Maxwell, I was assigned to a leadership position as the Chief of the Medical Staff. I found it necessary to limit my practice at that point in order to maintain my clinical skills while devoting a large amount of my time to administrative duties. I chose breast surgery because I felt I had something special to offer to those women going through cancer diagnosis and treatment. As a woman, mother, and daughter, I feel compassion for these women and try to treat them the way I would want to be treated if faced with the same challenges. I pride myself on explaining the diagnosis and treatment options in patient-friendly language and allowing patients to ask questions so they can have the best understanding possible before A Paris selfie, son Jason, Pam, daughter making decisions. Rubye, husband Michael
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Every woman who comes in to be seen either has cancer or is afraid she has cancer. As for encouragement, I try to make my patients feel reassured by the time they leave the office that theirs Pam with sister-in-law and best friend, May Jennings. is a treatable problem. Most breast cancer patients these days will Cancer? How can become survivors, so I like when I can tell others get connected them “This is a problem we can fix.” and involved? BOOM!: When does breast care begin in your office, as a simple breast examination, mammograms or if there has been a diagnosis of cancer? Are you an oncologist?
community lasts a lifetime… and many survivors and families are called to join the fight. In what ways have you been able to join the fight against Breast
Pam: Local artist and photographer, Elmore DeMott, took all of the photos in our waiting area as part of her “Flowers for Mom” series. I have been an admirer of her work since opening my first private office in 2012. The series is done in honor of her mother who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, but I find the photographs perfect for the feeling I hope to convey in my office. I find these images soft, feminine, calming and hopeful—a reflection of the beauty and strength of the women I care for. BOOM!: Do you have time to be involved in community, civic or other activities? Faith based organizations?
Pam: You are Pam: In the past, I absolutely right. have taken an active A diagnosis of role in organizations breast cancer is like such as the American joining a sorority or Cancer Society, Joy sisterhood of other Pam: Breast care begins before the to Life Foundation cancer patients patient has even walked through the and Women of Hope, and caregivers. In door. My staff understands how stressful as well as serving addition to fighting it can be for women to be referred on the vestry at our for my patients to a breast surgeon and tries to treat church. However, individually, I also people with kindness and compassion. as my practice has participate in I am not an oncologist, but I work very grown I find I have community events to closely with the medical oncologists and less time to dedicate help raise awareness radiation oncologists in our community. to these activities of breast cancer Pam with daughter Rubye at We each than I prefer. and the Shattock-St. Mary’s School. have importance our own Also, next month a new rector will begin of early detection as well as particular her ministry at our church, Episcopal organizations that help raise area of Church of the Ascension; I am looking money for breast cancer focus, but forward to this new chapter in our parish research. We have many there is a life. opportunities for people to get real sense of involved through organizations teamwork BOOM!: Technology is rooted in almost such as the American Cancer when it every aspect of our lives. What’s your Society, the Cancer Wellness comes to relationship with the digital world? Does Foundation, Joy to Life, and cancer care. using technology enhance the services of Women of Hope. I have some your medical practice at Central Alabama patients who even serve as BOOM!: Breast Care? volunteers at the Montgomery When a Cancer Center to help others person is Pam: My relationship with technology is navigate their care there. diagnosed cautiously optimistic. While sometimes with Breast frustrated by things not working the way BOOM!: The photos in your Cancer their I think they should, it is usually a fairly waiting area are more than connection easy fix if you ask the right person. I love just photos, please share how to the Breast my iPhone – all that knowledge right you came to choose these Husband Michael with son Jason at Montgomery Academy graduation. Cancer photos? The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
35
at my BOOM!: What chance to visit more of them. fingertips. are some of your Although I favorite travel BOOM!: What are you most passionate enjoy the experiences? about…besides your work? feel and Favorite vacation smell of spot? Any travel Pam: Family. Definitely family. My printed dreams planned? parents and brother are deceased, so books, I I am the only one left in my family of prefer the Pam: This year origin. But God has blessed me with the iPad for I visited Europe most wonderful husband and children, reading for the first time and I couldn’t be more in love with the because and while I loved three of them. I can all the places we read in visited, Venice BOOM!: How do you like to relax and My husband's family has a place in North AL on a bluff overlooking the dark stands out as the wind down from a hard day’s work? the Tennessee River. This is my favorite place to go to relax. and once most memorable I finish and fascinating. Pam: I really enjoy cooking. Of course, one book, the next book is just a click The absence of cars in the old city I’m not spending as much time in the away. Social media allows me to stay proved to be the key to many enjoyable kitchen these days with the kids out of in touch with friends all over, including experiences of the house and a ones I rarely get to see or talk with. Venice: slowly husband who travels However, I find that social media can drifting down the for work. I am also be very distracting and can sometimes canals, wandering an avid reader and unexpectedly eat up a lot of time. I down narrow alleys, generally have one dislike the inflammatory aspect of the marveling at the old or two books I’m political discourse and I wish people architecture in the working on at any would instead use the technology to fresh air. Walking given time. I’ve promote useful dialogue. around every corner recently joined a in Venice, I found a new book club, and In my office, we use technology-driven new and unexpected that has been a lot of risk models to determine a woman’s adventure whether it fun. I also find that individual risk for breast cancer based on turned into a church, exercise, usually a a range of factors including family history a shop, or a cafe. 30-minute walk on and hormone exposure. These models And they have the the treadmill, really can also help determine a woman’s best coffee. helps me relax and likelihood of having a genetic mutation I love to vacation relieve stress. associated with cancer. We also utilize a in the lower large database of breast cancer patients Appalachian BOOM!: What that assists in tracking outcomes and Mountains, from the Recent trip to Venice, memorable & fascinating do your future allows me to participate in research to Tennessee River to challenges look like? improve cancer care. We also use state the Smoky Mountains. Renting a cabin of the art in the woods Pam: I would love to recruit a partner to ultrasound is perhaps my join me in the next couple of years. We to help favorite “go-to” have such a great medical community assess destination. here in Montgomery. We have the patients and After our first ability to provide first-rate care for breast perform family visit cancer patients, working closely with biopsies in to Europe, I excellent breast radiologists, medical the office. certainly have oncologists, and radiation oncologists. I All this the bug to go think we have the opportunity to provide technology back and visit comprehensive cancer care for our allows more countries region and would love to find a partner me to get and cultures to help take things to the next level. answers there. I also love BOOM!: What is it about living in the for patients our National Montgomery/River Region area that you faster. Parks and will like? What do we need more of? My family in Venice, son Jason, husband Michael look for every and daughter Rubye.
36 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
person/ daughter/ wife/ mother/ doctor/ friend became a futile effort. There was always going to be sacrifice and tradeoffs somewhere; now I just focus on being the best “me” I can be. I am not as critical of myself as a result. BOOM!: Give us three words that describe you?
Son Jason
Pam: I find Montgomery to be a manageable size of a city; it has a good blend of small town feel while still offering the opportunities and cultural experiences you find in larger cities. Having lived in both very small communities and very large urban areas, the River Region is a refreshing blend. As something of a foodie, I would like to see Montgomery continue the trend of ethnic diversity in its restaurants. Also, the River Region has so much to offer to young families with children and I would like to see our community find more ways to promote this feature. BOOM!: As you’ve aged, how have your priorities changed? Pam: As I’ve aged, I care less about what other people think of me. Trying to please everyone and do all the things that I thought would make me a better
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Pam: Sharing, Patient, Surprising, and always going the extra mile. BOOM!: Do you have any hobbies or other activities that grab your attention?
Whitewater rafting with family
Pam: Did I mention that I love the mountains? I enjoy hiking and wish I had time for more. I relish being out on the trails, seeing wildlife and experiencing the beauty of all the seasons. Hiking also provides a way to “un-plug” from our busy modern world and enjoy the solitude of nature.
Daughter Rubye
BOOM!: Breast cancer survivors can experience a renewed sense of purpose and new goals…how would you describe this sense of renewal in your patient’s lives? How are you inspired by your patients? Pam: When my patients are faced with a threat to their own mortality, it often brings into focus the things in their lives that are truly important to them. A lot of my patients take this feeling and energy, and use it to create a better life for themselves. It encourages them to give back to others. Breast cancer, while potentially life threatening, is most often treatable, and provides for a growing sisterhood of survivors that support one another and help the women who are just beginning the treatment process.
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
37
I am inspired daily by the strength and courage of my patients. Their strength allows them to fight both the cancer and the after effects and not let it define them. Their courage, in the face of an uncertain future, is a reminder that none of us are guaranteed more than today, and helps them live their best life each day.
COMMUNITY INVITED TO HELP CREATE A WORLD FREE FROM THE PAIN AND SUFFERING CAUSED BY BREAST CANCER
American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk is October 20th
The American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk will be held Saturday October 20th at the Montgomery Train Shed, 210 Water St, Downtown Montgomery and will unite the community with a shared determination to help create a world free from the pain and suffering caused by breast cancer. Registration for this noncompetitive, inspirational event begins at 7:30 A.M. and the walk is set to start at 9:30 A.M. This event is free to the public. Dollars raised by Making Strides supporters in Montgomery help the American Cancer Society ensure no one faces breast cancer alone by funding innovative breast cancer research, promoting education and risk reduction, and providing comprehensive patient support to those who need it most. Since 1993, more than 12 million supporters have raised more than $750 million nationwide. Last year, 1600 participants in Montgomery helped to raise more than $243,000. According to the American Cancer Society Cancer Facts & Figures 2016, an estimated 246,660 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 40,450 will die from the disease this year. “Because of the determination of Making Strides supporters, the American Cancer Society is there for people in every community affected by breast cancer, whether they’re currently dealing with a diagnosis, may face one in the future, or will avoid it altogether because of education and risk reduction,” said Jeannie Smith, Breast Cancer Survivor. To learn more about the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event and how you can become involved, visit makingstrideswalk.org/MontgomeryAL or contact Bridget Mills at 334.590.5067 or MontgomeryALStrides@cancer.org.
Pam's cat BooBoo
Pam's other cat Moondance We want to thank Pam for sharing some of her story for this month’s BOOM! Cover Profile. If you want to reach out to Pam visit her office website www.centralalabamabreastcare.com. We want to thank the portrait team at Total Image Portraits for their quality work. If you have questions, comments or suggestions about our cover profiles, including nominating someone, please send them to Jim Watson at jim@riverregionboom.com Read all of the BOOM! Cover Profiles at www.riverregionboom.com/archive/
Digital & Interactive
f re e su bsc r i pt i on s at w w w.r ive rre gio n b o o m.co m 38 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
39
Digital & Interactive
f re e su bsc r i pt i on s at w w w.r ive rre gio n b o o m.co m
40 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Eating Smart with Tracy Bhalla
SALT
is it really the devil? Sweet or savory; sugar or salt. You have to love them both IN MODERATION! The problem in our society is that we have no real idea of exactly how much of either we are consuming because they tend to be “hidden” in packaged and processed foods, which includes things you eat at many restaurants. Now we previously discussed sugar so I am going to concentrate on salt now. We do NEED a certain amount of sodium for our bodies to function properly. Sodium is a crucial electrolyte, it binds water and maintains intracellular and extracellular fluids in the correct balance. It is also an electrically charged molecule that, along with potassium, helps maintain electrical gradients across cell membranes. Very scientific, I know, but bear with me. These electrical gradients are crucial for nerve transmission and muscular contraction amongst other bodily functions. Your body needs sodium to survive. But how much? Keep in mind that salt contains both sodium and chloride. Only 40% of the weight of salt consists of sodium. 1500 mg of sodium amounts to 0.75 teaspoons or 3.75 grams of salt per day, while 2300 mg amounts to one teaspoon or 6 grams of salt per day. Most people in the US are eating much more than that. The average intake of sodium is about 3400 mg, with the majority of that coming from processed foods. Too much sodium can cause high blood pressure which in turn can lead to heart disease and stroke – two of the biggest killers in our society. The major health organizations recommend that we cut back on sodium: (The figures give the maximum recommended intake per day) • United States Department of Agriculture The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
(USDA): 2300 mg. • American Heart Association (AHA): 1500 mg (2). • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND): 1500 to 2300 mg. • American Diabetes Association (ADA): 1500 to 2300 mg. Among the big players then, there is definitely a consensus that we should aim for less than 1500 mg of sodium per day, and definitely not more than 2300 mg. Just to throw another item in the mix, although salt is our main source of sodium, it can also be found in other consumables like celery, beets and milk! Just to make it even more tricky to keep track of. The only way to have a reasonably good idea of how much sodium you are consuming is by adding salt post-cooking, i.e. at the table. At least that way you can measure out half a teaspoon and see how far it goes. When it’s added to the cooking water or in sauce, you have no real idea how much is in there. People tend to be quite heavy handed with it, particularly in restaurant kitchens! Another thing to consider is the type of salt you use. Regular table salt is the villain of all salts. It is created by superheating natural salt to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, which destroys most of the beneficial mineral compounds that were originally there. It is also bleached and usually contains additives (chemicals) to prevent clumping, so it is certainly not the healthiest salt for your body. As with all foods, the less things are done to it (the less “refined” it is) the more natural the food and easier for your body to digest. There are many other salt options out there, maybe too many, but we’ll quickly look at a few. Any unrefined salt will still contain various trace nutrients, which
vary depending on the locale of its harvesting. Sea salt is the most common, and you guessed it, comes from the sea via evaporation. It contains some natural iodine and tastes great, but there is some concern about the pollution of our oceans and how that is affecting the salt itself, so maybe look at some of the other options as well. Himalayan pink I’m sure you’ve all seen, that gorgeous pink color gives it away. These salts come from ancient sea-beds in the Himalayan mountains and the color is from their rich iron content. It also has 84 essential trace elements required by your body and is therefore considered one of the healthiest salts you can consume. Grey salt or Celtic Sea Salt is colored by the clay it is harvested from. It is hand raked in Brittany, France where the natural clay and sand create moist, mineral-rich crystals. This salt can help restore electrolyte balance, has alkalizing properties and can prevent muscle cramps, much like pink salt. This does tend to be more expensive due to the labor-intensive harvesting process. There are multiple other options but they’re the main players and you get the gist of it – the less refined, the more minerals and nutrients you get, so avoid regular table salt and switch to sea salt or Himalayan pink for your daily sodium fix. Let’s all make small changes for a healthier you! Tracy Bhalla, Independent Consultant with NYR Organics, website: us.nyrorganic.com/shop/ tracybhalla email: nyrbhalla@gmail.com You can also visit Tracy’s blog at Tracybhalla.com, Continuing my obsession with all things organic, I have been working with NYR for two years now, using their skincare products myself for over 25 years! Your skin is the body’s largest organ, it deserves to be well looked after. I am here to answer any questions you may have.
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
41
Travel Experiences with Jeff Barganier
Awesome Alpharetta Part One
I’m fortunate to be invited to visit and write about exciting destinations for BOOM! One of the most vibrant Southern towns I’ve visited recently is Alpharetta, Georgia. One feature won’t do it justice. So, I’m making this the first in a series. Hope you enjoy!
handed them the keys, walked down the street and took up residence in our
I’ve suspected for some time now that I’m different. An extended stay in Awesome Alpharetta simply confirmed my suspicions. But, first, allow me to catch you up. After several years of praying for a buyer in a difficult real estate market, Cindy and I finally sold our house… and everything Jeff doing his best to learn to cook in it. The buyers at Sur La Table were American missionaries in Haiti and had never owned a home or had much in the way of furnishings. “God told us to buy your house,” they said. They bought the house and almost everything in it. Then they said, “we are returning to Haiti for another year before transitioning back to the states. Would you please shop. It’s a wonderful space. We enjoy live here as our guests for another year many amenities living and working on and take care of the house and new the main square at The Waters in Pike furnishings?” Meanwhile, I renovated Road. We’ve discovered this radical our 1000 square foot design studio. change in accommodations has allowed When the missionaries returned, we us to design, write and travel more and
42 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
has freed us from 90% of the minutia of life, permitting us to enjoy the activities we love. However, we no longer have a kitchen designed for serious cooking. Instead, we prefer to eat at the H2O Café at The Waters or catch a bite on the run. Meanwhile, what do you think I did in Alpharetta? I took my first cooking class! The international cuisine scene in Alpharetta is amazing, driven by expert local chefs. I experienced it first hand at Sur La Table where, believe it or not, in a fabulous kitchen under the direction of Chef Neeley, I prepared “Vietnamese Stir-Fried Lemongrass Chicken with Chili and Roasted Peanuts, Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Cilantro, Scallions and Lime and Pork and Shrimp Banana Leaf-Wrapped Rice Dumplings!” That’s a mouth full. A cooking class teaches one more than boiling water which was about the extent of my knowledge going in. They teach you how to hold a knife for dicing, slicing, mincing, and which side to use to scrape ingredients into your mixing bowl—never the blade side. That dulls it. One becomes familiar with all sorts of unique little cooking gadgets for making food preparation a snap, like a small rubber sleeve for rolling the skin off of garlic. I was happy to learn that proper hygiene is stressed. I’ve always wondered about whether cooks wash their hands. My chef/instructor absolutely encouraged handwashing throughout the two-hour session; so, I departed as a handwashing zealot. But, surely, the lesson I best learned was the importance of following The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
directions! This is difficult for me because I’m not an auditory learner. Consequently, my drill sergeant during basic training frequently yelled the same things at me over and over and I gained lots of early kitchen experience peeling a million potatoes in the mess hall. But I digress. The problem with not carefully following the chef’s instructions is that you have to eat what you cook. My meal was a tad bit spicy as evidenced by the flames that shot from my eyes with every bite. But, all in all, not bad! For about fifty bucks you can take the same class. It was a delicious way to get out of the box and learn something new and exciting.
top speed of 20 miles per hour and a range of 20-30 miles, it’s a fun way to enjoy the outdoors and preserve one’s energy for other delightful Alpharetta
They say that Alpharetta was once a trail stop for the Cherokee Indians. Today, it’s the crossroads of small-town values, culinary excellence and amazing technology. Jeff finding another way to enjoy Alpharetta and his 31 year old body Alpharetta has about 600 using a Pedego electric bike! high-tech companies! On the low-tech side, I got to ride bikes activities, like sipping wine and eating with pretty girls (writers). Not just Chilean sea bass until 10 p.m. at Rumi’s any bike but a Pedego electric bike! Kitchen at Avalon. More on Avalon in Only a slight leg exertion propels this a later issue. You don’t want to miss marvelous bicycle along Georgia bike it! On the high-tech side, I visited the trails effortlessly. Or one may merely Mini Me Factory—an only in Alpharetta sit there and utilize its throttle. With a attraction—where tech genius Reza
Nourali had me step into his “MiniMe Dome” where, in a few seconds, hundreds of cameras and scanners captured over 500 images and allowed Reza to create a digital 3D image and later a small model of me via the use of a 3D printer. Now that’s what I call historic preservation! All of this traveling and activity takes stamina and a youthful outlook on life! So, I still do the pushups, the morning swims and the long walks. It’s what allows me to work to live rather than live to work. I highly recommend a modest exercise program to stimulate the mind and body—which brings me to my revelation. Are you ready? I’m transgenerational. That’s right. I’m a 64-year-old-brain trapped in a 31-yearold body! (Cindy says I’m a 13-year-oldbrain trapped in a 64-year-old-body.) But what does she know? Whatever the case, Alpharetta, as they say, is not just an awesome place to go. It’s an awesome place to be. So, keep reading BOOM! There’s more to come on Awesome Alpharetta. To be continued… For More Info visit: www.SurLaTable.com www.pedegoelectricbikes.com/ dealers/alpharetta www.rumiskitchen.com www.minimefactory.com
Jeff S. Barganier is a freelance writer and business manager of Cindy Barganier Interiors LLC. He travels far and wide upon the slightest excuse for something interesting to write about. Contact Jeff at Jeffbarganier@knology.net. Follow him on Instagram: #jeffbarganier.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
43
44 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The beginner’s Guide to Glamping Source: www.considerable.com
Perhaps you’ve heard about “glamping,” but you aren’t quite sure what it’s all about. Short for glamorous camping, glamping is like traditional camping in many ways: You sleep surrounded by the great outdoors, typically with stunning views and natural wonders close by. But it’s totally different in other key areas: Forget foraging for firewood, pitching a tent, resting in a sleeping bag on hard ground, or giving up creature comforts. Instead, you get your shut eye in a real bed, use a real bathroom, and flip on the lights and heat when you want. You might even have a butler. Intrigued? This guide will answer all your questions and help you sort out whether your next vacation should be a glamping getaway.
What’s my “room” like? Typically, glamping means sleeping in a tent, but a souped-up tent like none you’ve ever seen before, with a floor, rugs, beds, comforters, chairs, and in many cases heat, electricity, and running water. Your tent may have its own bathroom, but if it doesn’t, a shared facility will be a short walk away. Tents, though, aren’t your only option. At the booking site glamping.com, you’ll find 16 types of luxury accommodations, from treehouses and yurts to campers and thatch-roofed huts. Utah’s Conestoga Ranch gives you the option to sleep in a covered wagon. AutoCamp lets you book an Airstream trailer at its three California locations. Anything that’s in nature goes, says John Romfo, the chief operating officer of Glamping.com. Do I have to cook? Do you want to cook? At some glamping sites, that’s an option. At AutoCamp, for example, each trailer site has a fire pit with grilling grates (and a microwave inside). Some of the yurts at Escalante Yurts in southern Utah include kitchens. And when you stay at Little Raccoon Key off the The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
in the wild—hiking, fishing, biking, kayaking, rock climbing, and so on— plus spa services in many cases. Or you can simply relax on the porch of your tent.
Georgia coast, you’re alone on your own private island, so you’ll have to grill. But you don’t have to cook. Glamping is typically like staying at a full-service resort, with on-site restaurants, outdoor dining areas surrounding the campfire, packed picnic lunches, camp butlers, even breakfast delivered to your tent. The only cooking left for you is roasting s’mores over the fire. Where can I go to glamp? Glamping is a worldwide phenomenon (the signature luxury tents are inspired by high-end African safari set-ups). In the U.S., you’ll find options from Maine to Alaska, but many of the top glamping locales are out west. The seven campgrounds run by Under Canvas include sites near Yellowstone, Zion, Mt. Rushmore, and the Grand Canyon. The posh Resort at Paws Up is in Montana. In the South, you can glamp at the Under Canvas site outside of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Asheville Glamping in North Carolina, or Collective Retreats in the Texas Hill Country, to name a few. Cities are getting into the act too. In New York City, Collective Retreats offers glamping on an island off Manhattan. Luxury hotels, from the Gwen Hotel in Chicago to Le Méridien Denver Downtown, have pitched tents on their rooftop terraces. What kind of activities are offered? You’ll find the stuff you’d expect at a resort
Your excursions don’t have to be rustic. You can also find glamping sites near wineries or charming towns. Firelight Camps in Ithaca, N.Y. is in the state’s Finger Lakes wine region, for example, and one of AutoCamp’s three locations is in California’s Sonoma wine region. How much does glamping cost? Prices vary widely, from a few hundred dollars a night to four figures. “You can go glamping for $200 a night, but it will be a different experience than if you spend $1,000 a night,” says Romfo. At the low end, your experience might be more rustic (no ensuite bathroom or heat, electricity, or air conditioning) and DIY (directions to local parks and restaurants rather than a menu of activities and onsite dining). The most expensive glamping options are true all-inclusive resorts. During the summer high season at The Resort at Paws Up in Montana, for example, a onebedroom tent goes for $900 to $1,300 per person, per night. That price includes WiFi, transportation from the airport, three meals a day (and beer or wine), and recreational activities, from cross-country skiing and mountain biking to pony rides and disc golf. How do I find a glamping destination? You can throw a wider net at specialty website like glamping.com and GlampingHub.com, where you can search by destination and accommodation. Even at Airbnb.com, you can search categories like “tents,” “yurts,” and “treehouses” Before you book, scour review sites like TripAdvisor.com for tips from past guests. Maybe one campground is too noisy for your liking, or other guests have recommended the tents with the best view. R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
45
By Greg Budell
The Mayor of BOOMTOWN
NUMB and NUMBER- Tales of the Grin Reaper So, all I was doing was enjoying a mouthful of tangy, homemade BBQ pulled pork on a bun. It was delicious! The meat had been lovingly soaked in my own original sauce and was the perfect finish to a morning of radio hijinks (a word that needs to be used more often).
me my Dad’s hairline and my Mom’s unfortunate teeth. Pops had ONE cavity his entire life, and he didn’t get it until he was 42. He was
bullet why can’t they create a silencer for a damn dental drill? They make the same shrill noise in 2018 as they did way back when.
Then, dental disaster struck. As it was explained to me, the soft bread, moistened from chewing, formed a vacuum around a tooth that was weak, and it was Gone With The Sandwich.
Today’s dentists have assistants equipped with suction to drain the water/ saliva mix during the process. In the primitive times of Dr. Sultar, there was a different system in place. Patients would turn their head to the side and spit into a swirling sink next to the chair. I didn’t even get that right.
As Dr. Sultar was finished filling the first of my dozens of lifelong I knew my time was cavities, my mouth was up. It had been about 4 Dazzling dentist Dr. Frank Cain, talent DA Morgan McGough and The Grin Reaper quite full, so, “SPIT!” he years since my last trip to commanded. the dentist, so I was putting off the literally despondent over it, his perfect inevitable. I was brushing the radio record ruined. Mom put Dr. Sultar’s kids Talk about Great Expectorations! I out of my mouth several times daily, (our family dentist) through school. He gave him THE most memorable spit in and flossing annually (that is what they was my first dentist, and I remember history, launching my entire mouthful recommend, no?). my very first visit well. of liquid onto the wall across from my chair. I hit it good, proud of my distance The Grin Reaper was back for more. Old Doc Sultar discovered a cavity that and launch angle. As separate drool I’ve never hated a dentist but have first appointment. Of course, he did! streams trickled down the wall, kindly always hated going. It is said dental I was determined to be a brave kid Dr. Sultar softly whispered “I meant spit health is hereditary, so at the moment dealing with the drilling/filling process. into the sink right there”. of my conception, the DNA Divider gave BTW, if they can silence the firing of a Greg Budell's column is proudly sponsored by McDonald & Hagen Wealth Management
46 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Oh.
there was really nothing to fear.
Following that humiliation, Mom scolded me for draining $17 out of the family treasury because it must be my fault. I was in the wrong Crest group or something. I lacked the temerity to ask Mom what her new partials cost.
Dr. Frank Cain was introduced as my new dentist.
It’s been something every year, ever since. As the BBQ slid down, my tongue found the newly opened space. My heart sank. With a daily TV appearance, and two radio shows, I feared the career impact, which I eased by smoking, a wise thing to do- recommended by no dentists anywhere. I had no idea where to go. My previous dentist moved her practice to Prattville. While I love the Preferred Community, dental work there was impractical for scheduling. So, I went slinking into the group that replaced her; hat in hand, gap in face, and asking “remember me?”. While most of my last dental team had moved to Prattville, the office staff remained and remembered. You never forget the guy who underwrote your 2014 Christmas bonus. Construction would begin immediately. With at least 23 root canals over the years, and more crowns than those attending Harry and Kate’s wedding,
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
I set him at ease by reminding him that my career, family, pets, and a few remaining wedding debts were now in his hands. “Wear a hard hat”, I joked. “All my previous dentists used them”. “You’ll be fine”. He was Calm. Confident. Professional. X-rays were necessary to guide excavation of the broken tooth. With today’s technology the pictures are immediately available and give the doctor a creepy 3-D image of your face. We’re not much to look at without flesh and lips- a timely reminder that we’re all created equal minus the upholstery. Dr. Cain was assisted by an amazing young woman (Morgan McGough) who provided intelligent, distracting chitchat, and would ultimately build the temporary replacement. You never know what to expect when dealing with any new doctor, so I must say, I got lucky here. Really lucky. It took plenty of Novocain to numb the area, but I never felt any discomfort during the prep or removal. They sent me out packed with gauze, advising I talk as little as possible, and stop smoking- to avoid the horrendous pain of “dry socket”. I had that long
ago with a wisdom tooth extraction and it’s horrible. It was my introduction to Percodan (which did little to dim the misery). You don't ever want a dry socket! Dr. Cain won my eternal admiration (being a realistic realist) saying “just do your best to limit everything”. I was inspired by his compassion, so I was careful about the next eight days. When I returned for Part Two, the refill went smoothly. No dry socket. I was very, very impressed by Dr. Cain and the entire staff at what is now Montgomery Family Dental on Bell Road. I swear to you reading, I’m taking steps towards Better Dental Health! My next appointment is set. When it rolls around yours truly will be there, on time and prepared on December 6th. 2021. (Kidding. Really!)
Greg Budell lives in Montgomery with his wife, Roz, and dogs Hershey and Briscoe. He’s been in radio since 1970, and is marking 12 years in the River Region in 2017. He hosts the Newstalk 93.1FM Morning Show with Rich Thomas, Jay Scott & Emily Hayes, 6-9AM MondayFriday. He returns weekday afternoons from 3-6PM for Happy Hour with sidekick Joey Clark. Greg can be reached at gregbudell@aol.com
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
47
Walk to End Alzheimer’s:
By Melisa Mote
Melisa Mote's Story
I walk to sisters, Lori and Leah, and I, along the time honor the with our cousin Fran, began staying you realize memory of with mama and daddy around the it, there my mother, clock. She slowly lost her ability to is nothing Frances read, follow a recipe, talk on the that can Miller, who phone, and write. Soon she wasn’t be done, died from able to walk and did not recognize because Alzheimer's us. In the last few months of her life, there is no on January we took care of all her needs and cure for Four generations...Frances Miller, Leah Foster, Laine Rhodes and Liliegh Collins Rhodes 21, 2017. She told her we loved her. I will always Alzheimer’s. was a light and inspiration to all who cherish the time I spent caring for knew her. She led a life of service and her. Mother love of God and other people. was able After mama died, to hide her After staying home until the last of we wanted to find disease for her 3 girls went to school, mama a way to help other a long time. worked as an aide in the disabled people with this She taught children’s class at Baptist Hill disease and to honor Sunday Kindergarten for 17 years. She her. Mama spent School at loved working with the kids and her life giving to Southside sometimes brought them home other people so we Baptist with her to spend wanted to continue Ronnie Miller and wife Frances, married 59 years the weekend her legacy. We to allow their joined the Alzheimer’s Association’s Church, where she was a parents to take Walk to End Alzheimer’s and formed member for 60 years. I a break. Later a team called Frances’ Fighters. We will always be thankful to she started an In all look forward to seeing the first her class because they let School Suspension Alzheimer’s Survivor. What better her continue to be their Program at the way to honor mama and that’s why I teacher until she could no high school, which walk! longer go to church. She she ran until she saw several retired. doctors in When both of her order to find sisters died in the out why she summer of 2007, was losing Frances and Melisa mama began weight and to change. At first we thought she her food tasted funny was just suffering from depression. and many tests were Looking back, we all agree that mama run on her. Finally probably began her Alzheimer’s in February 2015, a journey about that time. Over the doctor gave her a series years we noticed small changes in of tests and diagnosed her personality. That’s the nature of her with late stage Allen Foster, Leah Foster, Ronnie Miller, Melisa Mote, Van Mote, Alzheimer’s- it creeps up on you. By Alzheimer’s. My two Frances Miller, Lori Woods The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
49
50 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
BOOM!
51
October 2018
{12 Things} for active boomers and beyond
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Alabama National Fair Garrett Coliseum and fairgrounds Through October 8th
Mark your calendars now for this Montgomery tradition at the Garrett Coliseum and fairgrounds, September 28th - October 8th! Enjoy more than 60 thrilling rides, food, information and commercial booths, livestock competitions and more. All performances are free with the purchase of a general admission ticket. This year Trace Adkins, Rush of Fools and Fantasia will be appearing. The Alabama National Fair is a project of the Kiwanis Club of Montgomery. The Kiwanis Club recently donated over $100,000 in funds to area charities as a result of the 2016 fair. For more information, call 334.272.6831 or visit www. alnationalfair.org
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Tavernfest Old Alabama Town Friday, October 5, 5:57 pm
Gather at Montgomery’s oldest tavern for our 2018 Tavern Fest! Craft beer, music, food trucks and good times are “on tap” for a great evening supporting Landmarks Foundation of Montgomery. Your admission ticket includes craft beer samples! We’re moving into the block at Old Alabama Town with entrances at Lucas Tavern and Columbus and Jefferson Streets (until 7 p.m.). Don’t miss the fun and get your tickets www.eventbrite.com or at the Old Alabama Town Museum Store. See you in OAT! www.landmarksfoundation.com
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 18th Annual Walk n Wag Blount Cultural Park Saturday, October 6, 8-12 noon
Join the Montgomery Humane Society for the 18th Annual Walk ‘N Wag one-mile pledge walk in Blount Cultural Park on Saturday, October 8, 2018. Join hundreds of pets and pet lovers as they participate in this pledge walk to support the over 8,600 homeless animals in the Montgomery area. For more info visit www.montgomeryhumane.com
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Holiday Market The Multiplex at Cramton Bowl October 10-13th, all day
Mark your calendars for the 30th annual Holiday Market! The festivities begin with Prancer's Preview Party on October 10th, followed by three
52 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
full days of shopping from October 10th - October 13th! The Multiplex at Cramton Bowl, 220 Hall St., Montgomery, AL. For more information call 334.288.8816 or visit www.jlmontgomery.org
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA The Brewery Comedy Tour Goat Haus Biergarten Thursday, October 11, 8-10 pm
Herron Entertainment has been producing the best shows at clubs and theaters across the country and is now bringing those same great shows to the breweries across America. Featuring comedians in an environment they truly can feel at home in. Featuring some of the best NYC and LA based comedians without NYC/LA prices because we know your money is important to you and only want you to enjoy a nice night out - without having to take out a loan. ON TAP (pun intended) for Herron Entertainment, LLC is "The BREWERY COMEDY TOUR" and it's picking up much steam as it heads into 2018 promising to hit 300 breweries all across the U.S.A. For more information on the comics and to purchase tickets, visit https://goat-haus-biergarten.business.site/. Tickets are $14. Call 334.625.9602 for more information.
GULF SHORES, ALABAMA
The Annual National Shrimp Festival Beach at Gulf Shores, Alabama Thursday-Sunday, Saturday, October 11-14, all day
There is something for everyone at this free festival, which is right on the beach! The Annual National Shrimp Festival is a shrimp lover’s dream, celebrating the love of shrimp. Still, there is more than just shrimp here; there’s also crab cakes, lobster, conch fritters and of course Cajun pistons. Sample all of the delicious food that is cooked up by some amazing vendors. Over 250,000 people come to eat the seafood and listen to live music, with two main stages offering entertainment throughout all hours of the festival. There is also an area just for the kids -the Children’s Activity Village- where they can participate in fun activities and even create their own art. There is also fine art for sale, as well as an arts and crafts area where artists and craftsman from all over the country set up shop. Visit www.myshrimpfest.com
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead The Cloverdale Playhouse October 11-21, 7:30-10 pm
In Tom Stoppard's fabulously inventive tale which has been acclaimed The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
as a modern dramatic masterpiece, he turns Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet on its head by telling it from the worm’s-eye view of two relatively minor characters. In Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, the bewildered Rosencrantz and Guildenstern finally get a chance to take the lead role but do so in a world where echoes of Waiting for Godot resound, where reality and illusion intermix, and where fate leads our two heroes to a tragic but inevitable end. Recommended for ages 14 and above. Thursday - Saturday shows begin at 7:30pm and Sunday matinees at 2pm. Call 334.262.1530 for more information or visit www.cloverdaleplayhouse.org
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Riverwalk Wine Festival River Walk, Downtown Montgomery Saturday, October 20, 3-6 pm
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Don’t miss the Riverwalk Wine Festival at Riverfront Park on Saturday, October 20, 2018 from 3-6pm. This event will include wine tasting from 10 different distributors representing over 100 wineries. Admission is $30 per person and will include: Etched commemorative wine glass, discounted wine purchases from participating local wine shoppes, Food Vendors, Live music. Discounted tickets for a special Harriott II Wine Cruise. NO outside alcohol per ABC Guidelines. For more information, call 334.625.2300 or visit www.funinmontgomery.com
WAVERLY, ALABAMA
Fall Boogie, Multi-Cultural Music & Arts Festival The Grounds of Standard Deluxe, Waverly, Alabama Saturday, October 27, Gates open at 11 am/showtime is Noon
Part music festival, part yard-party, this BYOB event draws fans twice a year to tiny Waverly. Also called the Waverly Boogie, its spring installment has been going strong for seventeen years, and organizer Scott Peek added the Fall Boogie in 2012. Music runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with as many as six bands. And though its proximity to Auburn makes hotels a scarcity (at least on football weekends), the Boogie is less than a 90-minute drive from the River Region, making it an ideal day-trip. Bring Your CHAIRS & Friends, Small Coolers OK (this event byob), NO DOGS allowed on Premises, NO GLASS Bottles of Any Kind ALLOWED on Premises (Coolers Will Be Checked at Gate) and NO SMOKING Out On Lawn. www.standarddeluxe.com
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA Pensacola's Foo Foo Festival Downtown Pensacola November 1-12
Visiting a coastal destination during the off-season is a traveler’s best-kept secret. This November 1-12, travelers in the know will flock
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
to Pensacola for 12 days of music, theater, cuisine and art during the fifth annual Foo Foo Festival, marking the city as a must-visit vacation destination. What actually is a “Foo Foo”, by definition: An impromptu musical band known to come together on late 19th-century sailing vessels, consisting of members from the ship’s crew. So, quite literally, the gathering of Pensacola’s arts and entertainment organizations during this period of time is their very own “Foo Foo.” For more visit, www.foofoofest.com
The Gospel of Luke ASF- Octagon Stage | 90 minutes, plus intermission December 6-30
Actor Bruce Kuhn performs the Gospel of Luke with the passion and surprise of an eyewitness account. In a compelling ninety minutes, the tale comes alive with the urgency, fervor, and humor of someone who was there. Recommended ages 7+. “A riveting, inspiring look at the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus that will appeal to people of all faiths and even the uncertain.” – The Island Packet. For more info and ticket sales visit www.asf.net.
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Wayne Newton, Up Close & Personal
MPAC, Downtown Montgomery Thursday, February 7, 7:30 pm Born on April 3, 1942, Wayne Newton started singing professionally as a child. In his teenage years, he performed with his older brother. Newton became a solo performer in the early 1960s and scored such hits as "Danke Schoen" and "Red Roses for a Blue Lady." For the next several decades, Newton established himself as one of Las Vegas's most popular and highest-paid performers. For more visit www.mpaconline.org or www.waynenewton.com
Thanks for Reading BOOM!
Digital & Interactive
R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
October 2018
f re e su bsc r i pt i on s at w w w.rive r re gio n b o o m.co m
BOOM!
53
Tinseltown Talks By Nick Thomas
Elvira’s Halloween safety tips for pets
Elvira and cat
Disguised as little goblins, ghosts or ghouls, kids will soon be prowling the streets in their annual Halloween quest to extort candy from benevolent neighbors. But for some family members, the spooky festivities can turn downright dangerous. Whereas a candy overdose may induce the occasional bellyache in kids, sweet treats can lead to more serious problems for pets. The greatest danger comes from chocolate which contains theobromine, a chemical especially toxic to dogs. Despite the name, theobromine contains no bromine but derives its name from Theobroma meaning, more or less, ‘food of the gods’ – quite appropriate for the heavenly confectionery. Other dangers for dogs include raisins which can affect kidney function. Special vigilance is also needed around inquisitive puppies that might sneak wrapped treats leading to possible throat or bowel obstructions from tinfoil candy wrappers. Halloween food hazards are less of a concern for cats, since they don’t usually
54 BOOM!
September 2018RiverRegionBoom.com
have a sweet tooth but they still face dangers this time of year. When it comes to cats and Halloween, no one is more familiar with the nocturnal October ritual than actress Cassandra Peterson, better known to millions as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, who passed on some Halloween pet advice. Sporting an oversized black wig, a low and behold form-fitting black dress, and enough makeup to give the Avon lady a hernia, Peterson has been playing the campy Elvira character since 1981 when she poured herself into the famous tightfitting attire to host late-night horror movies for a Los Angeles television station. Peterson has used her popularity and high public profile to support a number of causes, including animal welfare. Though her witty, wisecracking humor is a treat for adults, she finds nothing funny about tricks that some people play on cats, especially black cats which are traditionally associated with the darker side of Halloween.
“There’s always a few pranksters who may tease, injure, steal, or even kill pets during Halloween,” she warned. “Many animal shelters are aware of increased thefts of black cats around Halloween and some won’t even adopt out black cats during October.” Of course, weird costumes and spooky rituals are standard for the Mistress of the Dark who recalls many interesting Halloween stunts of her own, such as being buried in a coffin for up to 30 minutes at a time while preparing to emerge for filming. “I think I’ve spent more time in a coffin than any person alive!” she said. But for Halloween, her message is a simple one. “It’s a good idea to place pets in a secure, quiet room during the trick-or-treat evening hours. I just hope people will do their best to watch out for all animals not only at Halloween, but throughout the year.” Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala, and has written features, columns, and interviews for over 650 newspapers and magazines.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
55
56 BOOM!
October 2018
RiverRegionBoom.com
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine