55 Plus of Rochester, #01: Winter 2009

FR E E

Local Financial Planners: Where to Invest Now

55 PLUS Issue1 Winter 2009

For Active Adults in Upstate New York

ALSO INSIDE Bruce Frassinelli: The ‘F’ word has lost its meaning For this crowd, playing tennis, racquetball is the way to go

Rochester’s Anchorman Don Alhart talks about his career, aging, longevity on the job and plans for the future

INAUGURAL ISSUE

Hal Miller: ‘A personal stimulus program’

SPECIAL

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Genesee Valley’s Newest Magazine

Reaching the Fastest Growing Population in the Rochester Area

Rochester’s first magazine to celebrate life after 55. Don’t miss out the next issues.

To subscribe, send your name, address and a $15-check for the annual subscription to 55 PLUS, P.O. Box 525, Victor, NY 14564. (See our coupon on page 11) For low cost avertising information, call (585) 421-8109 4

55 PLUS - Winter 2009

55PLUS Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto

Associate Editor Lou Sorendo

Writers

Mike Costanza Nate McDonald

Contributing Writers

Gina Roberts-Grey, Beth Emley

Columnists

Eva Briggs, M.D., Bruce Frassinelli Harold Miller, Jim Terwilliger

Advertising

Jennifer Wise, Marsha K. Preston Tracy DeCann, Marlene Raite, Kyle Myers

Office Manager

Laura J. Beckwith

Layout and Design Chris Crocker

Cover Photo

Chuck Wainwright 55 PLUS –A Magazine for Active Adults in Upstate New York is published six times a year by Local News, Inc., which also publishes In Good Health–Rochester–Genesse Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper.

Health in good

Rochester–Genesee Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

Published at 106 Cobblestone Court Drive, Suite 121 PO Box 525 Victor, NY 14564 Subscription: $15 a year © 2009 by 55 PLUS – A Magazine for Active Adults in Upstate New York.

No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher.

Third class postage paid at Syracuse, NY. Permit Number: 3071

How to Reach Us P.O. Box 525 Victor, NY 14564 (585) 421-8109 Editor@GVhealthnews.com

from the

It’s

editor

always challenging to start a new publication and it’s particularly tough to do so during these hard economic times.

But we firmly believe the launching of 55 PLUS is long overdue and the magazine would fill a niche that is not being properly served by current publications.

We’re actually thrilled to be publishing the first issue of 55 PLUS – a Magazine for Active Adults in Upstate New York, and we hope you’ll enjoy reading it.

The idea to launch this publication was born some time ago. The growing number of people aged 55 and older in the Rochester/Finger Lakes region and the lack of quality publications discussing their specific concerns helped us make up our mind about the need for a publication like this.

We tossed around several concepts and ideas for the publication until we fine-tuned the project — what you’re reading now is the result of this process.

55 PLUS will celebrate life after 55. It will focus on health, finance, leisure, housing and aging. Every other month it will bring profiles of local people, stories on who is doing interesting things, opening businesses, volunteering, working, exercising. It will discuss topics that affect the 55-plus crowd, including social security, investment and retirement, to mention a few of them.

As far as we know, 55 PLUS is the first magazine of its type in the Rochester area. We plan to reach about 80,000-plus readers (based on 20,000 copies distributed), starting with this inaugural issue.

The publication will be available free of charge at doctors’ offices, restaurants, hotels, motels, diners, senior centers and many other hightraffic locations, including most Wegmans stores in the area. 55 PLUS will also be mailed to about 2,500 readers and will make subscriptions available to readers who prefer to get the magazine at their home or office.

For senior-related businesses, 55 PLUS will be a great medium in which to advertise. We believe that financial planners, hospitals, physicians, banks, realtors, retirement communities, attorneys, nonprofit agencies and tourism-related organizations are just a few of the businesses that can benefit the most by advertising with us.

55 PLUS reaches a very specific segment of the community and rates for advertising are fairly low. Another aspect we like about the magazine format is its shelf life. Unlike newspapers, magazines tend to stay around for months, which means greater exposure to advertisers.

I’d like to encourage your business to advertise and support this worthwhile publication. I’d also like to hear from you if have any story ideas and comments.

Wagner Dotto

Editor & Publisher Editor@GVhealthnews.com Winter 2009 - 55 PLUS

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CONTENTS

55 PLUS

55 PLUS

Winter 2009

Consumers Corner 12 HealthWatch 14 My Turn 15 Golden Years 21 Financial Health 31 Last Page 34

8 STAYING YOUNG

• Sure, we’re all getting older, but a little help from plastic surgeons can help us look our best

16 COVER STORY • At 65 anchorman Don Alhart is one of most recognized (and respected) names in the Rochester area

22 AGING SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE TO TO 55PLUS 55PLUS

Only $15. Check to 55PLUS P.O. Box 585 Victor, NY 14564

6

32

24 26

8

55 PLUS - Winter 2009

• Senior population in the Rochester area growing pretty fast— is the health care industry ready for it?

24 CREDIT CARDS • Just say ‘no’ to store brand credit card —or think twice before you accept the offer

26 ACTIVE LIFESTYLE • For this crowd, nothing beats weekly get-togethers for tennis and racquetball

29 INVESTMENTS • Don’t know where to invest?

Local financial planners weigh in

32 ACTIVE LIFESTYLE • Rochesterians as old as 92 enjoy learning tap, contra dance

CNB PLEDGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY

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7

Plastic Surgery.

Is it For You? Procedure popular with people aged 51-64. In 2007 they had 25 percent of the total number of cosmetic procedures performed in the U. S.

By Beth Emley

I

t was during a vacation this past summer that Betsy me, I looked 10 years younger.”

Walker decided she wanted to do something to make Walker said she told her sister about the procedure and herself look younger. she agreed that Walker now looks “so much younger.”

“We were driving down from Seattle and I pulled “Other people didn’t really notice. I told them it was down the rearview mirror and was looking at my face,” because I was growing my hair out. I’m very happy with Walker recalled. “I started pulling up on my cheeks and the results,” she said.

I thought, ‘If I could do something with this to get rid Walker is like many other people aged 55 and older of the lines, I’d really like to do something to make [my who are opting to have a variety of surgical and nonsurgical face] younger.’” procedures done to make themselves Walker, 56, of Newark, the director look younger. of surgical services at Clifton Springs According to Internet statistics, Hospital, said she then decided to people aged 51-64 had 25 percent of the have a nonsurgical rejuvenation with total number of cosmetic procedures Botox and soft tissue fillers after performed in the United States in 2007, consulting with Lorri Cobbins, whose second only to those aged 35 to 50, The Internet also lists the plastic surgery practice is located at who had 47 percent of the total. average costs across the United 4 Coulter Road, on the campus of The most common surgical States for plastic surgery procedures.

Clifton Springs Hospital. procedure performed for those aged The prices include the surgeon’s Cobbins performed the 51-64 was eyelid surgery and the fee, anesthesia fee, operating room rejuvenation procedure for Walker. most common nonsurgical procedure fee, and implant fee.

The procedure consisted of Botox and performed was Botox. People 65 and Here are a few examples of the soft tissue fillers being injected into the older had 6 percent of the procedures procedures and their fees: wrinkles between Walker’s eyebrow performed and the top surgical and furrows and into the skin area from nonsurgical procedures for that age • Arm lift (brachioplasty), $5,000-$6,000 the bottom of her nose to the sides group were the same as for those aged • Botox, $200-$400 per area of her mouth. She 51-64. said the wrinkled Cobbins said she believes cosmetic • Breast lift, $5,000-$6,000 areas were “so deep procedures for those 55 and older • Eyelid tuck (upper and lower), $4,000because I smile a are more common than ever before. $5,000 lot.”

Cobbins has been a plastic surgeon for To s a y s h e five years and opened her practice in • Face lift, $7,000-$9,000 was pleased with the area in July.

• Laser hair removal, $300-$800 t h e re s u l t i s a n “They have absolutely increased • Liposuction (one area), $2,000-$4,500 understatement. in popularity; people are much more “I couldn’t active,” she said. “People are having • Nose surgery, $5,000-$6,000 believe it,” she said. kids and working longer, and some • Pectoral implants, $6,000-$7,000 “She showed me in are still working full time. They are • Tummy tuck, $6,000-$8,000. the mirror and as maintaining healthy diets but they Cobbins soon as she injected want their external appearance to

How Much You Should Expect to Pay

8

55 PLUS - Winter 2009

55+ match their internal feeling.”

Stephen Evangelisti of Rochester agrees with Cobbins that cosmetic procedures have been on the upswing “to a dramatic degree.” Evangelisti, who has his practice at 220 Alexander St., has been a plastic surgeon for 23 years.

“Baby boomers know how to collect information and weigh its importance. They know what’s going on,” Evangelisti said. “Before they would ask a primary doctor if it’s OK first and now they go to the primary care doctor next [after the plastic surgeon]. Now more take charge.”

Cobbins said Botox and fillers, like those Walker had, and laser treatments are the most popular nonsurgical procedures among her patients. As for surgical procedures, she said neck lifts and face lifts are the most popular for the face while breast implants and breast lifts are the most popular for the body.

Evangelisti said upper and lower eyelids and face lifts are the most popular procedures among his patients followed by fillers and related procedures, breast lifts, brachioplasty [an arm skin reduction or arm lift] and liposuction.

Evangelisti noted that more than half of procedures he performs are on patients who have already had something else done. “They come in for upper eyelids and then they come back for more, like a face lift or a breast lift,” he said.

He also noted that the number of men seeking cosmetic procedures increased about 15 years ago, and it’s up about 10 percent from where it used to be.

Evangelisti said he performs “a limited number of procedures for men. Very few get facelifts, some get the upper and lower eyelid, and they also get rid of the extra skin in their upper chest. Some want liposuction.”

Evangelisti Cobbins said

staying young

in her experience, m o s t patients have been thinking about getting a cosmetic procedure for a number of years before they actually do it.

She also noted that while there are some who might want multiple procedures performed, she would not combine anything in one setting.

“We would want to put them on a plan and see what their priorities are,” she said.

Both Cobbins and Evangelisti said patients need to get an approval from their primary care doctor before any cosmetic p ro c e d u re c a n b e performed.

Cobbins said she talks about the benefits and the risks with her patients. “If there are health problems, there is always risk involved,” she said.

“Even if they have never had an illness, we still.have to get medical clearance.”

As far as costs go, Cobbins said the costs for non-surgical Winter 2009 - 55 PLUS

9

staying young Working with our seniors.

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55 PLUS - Winter 2009

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procedures range from $150 to $650 per treatment depending on the treatment desired. The costs for cosmetic surgery procedures vary greatly ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars.

Cosmetic surgery is not covered by health insurance, the doctors noted. However, in some cases, they said, insurance would cover gastric bypass patients who are getting excess skin removed after their weight loss.

Both Cobbins and Evangelisti noted that some of the procedures they perform will not last a lifetime so patients may want to consider a touchup down the road.

As an example, Cobbins said Botox and fillers only last three to four months and then a new filler is needed. Breast implants will last 13-20 years although “many women never do it,” she said.

A tummy tuck is permanent as long as the patient maintains a healthy weight.

Cobbins also noted that a woman should already be at her ideal body weight before having a tummy tuck because the surgery is “contouring, not a weight-loss plan.”

“In women who consider a tummy tuck, they should be finished with their pregnancies,” she said. For women with a family history of breast cancer who are considering a breast augmentation, they should have a mammogram preoperatively before having it, she said.

While the purpose of any cosmetic surgery is to help make a patient look and feel better, Evangelisti urges moderation for all patients.

“It’s our job to say enough is enough and to stop injecting fillers and stop tightening people,” he said.

After seeing what Botox and fillers could do for her, Betsy Walker has a similar philosophy.

“I never thought i would do anything. i like my face the way it is,” she said. “At this age, I want to do whatever I can (to stay young) but I would never do anything more aggressive.”

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Come Grow with Us! You’re reading the first issue of 55 PLUS featuring information for the active adults of the Rochester area. For advertising information, please call (585) 421-8109.

12

55 PLUS - Winter 2009

You Need to Watch For

I

n 1900, a newborn baby could expect to live only about 50 years. But with today’s life expectancy reaching well beyond 70 years, someone reaching 55 can easily hope to enjoy several more decades of life. So it’s a good idea to invest in a little preventive maintenance.

The most important things are the basics: diet and exercise. One would think that a proper diet was difficult, judging by the plethora of diet books available at the local bookstore. Fortunately, good eating involves common sense. Avoid foods with empty calories. Two major offenders are soda and juice, which are mostly sugar with very few nutrients. That’s right: Juice is largely sugar. Fruit is a far superior choice, as it provides more nutrients and fiber and is more filling with fewer calories. Junk food — sweetened baked goods, ice cream, potato chips, etc — should be eaten in moderation as an occasional treat rather than a regular part of the diet.

It’s not necessary to forbid these items completely, only to limit them.

And use portion control. Weigh and measure your food if needed in order to ensure that one serving is truly one serving. After finishing your meal, wait 10 minutes to see whether you are still hungry before eating seconds. Another way that calories can sneak in is by snacking in front of the television set. Make it a practice to eat all your meals and snacks at the table with the television turned off.

What about vitamins? An ideal diet provides all required nutrients.

Because most people don’t eat an ideal diet, it’s reasonable to take a daily multivitamin and a calcium supplement. Liquid or chewable calcium is usually best absorbed,

Blood pressure absolutely must be measured regularly after age 55. I often hear patients lament, in disbelief, that they never had high blood pressure before. How could they have it now?

High blood pressure is such a common problem associated with aging that even a person whose blood pressure is normal at age 55 runs a 90 percent chance of developing hypertension if he or she survives to age 85. but tablets can be tested for ease of absorption by dropping one into a small quantity of water and observing whether it dissolves within 30 minutes.

Speaking of turning off the television — just do it! Television viewing should be limited to no more than an average of one hour daily. Use some of the time freed up by not watching television to exercise. A healthy goal is at least 60 minutes of aerobic exercise five to six days a week. The 60 minutes need not be all at once, but can be split into smaller time segments.

Aerobic in this context means any exercise vigorous enough to raise the heart rate and build cardiovascular fitness, such as walking, running, swimming, ice skating, etc. Since five hours per week adds up to 260 hours per year, pick an activity you enjoy, or else you are doomed to failure. Stretching and weight training should be in addition to the aerobic exercise.

Alcohol should be consumed in moderation, defined as no more than two drinks per day for men or one drink per day for women.

If you’ve reached 55 and smoke, it’s not too late to quit. Quitting

smoking is, for many people, the single biggest change that can promote wellness.

The first five paragraphs give general lifestyle advice because adopting a healthy lifestyle is the foundation for health after 55.

What can a doctor add to that foundation?

Step one of the physical is the history, a detailed probe of current symptoms, past problems, medication use, family history, and health-related social factors. Only after taking a comprehensive history will the doctor examine you. The exam begins with the basics, called vital signs, often measured by a nurse: height, weight, temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure.

Shrinking height usually indicates osteoporosis. But that’s a late sign, and while there are treatments available to retard the progression of osteoporosis, there is no way yet to reverse the disease. So it’s better to screen atrisk individuals, including postmenopausal women, people who have been treated with certain medicines such as steroids, or people with a family history of osteoporosis (men included). The test, a DEXA scan, is painless and uses one-tenth to one-fourth the radiation of a chest X-ray.

Rising weight, and an expanding waist measurement, can indicate that an individual is at risk for diabetes, hypertension and elevated cholesterol. Anytime an individual’s energy intake exceeds the energy output, the excess is stored, and it’s usually stored as fat.

Temperature is most often an indicator of acute illness, and the most common reason for an elevated heart rate is fever. But an abnormal pulse can also be an indicator of thyroid disease, heart disease, or adverse medication effects. And an abnormal respiratory rate can be a sign of lung disease or heart disease.

Blood pressure absolutely must be measured regularly after age 55. I often hear patients lament, in disbelief, that they never had

high blood pressure before. How could they have it now? High blood pressure is such a common problem associated with aging that even a person whose blood pressure is normal at age 55 runs a 90 percent chance of developing hypertension if he or she survives to age 85.

Most people with hypertension have absolutely no symptoms. But over time, hypertension can lead to heart failure or stroke. The latest guidelines indicate that the cut-off to define hypertension is a blood pressure of 135/85.

Patients often ask me to draw their blood to “test for everything.”

Unfortunately that’s not possible, and it makes sense to run screening tests only for a few things where it’s possible to detect an asymptomatic condition and alter its course. The most basic tests are a metabolic profile, cholesterol, and PSA (prostate specific antigen). Your doctor might order additional tests based on yours symptoms or physical exam findings, your past history, or your family history.

The metabolic profile includes a blood sugar, one way to screen for diabetes. Also included are various electrolytes that can give an indication of kidney troubles and other diseases. Elevated cholesterol, like high blood pressure, is also usually asymptomatic but is a risk

Eva Briggs, M.D

factor for coronary artery disease.

The newest guidelines recommend a goal for the LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) of less than 130, or less than 100 in the highest risk patients. The PSA test is not a perfect screening test, and men should discuss the pros and cons of this test with their doctor.

Women should receive regular mammograms. And everyone over age 50 needs to be screened for colon cancer. A colonoscopy, where a physician examines the large bowel with a lighted endoscope, gives the most information and permits the removal of small polyps. Patients often ask me about the virtual colonoscopy, where a special CAT scan images the colon without the need for a scope. That test isn’t ready for prime time yet. It requires the same preparation as used for a colonoscopy to clear the bowel contents, it is not as sensitive for detecting polyps, and if a polyp is identified, the patient will still need a scope to remove it.

A baseline EKG is reasonable, but there is no evidence to support universally performing cardiac stress tests for screening purposes.

These tests should be reserved for patients whose symptoms, history, or physical exam findings indicate a need.

Don’t forget to see the dentist and eye doctor, too.

Of course, even the best health care can’t guarantee longevity. But a healthy lifestyle and attention to the health care basics increases the likelihood staying well as the years advance.

Eva Briggs, a boardcertified physician, works on the staff at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, in its two urgent care centers: one in Ithaca, and the other in Cortland.

Winter 2009 - 55 PLUS

13

HEALTH WATCH More Sex Than Ever Study finds big jump in number of those over 70 who are intimate and enjoying it

W

hen it comes to sex, grandma and grandpa are having more of it these days, new Swedish research suggests.

According to the study, the last quarter century has seen a dramatic rise in the frequency of sex among the 70-year-old set, whether married or unmarried. And as an added bonus, seniors today (particularly women) say they’re much more satisfied with their liaisons than the previous generation — facing less sexual dysfunction and feeling more positive about the experience.

“Our study shows that a large majority of elderly consider sexual activity and sexual feelings a natural part of late life,” said study author Nils Beckman, a doctoral candidate with the neuropsychiatric epidemiology unit at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology at Gothenburg University. “It is thus important

that health professionals and others take sexuality into consideration, irrespective of age.”

The findings are reported online in the British Medical Journal.

Beckman and his team reviewed surveys concerning sexual behavior and attitudes that had been completed by more than 1,500 healthy 70-yearold Gothenburg residents over a 30year period.

The polls had been conducted in 1971-1972, 1976-1977, 1992-1993, and 2000-2001.

Between the first survey and the last, the frequency of sexual intercourse was found to have increased among all groups. Among married men, 68 percent said they were engaging in the practice in the latest poll, compared with 52 percent in 1971, while among married women the number had risen from 38 percent to 56 percent.

Among unmarried men, the jump went from 30 percent to 54 percent in

the same 30-year span, while among unmarried women the observed bump was from just under 1 percent to 12 percent.

Women seemed to make the most headway in terms of increasing their sexual satisfaction. While men expressed more positive attitudes about sex in 1971, by 2001 the gender difference had evaporated.

As well, more 21st-century women said they were highly satisfied with their sex; fewer said they had low satisfaction; more said they experienced an orgasm during sex; and fewer said they had never had an orgasm.

Regarding the degree to which the respondents said they felt “very happy” about their relationship, the three-decade trend also moved in a similarly positive direction for both genders: rising from 40 percent to 57 percent among men, and from 35 percent to 52 percent among women.

Beckman and his colleagues speculated that, in part, the findings might simply reflect the degree to which Western societies have become more comfortable in dealing with sexual matters frankly and openly — perhaps leading to a greater willingness to honestly report sexual encounters. “[And] maybe it has become more permissible to leave an unhappy marriage today,” suggested Beckman.

“And even for widows [and] widowers to establish new relations.”

Study: Watermelon May Be Poor Man’s Viagra

W

atermelon rinds could be the new natural aphrodisiac, new research has shown.

Researchers from Texas A&M’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center say the fruit’s rind can have a Viagralike effect.

The flesh and rind of watermelons contain citrulline, which reacts with the body’s enzymes when consumed in large quantities. The compound is changed into arginine, an amino acid that benefits the heart and the circulatory and immune systems.

Just like the popular Viagra and other drugs meant to treat erectile 14

55 PLUS - Winter 2009

dysfunction (ED), it also helps relax and dilate blood vessels.

Researchers are now working on breeding watermelons with higher concentrations of citrulline in the flesh of the fruit.

Nearly 60 percent of this phytonutrient is found in watermelon

rind than the flesh. Though found in all colors of watermelon, it has the highest concentration in the yellow fleshed types. However, a person would need to eat about six cups of watermelon to get enough citrulline to boost the body’s arginine level and have the desired effect.

The organic compound citrulline is an alpha-amino acid. Its name is derived from citrullus, the Latin word for watermelon, from which it was first isolated in 1930. Citrulline in the form of citrulline malate is sold as a performance-enhancing athletic dietary supplement which is said to reduce muscle fatigue.

my turn

By Bruce Frassinelli

The ‘F’ Word Has Lost Its Meaning The word “free” fills a lot of commercials nowadays, but its meaning is far from clear

I

must confess: When I would hear or see the word “free,” I became tingly all over, but today ecstasy has given way to skepticism, wariness and, yes — I admit it — cynicism.

You see, “free” no longer seems to mean “free.”

Just to make sure the word hasn’t undergone a definition shift in recent years while I wasn’t looking, I consulted the newest Webster’s dictionary. There it was — still the same unequivocal definition: “no charge.”

Can’t get much more specific or simpler than that.

When I watch TV, I hear commercials for scores of products, but the new rage these days is upselling. Pitchmen like the late Billy May, who died in late June of an apparent heart attack at age 50, would tell us that not only can we have one of these incredible miracleworking products for $9.95, but we can have another “absolutely free.”

Then, after a slight pause, he says: “Pay only shipping and handling.”

The shipping and handling on a $9.95 product usually means another $6, so the second item isn’t really “free.” It is $6.

I don’t get it. Why are these “as seen on TV” products allowed to perpetuate these untruths? When the government seems intent on cracking down on fraudulent claims

and consumer scams, these postageand-handling scams are pervasive, and no one seems to do anything about it. What is even more disturbing, however, is that they are perfectly legal, according to several representatives of consumer groups to whom I have spoken.

Why not require this simple protection for us consumers: Telemarketers cannot claim a product is free if there is a postageand-handling add-on cost. If there is such a charge, it must be clearly stated in the infomercial or ad.

I mean it’s not as if the product gains or loses weight daily. There is no reason why the fixed amount of postage and handling can’t be specifically noted.

I also take issue with some entertainment book offers. “Buy one, get one free,” says the coupon. You don’t really get one free, because you have to buy one first, and that one isn’t free. So why not just a simple change of wording: “Get one when you buy one.” Now, that’s truth in advertising.

Same thing for coffee clubs — buy six, get the seventh cup free.

To my way of thinking, the seventh cup is not free if I have to buy the first six.

Vista, a printing company in New England, sends me periodic offers with headers such as “Bruce, today is your lucky day

— everything is free.” Vista says I could buy 140 address labels “free.”

So why did I wind up having my credit card charged $3.31 if they were “free”? I did the deal, because $3.31 (for postage and handling) is not a bad price for these address labels. Still, I felt I was being taken advantage of after seeing that word “free” in big, bold type. When the package came, the postage was less than 50 cents, so the other $2.81 apparently went for handling, or, more likely, to Vista’s bottom line.

Nutri-System TV ads also are misleading. We see a slim, sensational-looking actress Valerie Bertinelli telling us that she has lost 40 pounds the Nutri-System way.

But, wait. What does that small print say? “Results not typical.” Another ad shows a smiling ex-Miami Dolphins football coach Don Shula who lost 30 pounds, but there’s that small print again: “Results not typical.”

If the results are not typical, why not show us the typical results?

If Nutri-System were to do that, there wouldn’t be many sales, because most dieters fail to have the necessary will power. Implying that you can lose a lot of weight merely by eating those delicious-looking Nutri-System meals is, of course, misleading on its face, because you need to couple controlling caloric intake with a vigorous exercise program.

Companies which use misleading tactics to sell their products do a disservice to us consumers. We seniors, especially, need to be constantly vigilant, especially when we see that fourletter “f” word — free.

Winter 2009 - 55 PLUS

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Rochester’s Anchorman Few names are better known in Rochester television news than that of Don Alhart. At 65 — and after more than four decades in the business — he has no plans for retirement

By Mike Costanza

N

ight after night for more than four decades, Don Alhart has brought important local and national events and the stories of everyday people into local homes as a television reporter, anchor and associate news director.

More than just a face on the screen, his support of programs for the disabled, local health care systems and community organizations has given Alhart a stature that reaches beyond the airwaves.

“I think the community’s very lucky to have someone like Don Alhart,” says Norm Silverstein, president of the WXXI Public Broadcasting Council. “Don Alhart is certainly one of a kind.” WXXI is Rochester ’s public television and radio station.

Best of all, the 65-year-old still seems to be going strong.

Step into Alhart’s office at WHAM-TV, and you’re surrounded by memories.

Two copies of the old Rochester

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Times-Union hang on the wall behind his desk, testaments to the time he delivered the paper as a teenager.

Near them hangs a poster from a group that serves the disabled that bears the words “Blessed are those who work with us in public places.”

Family pictures and mementos adorn the shelves, and a red-and-white “ON AIR” sign sits on the windowsill. Atop the desk, a huge glass bowl of Tootsie Rolls sits next to a plaque that reads, “THE DOCTOR IS IN.” Alhart’s coworkers presented the plaque to him on his birthday in May because he is so willing to allow them to sit down in his office and talk.

Alhart was born in Rochester, and spent his early years in a house on Culver Parkway, the youngest of three children. Back then, you could take the Valley Bus to shop, visit restaurants or just walk the city’s center.

“I was 8 or 9 years old, and we took a city bus and went downtown,” he explains in a recent interview. “You didn’t even think about crime.” His father ran a Rochester appliance and

hardware store.

“We always had that kind of grassroots connection with the city and the people,” he says.

The family moved to Brighton while Alhart was still a child. When old enough, he worked alongside his father in his store, gaining an easygoing way with people that he has to this day.

“Customer’s always right,” he says, with a grin. He credits a dedicated 5th grade teacher, Donald Naetzker, for introducing him to the idea of seeking a career in broadcasting.

“When we studied communications, he built, in a corner of the room, a little radio station, with turntables and a microphone,” Alhart says. Caught by the broadcasting bug, he and a friend studied electronic parts catalogues.

“We bought microphones and turntables,” Alhart explains. “Each of us in our home had our own little radio stations up in our bedrooms.”

Running wires through the houses’ cold air ducts to speakers, the two

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Don Alhart: “I know that day will come when I have to do something different, but right now I can’t think of what. I really still look forward to coming.”

Winter 2009 - 55 PLUS

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A DAY AT WORK Don Alhart in his office in October.

“broadcast” interviews of family members and other news. When they arrived at Penfield High School, they convinced the school to let them take to the school’s public address system.

“Instead of doing morning announcements, we convinced them at the time to do, like, a morning radio show,” Alhart explains. “We would weave the announcements into that, and then we’d cut to the principal, “and with an update…” If the school had a dance coming up, they’d get a local disk jockey to record a short 18

55 PLUS - Winter 2009

piece, which they’d play over the PA system as a commercial.

Alhart got a break in broadcasting after graduating from Penfield High in 1962, when WROC hired him as a summer relief engineer for its television and radio studios. For three summers, he ran studio cameras, spliced film, and manned television and radio control boards for the stations. The gig gave him the chance to work with such well-established local television newsmen as Bob Mills and Tom Decker, whom he credits as a role model.

“Tom Decker, certainly growing up in this town, was the anchor of record,” he says. “I really had a chance to get some great experience for three summers.”

WROC sent him out when parts of the city exploded in race riots in June of 1964. He and another reporter set up for a shot of the rioters one night during the approximately 60 hours of violence and mayhem.

“We went out with a movie camera and what we called a ‘sun gun,’ a big light,” he says. They switched it on, and the police who were trying to stop

55+ the rioters protested. “I illuminated all of the cops, which lighted them up as targets for all the people throwing the bottles.” They hit the “off” switch fast. Before the National Guard was able to restore order, four were dead, over 350 were injured, more than 800 were under arrest, and more than $1 million of damage was done to city properties.

Before graduating from Ithaca, Alhart was hired for a summer as a temporary reporter for WOKR television, the precursor of WHAMTV. All these years later, he admits that what he always really wanted to do is go before the camera.

“Part of it is that desire to perform,” he says. “If I could’ve been a game show host or a disk jockey, that probably was the first thing.”

At the end of the summer, he was offered a permanent post, but declined in order to finish college.

He graduated from Ithaca, and joined WOKR in June of 1966.

At that time, news didn’t have the stature it has now. When you took out commercials and station announcements, the 7:25 p.m. newscast, the first of the day, ran just three-and-a-half minutes, and even the 11 p.m. newscast had only a 15minute slot.

“I really enjoyed doing features,” he says. “You can make a story out of anything.” Though he did on-air interviews, he often didn’t appear before the camera.

“I would go home and say, ‘You’re going to see my arm holding the microphone,’” he says. They’d return to the station to help prepare the material for the newscast.

Beyond getting parts of himself on the air, the job brought another, more personal benefit when he helped produce the station’s live broadcast of the Miss Rochester Pageant. Among the contestants was a young woman who caught his eye, Mary DelCorvo.

“When the pageant was over, I asked her out,” Alhart says. He and Mary will be married 40 years in January.

“My ability to do this is a lot because of the strength I get from her,”

he says. The couple has three grown children and two grandchildren.

In the mid-’70s, WOKR started doing half-hour newscasts. Alhart was tapped to co-anchor the broadcast, and then to be its anchor. These days, he’s at the station about every weekday from about 3:30 p.m. to midnight, giving the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. news his special touch.

“I look at myself as a communicator, more than a reader,” he explains. “I don’t like to read the news; I like to tell people in the way that they’ll understand it.”

The veteran journalist is a five-time recipient of the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award, which is presented for excellence in television news.

While some might have used those awards as stepping-stones to more prestigious positions in larger television markets, Alhart has stayed close to home. He once auditioned for a news director’s slot at a Washington television station, but his heart wasn’t in it.

“The opportunity to be involved in the community, probably most of all, has kept me here,” he explains.

And, involved he is, dedicating himself to local organizations and causes. According to Rochester Rotary president and longtime friend Joe Floreano, Alhart has scarcely missed a weekly meeting of the club since he

Staying Fit and Trim Don Alhart stays in shape through weight training and by running 2.5 miles five days a week—and three miles on Saturdays.

That’s a total of more than 15 miles a week

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joined in about 1976, except for the times when he’s been out of town.

“He dedicates a lot of time to people,” Floreano says. “He’s almost like the spokesperson, I would characterize him, for Rochester.”

Alhart is a past president of the Rochester Rotary, and past governor of Rotary District 7120, which encompasses the 67 Rotary clubs in this part of the state.

At every meeting, Alhart does a brief “newscast” presenting the high points of recent news stories. Several years back, he learned that Tootsie Roll Industries, maker of the candy of the same name, had celebrated its 100th year in 1996. The knowledge brought back memories.

“I kind of grew up in that television era, with “Howdy Doody,” he says, referring to a popular television puppet show of the 1950s. “I always remember the large Tootsie Rolls they gave out.” Since then, he always throws the company’s stock price into his Rotary “newscasts” as a kind of running joke.

Alhart takes his efforts on behalf of the community’s disabled much more seriously. Decades ago, he walked into one of the Arc of Monroe County’s events, and met some of its clients.

The Arc serves the developmentally disabled.

“I felt like Elvis Presley,” he says.

“These people just embraced me with a love that there’s no measure for.”

Since then, he’s become a regular at Arc events and a visible and an active supporter of its fundraising efforts.

“He’s been hosting, as master of ceremonies, the Bowling Banquet for our folks for, I believe, for 35 years, and never missed a year,” says Steve Chartrand, CEO of the Arc Foundation, the organization’s fundraising wing.

“That’s amazing.” The banquet is a celebration of the end of bowling season for the organization’s league bowling team, the members of which are Arc clients.

Alhart also donates his time to supporting the Rotary Sunshine Camp, which is in nearby Rush.

The Rochester Rotary camp gives children and teenagers with all types Winter 2009 - 55 PLUS

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of disabilities the chance to enjoy the outdoors during the summer months.

To get a sense of what some of the kids have to overcome, he stayed at the camp a day and a night in the 1990s in order to take care of campers who had cerebral palsy.

“They need diapers changed when they go to bed,” Alhart said, referring to his charges. In recognition of his many services to the community, local Rotarians presented Alhart with the 60th Annual Rochester Rotary Award, the oldest major civic award in the community.

Since about 1996, Alhart has emceed the Lakeside Foundation Gala Dinner, the main annual fundraiser for the Lakeside Health System in Brockport.

“There wasn’t anything that we asked him to do that he wouldn’t do,” says Jean Hawkes, who was executive director of the Lakeside Foundation until 2003. “And, he did it quite graciously.”

Traditionally, Alhart writes a poem about the gala’s keynote speaker while at the dinner, and reads it to those assembled at its conclusion.

Alhart has written poems about former President Gerald Ford, retired four-star general and former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and many other luminaries. In recognition of his dedication to the gala, the foundation presented Alhart with a bound copy of his works, complete with written comments on the poems from those about whom they’d been written.

Alhart stays in shape through weight training and by running 2.5 miles five days a week—and three miles on Saturdays. Though he has few physical complaints, he admits to wanting to get back to the weight he carried while in the US Army Reserve from 1967 through 1973. To do that, he’d have to drop about 14 pounds.

Asked whether he ever plans to drop out of broadcast news, he pauses.

“I know that day will come when I have to do something different, but right now I can’t think of what,” he says. “I really still look forward to coming in.”

golden years

By Harold Miller

A Personal Stimulus Program We’re doing away with the old “retire and die” program “Either you eat life or life eats you.”

W

An old Chinese proverb.

e see many of our friends and contemporaries not aging well. They have bought into the stereotypical pattern of growing up, working, retiring and preparing to die.

They think that as they approach their senior years life naturally narrows down. They sit in their easy chairs watching the stifling television set all day and seldom, if ever, venture out of the house. They commiserate with their friends who have also bought into the “retire and die” program and they share aches and pains as well as sharing the obituary column. They live in the past and dread the future.

Well, we’re here to tell you that life not only goes on after 55, but it can be a hell of a lot of fun and the most rewarding time ever.

Since ‘stimulus programs’ are so popular these days, we’ve come up with one to address the enrichment of senior life. This two-part program borrows from “Keeping the Golden Years Untarnished,” the first column we did for this great magazine.

The Mental Part—The mind acts much like a muscle — if you do not exercise it regularly it will atrophy (reading or watching Jeopardy is not enough). There is ample medical evidence that playing bridge, working crossword puzzles or playing word games (our favorite is Scrabble) can offset dementia. The greatest tool to sharpen your wits, however, is the computer, which pretty much emerged as our generation was headed for retirement.

We find that about half of our contemporaries have not entered this wonderful world of communication

(e-mail) and information (Internet).

We spend a part of each day keeping in touch with our children and grandchildren. This brightens the time we spend in Florida and greatly reduces telephone calls and letters and you can receive countless digital pictures of the family to ooh and ahh over. Additionally, you can find the answer to any question your mind can conjure up by ‘Googleing’ it.

Ask your grandchildren to teach you — they know more than your kids or anyone else.

We have spoken many times in this column of the importance of developing a retirement career.

Mine happens to be journalism,

“All you have to do to enjoy this great life is push yourself out of that easy chair.” book writing, traveling and racing cars. PMA (positive mental attitude) is an integral part of our stimulus program.

Forget about life narrowing down — think in terms of expanding it.

Our generation is breaking the mold. My parents were old at 50 — I am young at 75. It’s all in your mind and whether you think you can or you think you can’t — you’re right.

The Physical Part—With normal health, there is nothing you cannot do. Without health there is nothing you can do.

Protecting your health and exercising to offset the ravages of age is the most vital part of our program.

Unfortunately, as we age tissue

breaks down, cartilage that cushions and lubricates our joints deteriorates and often arthritis sets in, tendons become weak and often rupture, bones lose density and become brittle.

Body-building can offset all of this by strengthening the muscles that activate the joints and by taking pressure off the cartilage, tendons and bones. Body-building also helps the flab that builds around the middle (which acts like a lever to put pressure on the spine, which in turn gives you that nagging back ache).

The current generation does body-building to stay fit and attract the opposite sex — we do it to be comfortable and stay active.

Is it difficult to pry yourself out of that easy chair and take a walk, ride a bike or drag yourself over to the gym on a cold morning? You bet it is but you have invested a lot of money to sustain retirement — how about investing some time to insure that you will be able to enjoy it.

Exercising also has a profound effect on your immune system, which protects you against disease, including cancer and a raft of maladies to which you are more susceptible in later years.

You meet some of the nicest people at the gym, surprisingly most of them are 55 Plus-ers. We enjoy a klatch of neighbors, friends and new acquaintances every day and it brightens every day.

So there you have it: All you have to do to enjoy this great life is push yourself out of that easy chair (and for god’s sake throw away that cigarette if you are still stupid enough to be smoking) and start expanding your life. Many doctors say that every day of exercise adds a day to your life, a notion we believe is right on target.

Do the math and see where you can go with this program.

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Senior Population Growing Fast in Rochester Region Will the health care industry be ready for the coming influx of older adults?

By Mike Costanza

R

egular exercise, a healthy diet, a positive attitude and other factors can slow the effects of aging, but eventually we all have to face the fact that, over time, our physical machinery breaks down.

“The rate at which we use services—whether it’s hospital care or nursing home care or health care— increases directly as we age,” says Lynn Varricchio, a senior planner for the nonprofit Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency who is also on the staff of FLHSA’s Sage Commission.

FLHSA, a leader in regional health care planning, convened the commission for the purpose of developing a strategic, person-centered vision of aging services that stretches to 2020 and beyond.

“Fundamentally, what we’re looking at is health care services from primary care and prevention to end-of-life care,” Varricchio says.

Sage consists of representatives of local government agencies, health insurance companies, health care providers and other organizations that are concerned with the health care of those 65 years old or older who live in the nine-county Finger Lakes region.

As in the rest of the United States, the numbers of adults who are aged 65 or older is growing in Monroe County.

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According to the census, an estimated 99,525 Monroe County residents were aged 65 or older in 2008, a nearly 14 percent boost over those who lived here in 2000. Those 85 years old and older grew to over 17,000 during the same period, an increase of nearly 25 percent.

As the county’s older adults increase in number, they’ll make greater demands upon health care systems. The risks of coronary heart disease, diabetes and many other chronic conditions or ailments increase with age, as does the risk of hospitalization.

According to Varricchio, those 65 years old and older constitute about 13.6 percent of the region’s residents region, yet account for 40.6 percent of hospital discharges. Those 85 years old and older account just over 2 percent of the population, yet account for nearly 9 percent of all hospital discharges.

Are the Finger Lakes region’s care systems prepared for the influx of older patients?

“We have done a lot of good work, both in Monroe County and many Crossdale of the counties in

the region, with aging services, [and] senior services,” Varricchio says.

The region offers a variety of treatment services for older adults in hospitals, nursing homes and other settings. Those services include primary medical care, rehabilitative services, residential care and endof-life care; mental health treatment, and substance abuse treatment, to just name a few. The presence of such research institutions as the University of Rochester Medical Center also contributes to the region’s ability to care for the elderly when they are in need.

“We have some of the premier people in this country in this community, in terms of Alzheimer’s research, [and] in terms of geriatric mental health,” Varricchio says.

Unfortunately, local health care systems have gaps through which any patient can fall. For one thing, patients who obtain treatment in a hospital or emergency room might leave to find that the follow-up services they need are difficult to obtain, are denied to them due to government regulations or are unaffordable. These conditions sometimes force patients to remain in local hospitals, however much they might wish to heal or recuperate at home or in a nursing home or rehabilitation facility. Such patients are placed in what are called

55+ “alternative level of care” beds.

“That’s where a lot of our longterm care patients tend to end up, before the move into the right level of care,” says Corinda Crossdale, director of the Monroe County Office for the Aging. “That’s a gap in our services.”

Crossdale sits on the Monroe County Long Term Care Council, a group of private health care providers, nonprofits, and patient advocates that came together to determine the gaps that exist in the county’s long-term care services. To shed light on the issues, the council recently closely examined the characteristics and needs of 38 ALC (alternative level of care) patients who were in Monroe County hospitals on one day in August 2008. While the subjects ranged from 11 to 100 years old, 45 percent of them were 60 years old and older, and 25 percent were 80 years old or older.

According to the ALC study, the patients surveyed had spent a total of 733 days receiving acute care for the conditions that brought them to the county’s hospitals, and then a total of 1,221 days in ALC beds while awaiting discharge. Though Monroe County has a wide variety of medical, mental health and social services, different types of barriers kept those patients from obtaining what Crossdale called “the right care at the right level at the right time.”

The No. 1 barrier was the difficulty of financing the appropriate level of care. Almost 30 percent of the patients were expected to fund their long-term care through Medicare after discharge, and nearly 53 percent of them through Medicaid. These and other health insurance programs can present a bewildering array of questions, regulations, and forms for those seeking treatment.

“The delay is in making sure that you have all your pieces in place to get the services,” Crossdale says. “It’s a lengthy process.”

O t h e r b a r r i e r s a ro s e f ro m the patients’ treatment or social needs. Some of the patients needed intravenous medications, special

mattresses, the regular monitoring or maintenance of their ventilators and other important medications, care or devices. Over a third of the patients suffered from mental illnesses, and 21 percent from some form of dementia. Thirty percent had histories of refusing to comply with their care plans, three of them had histories of alcohol and/or street drug abuse, and three had histories of violence. Over 43 percent of them lived alone prior to admission. Singly or in combination, these kinds of conditions could prompt a physician to keep a patient in the hospital, or force a patient to return to the hospital after discharge for further treatment.

Follow-up post-discharge care could make it easier for a patient to leave and stay out of the hospital, according to Varricchio. Hospital staff or other professionals could more carefully make sure that discharged patients who are older adults “understand their medications, get to doctor’s appointments, and be an advocate between the primary care physician and the folks that did the discharge plan, to make sure that it all works well,” she says. “That’s one thing not done in the region.”

Unfortunately, even when a needed service, such as post-discharge home care, is set up, it might not meet the patient’s long-term needs.

Medicare and Medicaid provide only limited coverage of such services as full-time, in-home care, as do most standard private insurance plans—if they do so at all.

“They’ll provide it from the hospital for a certain amount of time, but not ongoing services,” says Mary Rose McBride, vice president of marketing and communications for Lifespan of Greater Rochester. The nonprofit provides over 30 different types of non-medical McBride services, most of

aging

which are geared toward those who are 60 year old or older or their caregivers. Last year, the agency served more than 21,000 clients in the Finger Lakes region.

Even when funding for services is present, older adults might have difficulty going to their doctors’ offices, pharmacies, or other important locations, especially if they live in rural areas.

“Locally, about 25 percent of people 75 [years of age] and older don’t drive anymore, or limit their driving,” McBride explains. Moreover, some types of programs, such as substance abuse treatment programs, are geared for much younger clients.

“There is only one inpatient treatment program geared toward older adults,” McBride says. “Seventyyear-olds and 75-year-olds who have an addiction problem are a lot different from the 20-year-olds.”

Lifespan created Eldersource in 1995 to help older adults and their caregivers deal with such issues.

“We provide information and guidance for older adults and caregivers about elder care, or senior services in general, on the phone,” McBride says. When warranted, the service sends out a case manager to assess the situation, help the client develop a care plan, link him or her with supportive services, and help that client make decisions about care.

The service proved invaluable for one Gates resident. Toni Rivoli began taking care of her mother, Florence Morreale, after her father died. At that time, her mother was in her mid-80s.

For much of the next 10 years, Rivoli shuttled to-and-from her mother’s Webster home after work or at other times in order to care for her, while retaining her roles as a wife, mother and grandmother.

About five years ago, Rivoli noticed that her mother was, as she put it, “not as sharp as she used to be.”

Tests revealed the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. The disease destroys brain Continued on next page Winter 2009 - 55 PLUS

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aging from previous page cells, causing a progressive loss of memory and intellectual abilities that eventually prevents those afflicted with it from living normal lives. Over time, the disease forced Rivoli to take the role of a parent with her mother in order to take care of her, a reversal her mother resented.

“Things were getting harder with her—to get her to cooperate,” Rivoli says. “It becomes extremely frustrating.”

Though Alzheimer’s symptoms can respond to treatment for a time, the disease is fatal. Rivoli wanted to respect her mother’s wish to die in her own home, but worried constantly that she might have an accident and injure herself—or worse. In early July, she called Eldersource.

Eldersource’s care manager— whom Rivoli calls “an angel”—helped her apply for Medicaid financing for the home care her mother needed. As her mother ’s condition worsened, Rivoli decided to place her in a nursing home.

“I wanted to get mom someplace that I knew she was going to be cared for,” Rivoli says. With the care manager ’s assistance, she found a place for her mother at St. John’s Home, in Rochester. In early July, her mother began living there. Rivoli says that the move was very painful, but necessary.

“After I couldn’t tell you how many years, I actually could go to bed and not worry about her falling, hurting herself,” Rivoli said.

Varricchio says that tending to the needs of the region’s growing older adult population requires seamless treatment webs that reach from primary to end-of-life care.

“We need to stand back, and say to ourselves, ‘How do we integrate all this?’ she says. “How do we make it simpler for the man and the woman on the street to understand what’s out there, to find the information, to know how to use it, (and) to make it easier for the physician and the care team to assemble the right package?”

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Say No To Store Brand Credit Cards Retail “deals” aren’t worth it, experts says.

If you really want one, think twice before you sign up for it

By Gina Roberts-Grey

T

his holiday season, it’s going to be tempting to open a store credit card when the cashier is promising you huge savings when you sign on the dotted line.

The prospect of saving 10-15 percent is always alluring — especially this year when budgets are stretched thin.

So is the chance to prolong making payments on a pricey new washer and dryer that inconveniently kicked the bucket a few weeks into the holiday season.

But those instant savings, experts say, might actually work against you, putting a dent in your credit score and budget. And in some cases, they’re real motive isn’t saving you money.

It’s padding the retailer ’s bottom line.

Everything might not be better Their TV ads feature the late Bob Hope in a Santa hat saying “Everything’s better at Macy’s...” But “better” might not be “best” for your holiday budget.

When she worked as a manager at Macy’s, Jennifer Krosche was offered some great employee incentives.

“Macy’s would pay employees $5 in Macy’s money, which we could only use in the store, for every new Macy’s charge card application we’d get,” says Krosche, explaining that the store would run promotions by which employees could net bonuses. “Other times, it was $5 in “Macy’s Bucks” for

every three to five new accounts.”

Macy’s isn’t the only retailer urging employees to sign us up.

Krosche, who also worked at several other major retailers as an employee and manager, including Banana Republic, says employees there had a monthly goal of opening five new cards a month. “Any less, and you’d get a tutorial on how to open cards and a “conversation” about why you weren’t.” She says the employee who opened the most cards every month won a prize. “As a manager there, I was always coming up with incentives for employees to open new credit cards just to make our numbers.”

Costly credit points Instant “savings” can also cost you big for months — even years to come.

Jim Randel, author of The Skinny On Credit Cards (RAND Publishing, 2009) cautions every time you apply for a credit card — even the ones at the register — your credit report is checked. He says that credit inquiry has a negative impact on your FICO, or credit score because it “creates the appearance that you may be loading up on debt.” And that makes current and potential creditors nervous.

Randel says a credit inquiry for a store card can cost you “a few points.”

Experts estimate one inquiry can lower your score anywhere from 2 to 5 points. “Apply for several store “brand” cards in a couple of months,

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credit cards

and you will shave as many as 20 points off your credit score,” Randel says.

Opening a new charge card will cost you an additional 5 to 15 points.

“Over time, you can get those points back, but in the short term, those lost points can cost you plenty,” Randel says.

The price of points Residential and commercial real estate mortgage broker Todd Huettner suggests you think twice before even applying for a store credit card if you’re eyeing any other type of loans.

Losing even one point off your credit score can cost you hundreds — or more in the long run. “Interest rates for mortgages, home equity loan, or even a car loans, go up every 20 points starting with scores lower than 740,” Huettner says. For instance, rates are determined at credit score breaks of 720, 700, 680, 660, 640, and so on.

Huettner stresses that’s why losing even just one point to a credit inquiry can make a difference. “Having a score of 679 vs. 680 can cost you hundreds annually in interest.”

Assessing the savings Slashing 10 percent off “instantly” at the cash register can wind up costing you twice that in the long run. That’s because store credit cards usually carry a higher interest rate than comparable non-store cards (like Visa or American Express), says Randel. “The discounts associated with opening or using these cards are only worthwhile if you pay the balance off completely before accruing any interest,” he adds.

But if you carry a balance, Randel says, this option is no bargain. For instance, getting 10 percent off a $100 pair of shoes, creates a “sale price” of $90. That, plus applicable sales taxes, is charged to your new account that comes with a 21 percent APR interest rate. “If you make the minimum monthly payment [in this case $10] those “sale” shoes will have

cost about $107; $7 more than if you never opened the card and just paid the full nonpromotional price,” says Randel.

Now imagine that on a larger purchase amount, like $1000 or more.

Before accepting the cashier’s offer, ask yourself 1 – Do I have the money to pay the charge off in full with the first statement?

If not, don’t open the card.

You’ll probably spend more in interest than you saved at the register.

2 – Does the store already accept the credit card(s) I already carry? If so, then put on the brakes. Too much credit can damage your credit score, and lay waste to your budget, too!

3 – Will having this account fuel my urge to splurge? Those discounts and the easy access to a new line of credit may derail your budget train.

Especially if you’re an impulsive shopper.

4 – Am I planning to purchase a car or house in the next six months?

If so, don’t open any new credit card account (store or bank) as it is likely

to take your score down a notch.

This “ding” could cost you dearly in the interest you are charged for your purchase, or may even prevent your approval for any financing of your home or car.

Winter 2009 - 55 PLUS

25

Racquetball and Tennis Rule

Sports very popular among some of those in their 70s, 80s

By Mike Costanza

T

hese folks bring a lot of years to the court—and a few silver medals.

With a loud “whop,” Andy Trabold let fly with a serve.

The ball bounced off the court’s back wall, dealt the sidewall a glancing blow, and sped past him. An opposing player returned the serve, and the game was on.

Not bad for a 76-year-old, eh? The Perinton resident has been playing racquetball at Penfield Fitness and Racquet since the club opened 30 years ago.

“I enjoy it very much, and it’s good aerobic exercise,” Trabold says.

“I’d like to play twice a week, if I can.”

For decades, Trabold and the other men on the court that day have

26

55 PLUS - Winter 2009

come to the club weekly to share the thrill and camaraderie of the sport.

Nowadays, they play in a league for those 55 years old and older. The youngest among them is 71 years old, though you wouldn’t know it as you watched them leap around the cubic court.

Racquetball is played in an enclosed indoor or outdoor court.

Unlike such racquet sports as tennis and badminton, the court’s walls, ceiling and floor are legal playing surfaces.

“It’s great for competitive people,” says Keith LoPresto, Penfield Fitness’ general manager. Competing singly or in two teams of two, players try to make their shots while getting their opponents to miss theirs. “You’re hitting the ball so I can’t.” The number

Wally Iglewski, 71, gets ready to serve the ball during a recent racquetball game at Penfield Fitness and Racquet. The Canandaigua resident has played racquetball one hour a week for about 20 years. of times the ball bounces, whether it stays in bounds, and other factors help determine the score.

“I think of it as a rapid chess match,” says 71-year-old Wally Iglewski, whose team played against Trabold’s that day. “The ball is moving so fast, and you’re constantly figuring out your next shot.”

Players are ranked from novice/ beginner to pro. Competition ranges from easygoing games among friends, to amateur tournaments, to those like the annual US OPEN Racquetball Championships, which draw competitors from around the globe.

Trabold has competed in the past two annual Empire State Games, taking home two silver medals in doubles

55+ and a bronze in singles tournaments.

Racquetball confers health benefits, as well. According to the US Racquetball Association, players work at an average 75 to 85 percent of their maximum heart rate for the duration of an average 20-minute game. According to researchers, racquetball players work nearly every muscle group while on the court, running as much as 3,650 feet.

Moderate play burns an average of 640 calories, while more intense play has been shown to burn an average of 822 calories. Iglewski, who has played racquetball one hour a week for about 20 years, credits the sport for helping him recover quickly from a January heart attack that killed about a third of his heart’s muscles.

“If the heart wasn’t in good shape, the other two-thirds may not have kept me going.” Just that morning, he’d received some good news.

“I had my physical this morning,” the Canandaigua resident says, with a smile. “They said I’m in fantastic shape.”

Not that he and his fellow players don’t suffer some of the effects of aging. Of the four of them, all have lost cartilage in one or both knees.

Ten years ago, a doctor told Trabold to avoid running, walking, racquetball and other activities that placed pressure the deteriorating cartilage in one knee. He refused to do so.

“He said, ‘I’ll probably have to give you an artificial knee in 10 years,” Trabold said, referring to his physician. “The warranty might be running out,” he joked. Three of them also have high blood pressure, and some have various forms of arthritis, among other maladies. All regularly work out or exercise in other ways in addition to playing racquetball, though perhaps without as much enthusiasm.

“It’s fun to exercise when you’re playing racquetball,” Iglewski says.

F o r B e t t y R i c h a rd s , t e n n i s stimulates on many levels.

“I like the sound of the ball hitting the racket—whop!” the 72year-old says. Though she’s played since she was a teenager, the Penfield resident continues to learn about the

active lifestyle

game—and to match her skills against opponents. “I love beating people,” she says, with a chuckle in her voice.

“I’m very old, you know.”

Richards first picked up a tennis racket at the age of 14. By the time she was 16, she was teaching tennis, and playing on an elite junior tennis team.

She continued swinging a racquet through college, and then dropped out for 34 years while working as a teacher and raising her family.

After retiring in 1994, she returned to tennis. Nowadays, she’s regularly found on the courts or working out at Rochester’s Midtown Athletic Club, or working out in its gym.

“You just keep active, and keep your muscles strong,” she says.

Tennis can help do that. According to a study in the British journal of Sports Medicine, tennis appears to confer definite health benefits. These include improved aerobic fitness, lower body fat percentages, reduced risk of developing cardiovascular

Andy Trabold, a 76-year-old, Perinton resident, has been playing racquetball for about 30 years.

Racquetball players Tom Naughton and Wally Iglewski.

Winter 2009 - 55 PLUS

27

active lifestyle

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disease, improved bone health, and a more favorable cholesterol profile. According to the US Tennis Association, tennis has also been found to help keep the mind fit, and the spirits up.

“It’s good for everything—your mind, as well as your body,” says Dan Wright, a 70-year-old Spencerport resident took up the game about 50 years ago, while stationed in Germany with the US Army. The father of his then-future wife owned a tennis club.

“I knew she had a love for tennis,” he says. “We got together, and she started teaching me the game.”

N o w a d a y s , t h e re t i re d U S Marshall plays as much as three times a week at Midtown. A motorcycle accident left his knees less able to stand singles play, but he often plays doubles matches alongside his wife, Rosemarie. The matches help him stay in shape for the other sports he enjoys, downhill skiing and golf, and provide a social outlet for the couple, as well.

“We’ve got eight-10 couples we can get together with,” he says. “It’s a way of keeping touch with your friends.”

Richards put it a little differently.

“It just feels good to still be able to do all this; to be able to wear little shorts and skirts,” she says. “I’m 72 years old, and I’m acting like I’m 20, and I love it.”

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investments

Where to Invest Now? Local financial planners, stockbrokers discuss investment strategies for those between 55 and 70

By Mike Costanza

T

he past two years have shown that any investment can lose its value. Though the nation’s economy might be on the upswing—the Dow Jones Industrial Average broke 10,000 for the first time in a year in late October—many still worry about their investment incomes, particularly those approaching or in retirement.

“Everybody thought that the Lehman company was a safe company,” says George Conboy, president of Brighton Securities, a local stock brokerage and financial planning firm. Lehman Brothers, the giant Wall Street investment bank, closed its doors in 2008 under an avalanche of debt set off by massive subprime mortgage losses. “It turned

out not to be so safe.”

55 PLUS turned to local stockbrokers, financial planners and investors for a general picture of the directions active seniors might take when investing for retirement. All either work with older clients or are themselves retirees. Their statements should be taken only as general views of the issues, not as financial advice.

To keep the story clear and simple, we focused on investments designed for people aged 55 to 70.

Just as our physical characteristics change with age, so too can our financial characteristics, and our willingness to risk an investment.

Terry Badger’s risk orientation, for example, has changed over the 40 years he’s played the market. “It’s

gone from being a risk taker to being very conservative generally,” says the 71-year-old retired Kodak engineer.

Most investors become more conservative as they age, in part due to changes in their potential or actual earning ability.

“An individual 55 years old still has the potential for continued employment, and continued contributions to their retirement funding,” says Eileen J. Trott, a certified financial planner and president and CEO of Financial Insights, Inc. “An individual 70 years old would be hard pressed to contribute substantial amounts for future expenses.”

T h a t d i ff e re n c e a l s o h e l p s determine the kinds of investments a person should make. For example, Winter 2009 - 55 PLUS

29

55+

investments

at age 70 a person might be better off investing in bonds than stocks.

Bonds, unlike stocks, give a clearly stated return and are less affected by huge swings in the market.

The greater stability can be very important to older folks who live wholly or in part upon returns from their investments.

“If they have a year like last year, where the Conboy stock market was down almost 50 percent, and they have 100 percent of their investments in the stock market, they don’t have 30 or 40 years to make those losses up,” says Mark Fien, president of Fien Capital Management. “Somebody that’s 40 or 50 years old, they have a much longer time to earn back their losses.”

A general rule of thumb, according to Fien, is to allocate a percentage of your assets to bonds or other fixed investments that is equal to your age. If you’re 50 years of age, put 50 percent of your assets in those investments.

Bonds and other more stable investments do have some disadvantages. For one thing, the Federal Reserve has dropped interest rates drastically in order to spur consumers to spend and lending institutions to make their cash available. Investors have felt the effects. “ B a n k deposits or CDs or bonds aren’t paying anything anymore,” Fien says.

“CDs,” or “certificates of deposit” are investment vehicles that generally have fixed rates of Fien return and 30

55 PLUS - Winter 2009

have fixed terms.

Whereas investors could once turn to them for as much as a 6 percent rate of return, CD’s might earn only 1 or 2 percent now, according to Fien.

Returns from bonds and other more stable investments also don’t adjust to inflation or to cost-of-living increases.

As a result, those overly dependent upon them could find themselves “shorting themselves of sufficient income to keep up with constantly changing prices,” Trott says. Such limits shouldn’t be as much of a problem for a 70-year-old investor, according to Conboy.

“At 70, you might need five or six or 10 or 12 years of income,” He says. “You’re probably not going to be walled up by inflation over the next five or six years.” For 55-year-olds, it’s a different story. “If you’ve got 20 or 30 years to live on that income, inflation becomes a considerable concern.” To hedge against inflation, younger investors should include at least some components in their portfolios that can generate income growth.

“That might be common stock in companies that are reasonably expected to have dividend increases, or mutual funds that are similar,” Conboy explains. “It would not be the bulk of retirement investment, but it would be a critical component.”

Ok. Now, where might you invest? Richard Hanford’s investment strategy has grown more conservative in recent years, though age was just one of the factors.

“It’s changed more radically, due to market conditions,” says the 64-year-old Rochester resident. “I’ve become more concerned with having portions of my retirement in money market and bonds.” Hanford spent 20 years as a financial adviser before retiring a few years ago.

T h o u g h h e ’ s m o re conservative nowadays than when he began playing the market, Badger, the Kodak retiree, has bucked the trend in some ways.

He continues to invest in stocks and other financial instruments, though he does it with a keen eye and after extensive research. He prefers to put his money into technology stocks, using his technical training and experiences when deciding when to buy or sell.

“It’s not a good idea to invest in things you don’t know, and you don’t understand,” the Rochester resident says.

Right now, he’s particularly interested in companies that are developing superconductors.

When cooled to very low temperatures, the materials allow electricity to pass through nearly virtually unimpeded.

“I expect that the weight reduction possible when using Badger superconducting materials vs. copper will make possible economically superior windmills in the 5 and 10 megawatt category,” Badger says. “That will replace the current 1 to 3 MW designs. Wind power is a big thing at the moment.”

In the coming years, the two investors may also look across the sea for opportunities.

“The foreign markets are looking stronger in the future to me than the domestic markets,” Hanford says.

“Those companies have showed stronger returns than the US for years.” Asked for a hot stock tip, Badger smiled.

“Buy low, sell high,” he said.

“Most of us do it the other way around.”

financial

health

Conserving Retirement Portfolios The main challenge? Make your retirement nest egg last

By Jim Terwilliger

M

uch attention in the financial press has been paid to accumulation for retirement.

With a long time horizon, a well-diversified portfolio containing 60 percent to 90 percent stocks, a disciplined investment approach, annual asset allocation rebalancing, an ongoing (dollar-cost-average) savings plan, and discipline to live below one’s means in order to regularly set retirement money aside, accumulating a desired retirement nest egg certainly is doable.

Considerably less attention has been paid to the other side of the coin once accumulation is complete — converting to a withdrawal mode, using the portfolio as a key, sometimes p r i m a r y, s o u rc e o f re t i re m e n t income.

Many planners, including yours truly, believe this to be a much tougher and much more important financial phase with which to deal. The challenge is to: • provide a steady stream of income over a long but uncertain time period; • withstand the winds of investment performance volatility; • take continuing withdrawals during periods of extended market downturns; • never run out of money.

Fortunately, the financial literature is beginning to focus on this matter, and many useful planning concepts are emerging.

First, the same investment principles governing successful accumulation are useful here — namely a disciplined, well-diversified, annually-rebalanced portfolio.

However, given that volatility is the enemy of a portfolio in a distribution mode, the stock portion is generally recommended to be lower, typically in the 40 percent to 65 percent range.

Having a stock component is critical to

staying ahead of inflation, allowing for increasing distributions to maintain purchasing power.

Second, it is recommended that a retirement portfolio in a distribution mode contain a liquid cash component equivalent to two to five years of expenses. This component serves to supply regular monthly income to the retiree. The cash can be replenished internally by interest and dividend income from the other holdings and by proceeds from occasional partial liquidation of appreciated stocks or stock funds.

The reason for having such a large cash buffer is to weather bear-market storms. One does not want to liquidate stocks to supply income needs during periods when stock prices are down.

The time to take partial liquidations to enrich the cash buffer is when stock prices are up.

Third, it is generally recommended that ongoing distributions be taken first from taxable accounts, leaving assets in IRAs and 401(k)s to continue to grow tax-deferred as long as possible. Of course, at age 70-1/2, distributions from the latter are required to begin. Depending on one’s marginal tax bracket, it is sometimes advisable to begin these distributions earlier.

F o u r t h , a n d p e rh a p s m o s t important, how much money can be withdrawn annually from the retirement portfolio with reasonable confidence that the retiree will not run out of money?

If distributions are too high and/ or if an extended bear market should hit at the beginning of retirement, running out of money is a very possible and catastrophic outcome.

According to William Bengen, a certified financial planner and author of “Conserving Client Portfolios During Retirement,” the highest initial withdrawal rate that produces at least 30 years of longevity is somewhere

between 4 percent and 5 percent of the total retirement portfolio value in “year 1,” what he refers to as SAFEMAX — the “Maximum Safe Withdrawal Rate.” In subsequent years, annual withdrawals are then adjusted upward to account for inflation. SAFEMAX is based on a study using actual historical investment returns and rates of inflation to test assumptions about withdrawal rates, asset allocation, and portfolio longevity.

Bengen notes that 4.15 percent — assuming a 30-year time horizon — is perhaps the ideal initial withdrawal rate when using a portfolio made up of two asset classes with a 2/31/3 ratio of large-company stocks to bonds/cash and rebalanced each year.

Including small and mid-company stocks in the stock portion produces a SAFEMAX of 4.4 percent Not surprisingly, the peak SAFEMAX increases as the time horizon shortens. For instance, the peak SAFEMAX for a person with a 10-year time horizon is 8.9 percent, about twice that for a person with a 30-year time horizon.

Successful planning for ongoing distributions from a retirement portfolio is tough stuff.

Folks are advised not to go it alone. For financial peace of mind, it is best to seek help from a trusted financial planner.

James Terwilliger, a certified financial planner, is vice president of Financial Planning, Wealth Strategies Group, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Company. He can be reached at (585) 419-0670 ext.

50630 or by email at jterwilliger@cnbank. com.

Winter 2009 - 55 PLUS

31

Dancing Into Health

Some as young as 92 participate in a popular dance class sponsored by Rochester OASIS

By Mike Costanza

J

udy Staub stepped off the dance floor for a break one recent Friday.

“I always wanted to learn how to tap dance,” the 79-year-old says. Then the music started, and the Webster resident headed back to the dance floor, the taps of her shoes clickclicking along.

Staub and the other 27 dancers were all enrolled in the fall intermediate tap dance class at the Rochester OASIS, a not-for-profit lifelong learning program for people over 50.

The nationwide organization offers a wide range of educational opportunities intended to help members stay active, follow their interests and continue learning as they grow older. Those enrolled at the local center might study Shakespearean sonnets or real estate sales, sing in the OASIS Community Chorus, watch Fred Astaire in the film “Top Hat,” learn how to prevent diabetes or study Tai Chi. For the more action oriented, there are hiking programs and other forms of exercise— including several types of dance classes.

M a r i o n Fahy said the intermediate tap dance class was “old hat.” She’s been tap dancing Fahy since she was 12 32

55 PLUS - Winter 2009

years of age.

“I think dancing is the best exercise you can do,” the 92-year-old says. Tap shoes have carried the Rochester resident into parts of the city that few might know or remember.

“It was when Prohibition was going, and we did all of the shows in the nightclubs,” Fahy says. She also danced at the Eastman Theatre, which featured floor shows back then, and at the now-defunct Golden Grill on Lake Ontario.

“I was there for three years on weekends, because I was still going to school,” she explains. Tap dancing twice a week has helped keep her physically active, and deal with the arthritis in her back and hands.

“You keep moving your arms all around, and working your whole body,” she explains. “You just have a lot of fun, too.”

You don’t have to have danced at the Eastman in order to learn tap.

“Our ‘very beginner ’ class is basic,” says tap dance instructor Erika Atkinson. “You don’t even need to have tap shoes.” Once on the dance floor, you can begin learning some of tap’s many steps.

“Scuff, heel, flam, flap—those are all like a basic glossary that we have,” Atkinson explains. “A scuff is brushing the heel tap forward.”

Then, you can quickly begin doing combinations of steps. “It’s like the alphabet. You just mix them up and make different words.”

Though dancers might smile

whenever the music starts, the benefits of tripping the light fantastic have been found to affect more than just the spirit. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular dancing can help slow the heart rate, lower blood pressure and improve the cholesterol profile. A halfhour of sustained dancing can burn as many as 400 calories, and dancing can strengthen the weight-bearing bones, hasten heart and knee surgery rehabilitation, and help prevent or slow osteoporosis, the loss of bone mass. The style of dancing may not be as important as its vigorousness and duration—dancing to jazz is usually more vigorous than waltzing, for example. One study of a group of square dancers found that they covered nearly five miles each while do-si-do-ing.

Dancing can also help keep the mind sharp. A 2003 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that ballroom dancing at least twice a week made the subjects less likely to develop dementia.

According to the AARP, research has shown that some suffering from Alzheimer’s disease are able to recall forgotten memories when dancing to familiar music.

Will Herzog, Herzog who taught and

55+ called OASIS’s beginner contra dance class, didn’t need to read a bunch of studies to know that dancing confers mental, as well as physical, benefits.

“When the caller calls a figure like a do-si-do, ladies chain, hey for four, half a hey, petronella turns, a lot of different turns, you’ve got to think, know what they are,” Herzog says.

This form of folk dancing has been around for a long time.

“It originated back in the 18th century in England and France,” Herzog says. Contra dance can take many forms, but the dancers always begin by selecting someone for a partner. The atmosphere is very informal—you can invite someone to dance by just extending your hand, then head to the floor with someone of the opposite or same gender. The couples then come together in two lines, called “longways sets,” in which each person is opposite his or her partner.

They then “take hands four,” forming into groups of four dancers each. The “caller” then begins running through the steps of the dance, helping those on the floor learn them, or their sequence. Many contra dance steps match or are similar to those used in square dancing, but others are completely different. In the hey-forfour, for example, the dancers cross to the opposite line in a weaving motion, and then return to their original places.

After a run-through, the music— which is usually live and led by a fiddler—begins. The caller calls out the steps for the first few cycles of the dance, while the couples move through each of them. As they do so, they progress through the line toward the band or away from it, forming a new group of four with the next couple with each cycle. By the time they’ve reached the end of the line, each couple has danced with every other couple on it. For example, a man would dance with his female partner and with every other woman in the line before the dance ends.

Only seven came to Herzog’s class that day, so he called and danced at the same time. The music came

active lifestlye

Nearly 30 people are enrolled in the intermediate tap dance class at the Rochester OASIS, a not-for-profit lifelong learning program for people over 50. from a CD, but his class didn’t seem to mind. Kathy O’Donnell prefers exercising on the dance floor.

“I don’t like gyms very much,” says the 62-year-old Brighton resident.

“Walking is fine, but this is, just, you lose yourself in the music.”

Dancing in any form can also help you meet and make new friends.

“It’s, like, family” Atkinson says of her tap dance class. “They celebrate

birthdays, (and) go out to lunch after class.”

Joyce Bossard might agree. “I like the people, and we have a lot of fun,” says the 66-year-old, who has been contra dancing for four years. She had only one objection to Herzog’s dance class: no men. Dancers taking the male role sport blue ribbons.

“I have learned to be a gentleman,” Bossard says, with a grin.

Winter 2009 - 55 PLUS

33

last

T

page Richard Sauvain

By Mike Costanza

Calling all dancers

he name of Richard Sauvain is well known throughout the Rochester region among those who enjoy English country dancing and its more energetic cousin, contra dancing. The 71-year-old has “called” for English country or contra dancers for about the past 25 years, leading them through the fluid, sometimes-intricate combinations of steps that make up each dance.

The married grandfather and retired computer scientist lives in Brighton.

He spoke with 55 PLUS about his hobby, health, and what he does to stay in shape

Q. You first encountered contra dancing back in 1977, at a dance held by what is now the Country Dancers of Rochester. What was that like for you?

A. I was basically a computer programmer, and sort of a social nerd.

My social skills are not of the best. I also had always thought of myself as a non-dancer, and did not particularly feel like I had any dancing skills.

Q. Most “social nerds,” might not stay at a dance beyond the first few numbers. What kept you contra dancing?

A. People were very helpful to the newcomers, and the music was very lively and attractive. Somebody like me could walk in, try it, feel a little awkward perhaps, but really enjoy it.

It was [also] a social thing. The famous definition of contra dancing is that “It’s a dance that thrusts you into the arms of someone every 30 seconds.”

Q. Later on, you began English country dancing. What differentiates 34

55 PLUS - Winter 2009

that dance style from contra?

A. People ask that a lot [about English country dance]. It’s strictly an older style of dancing. The style tends to be a little more spacious and elegant—not quite so fast-paced. The tunes are often a little bit more like classical music.

Each time you step to the microphone to lead another dance, you have to come up with another combination of steps that meshes with the music, takes into account the level of experience and skill on the dance floor, and forms a danceable whole. Nowadays, you call as many as three times a month, more frequently at English country dances.

Some might find that hard to do.

You do have to figure out how to convey the movements to the band and dancers, so you can develop the prompts that have to happen right before the movements happen.

There’s actually a lot of effort that goes into getting those down.

Q. Physical activities—whether

throwing a ball, mowing a lawn, or dancing—have elements that only the person doing them can feel. What does it feel like to dance—or call a dance?

A. For me, it’s the moving-tomusic thing. I’ve always enjoyed music. Mixing the enjoyment of music with the choreographed patterns that go with the dance steps, and a whole crowd of people that are doing exactly the same thing—it’s thrilling.

Q. How’s your health?

A. I’m really in good shape for a man my age.

Q. What do you do to stay in

shape?

A. Exercise helps. I’ve been doing a lot of bicycling lately—about threefour days a week, I do a reasonable ride. I work out a couple of times a week at the JCC [Brighton’s Jewish Community Center], and take a yoga class once a week—that makes for good relaxation, stretching. I [also] dance three-four times a month.

Q. Besides joining patterns of dance steps together with music, what else do you do to stay mentally sharp?

A. I do Sudoku, and a style of puzzle called KenKen. [I also] work part-time at the local metro food coop, the Abundance Co-op, [a natural foods market in Rochester], doing computer support for them.

For a schedule of contra and English country dances in the Rochester area, go to the Country Dancers of Rochester Web site, www.rochestercontra.com.

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