55 Plus of Rochester, #21: May – June 2013

Retirement Planning Resources for Unmarried Women Jim Terwilliger: Don’t Shortchange Your Retirement Standard of Living Meet Larry Marro as He Celebrates 101 Years Passion for Animals: Zoo Vet on the Job for 30+ years

55 PLUS 21 Issue 2 1 May / June 2013

For Active Adults in the Rochester Area

Online Dating ‘My Own Experience’

Tennis Pros Meet Three

Three local tennis professionals have made a difference on and off court, including Grace Woo, the 72-year-old co-owner of Mendon Racquet and Pool Club

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Reach the Fastest Growing Population in the Rochester Area 55 PLUS magazine recently had its distribution audited by the Circulation Verification Council. Here are some of the results:

60,000 readers

(based on 21,000 copies distributed) • 59% of readers keep 55 PLUS from at least one month •75% of 55 PLUS redears fall are between the ages of 55 and 74 • 61% of 55 PLUS readers are women • 74% of our readers report earning of $50,000 and higher

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55 PLUS - May / June 2013

55 PLUS

55

May / June 2013

11 Savvy Senior 6 Real Estate 8 Financial Health 10 Long-Term Care 40

CONTENTS

Got a story idea? editor@roc55.com

PLUS

14

18

11 GENERATIONS

32 LONGEVITY

14 ROMANCE

34 VOLUNTEERISM

• Canandaigua mayor, former judge: Never too old to rock ‘n’ roll

• Online dating: “My own experience”

18 ZOO LIFE

• Head vet at the Seneca Park Zoo: On the job for more than 30 years Canandaigua Mayor Ellen Polimeni on her passion for rock ‘n’ roll. Page 11

34

22 COVER

• Three veteran Rochester tennis pros talk about what’s kept them on top of their game

29 ACTION

• Extreme biking: “My 124-mile bike ride in Quebec”

42

• Meet 101-year-old Larry Marro of Ontario County

• Many 55-plus women involved in Habitat for Humanity Women Build project

37 HISTORY

• Rochester-area pair teams up to co-author historical book

42 LAST PAGE

• Longtime Town of Geneva supervisor talks about public life, education and her feeling upon being named Geneva’s Citizen of the Year

May / June 2013 - 55 PLUS

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savvy senior

By Jim Miller

W

Retirement Planning Resources for Unmarried Women

hen it comes to planning for retirement, most Americans could stand to brush up on their financial knowledge a bit, but it’s especially important for unmarried women. Here’s what you should know.

Retirement Struggles It’s an unfortunate reality that most unmarried women — whether they’re divorced, widowed or never married — face much greater financial challenges than men in retirement.

Why? Because women tend to make less money (about 78 cents for every dollar a man makes) and have shorter working careers (due to raising children or caring for aging parents) than men. And less money earned usually translates into less money saved and a lower Social Security benefit when you retire.

In addition, women also live an average of five years longer than men, which requires their retirement income to stretch farther.

Listed below are some good resources that can help.

Financial Education A good place to start is with the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement, a nonprofit organization dedicated to financial education for women. At wiserwomen.org you can read and download for free a wide variety of easy-to-understand publications on retirement planning, money management, saving and investing, as well as Social Security, health care, annuities and more. If you don’t have a computer or Internet access you can call 202-393-5452 and order hard copies of their publications and have them mailed to you for a few dollars.

Another resource you should tap into is mymoney.gov, a U.S. government website dedicated to 6

55 PLUS - May / June 2013

financial literacy and education. You can also call 888-696-6639 and order a free “My Money” tool kit that includes a variety of publications about moneyrelated issues.

The Employee Benefits Security Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Labor, is another agency that offers a variety of publications, including the 62-page booklet “Taking the Mystery Out of Retirement Planning,” and “Women and Retirement Savings” brochure.

You can see them online at www.dol. gov/ebsa/publications, or call 866444-3272 and have them mailed to you for free.

Also visit choosetosave.org, a website developed by the Employee Benefit Research Institute that offers the Ballpark Estimate retirement planning worksheet, more than 100 online calculators, brochures, savings tips and links to resources to help you manage your finances.

Social Security Help You also need to get up to speed on Social Security. To help with this, the Social Security Administration has an online resource specifically designed for women that covers how marriage, divorce, widowhood, work, caregiving and other life or career events can affect your benefits. You can access this information at ssa. gov/women, or call 800-772-1213 and order their free pamphlet “What Every Woman Should Know.”

Financial Advice If you need some hands-on help, consider getting a financial assessment or tune-up with a fee-only financial adviser. Costs for these services will vary from around $150 to $300 per hour, but it can be very beneficial to help you set-up a retirement plan you can follow. See napfa.org or garrettplanningnetwork.com to locate an adviser in the area.

55PLUS Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto

Associate Editor Lou Sorendo

Contributing Writers

Deborah J. Sergeant, Ernst Lamothe Jr., Jay Scott, Jessica Youngman, Barbara Pierce, Jason Schultz, Janet Goldman, Amy Cavalier

Columnists

Jim Terwilliger, Susan Suben Jim Miller, Kimberlie Barrett

Advertising

Jennifer Wise, Donna Kimbrell

Office Manager

Laura J. Beckwith

Layout and Design Chris Crocker

Cover Photo

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

Health in good

Rochester–Genesee Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

Mailing Address PO Box 525 Victor, NY 14564 Subscription: $15 a year © 2013 by 55 PLUS – A Magazine for Active Adults in the Rochester Area.

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 Voice: 585-421-8109 Fax: 585-421-8129 Editor@GVhealthnews.com

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55 PLUS - May / June 2013

By Kimberlie Barrett

Now Is The Very Best Time to List Your Home

T

here were an estimated 1.74 million existing homes for sale nationwide in January.

This represents the fewest number of homes on the market since December 1999, according to NAR (National Association of Realtors®).

At the January pace those homes represented a 4.2-month supply of inventory relative to recent market absorption, the lowest monthly supply since April 2005. While existing-home inventory rose to 1.94 million units in February, representing a 4.7-month supply of inventory, anything less than a six-month supply is generally considered a seller’s market.

With a shortage of inventory comes an increase in demand, and with an increase in demand comes rising prices, which will in turn draw more sellers into the market At some point inventory will level out, but if it exceeds a six-month supply, it returns to a buyer’s market, which we have experienced for several years.

Often I hear my agents say that their clients are waiting until spring to put their home on the market which we, in turn, try to discourage for the mere fact that if all sellers are thinking that spring will produce a stronger surge in buying power, they are mistaken. What waiting produces is more competition.

Recently one of our clients confided that he was glad that he and his wife took our advice not to take their home off the market during the winter months, which some sellers also do. By keeping their home on the market, they had less competition, which produced two purchase offers and ultimately the home was sold at a nice price.

Keep in mind that it only takes one buyer to sell your home and you never know when that right buyer will enter the market.

10 Top Spring Tips to Get Your Home Ready to Sell!

1 Fill low areas on your property with compacted soil. Otherwise when it starts to rain especially in the spring these areas fill with water and can cause flooding in your yard raising concerns from prospective buyers.

2 An attractive curb appeal is vital or buyers will drive by your home and choose not to view the interior.

3 Check exterior windows for rotted wood, broken window panes and peeling paint and repair, replace or paint where needed before a future bank inspection insists on it.

4 Have the flue of your chimney cleaned and inspected.

5 Inspect your front porch or walkway for cracks and have your driveway repaired.

6 Check faucets and garden hoses for freeze damage or dry rot and make sure water is properly flowing out at a consistent rate.

7 Store firewood near your home a minimum of 18 inches off the ground and 2 feet away from the property to avoid insect invasion.

8 Make sure air-conditioning and heating units are working at their full potential and running efficiently.

9 Have an inspection done to make sure your roof shingles aren’t cracked, buckling or loose.

1 0 Final Hot Tip: A home inspection before listing a home for sale is the best way to knock out any major items that may come up with potential home buyers and cause a reason for a low bid offer.

Kimberlie Barrett is president, broker and owner of Magellan®, Inc. Real Estate & Relocation located in Brighton. She has more than 31 years of experience serving the Rochester real estate market.

For more information, contact her at Kim@1Magellan.com or 585-233-6111.

Nearly 14 Million Cancer Survivors in The U.S. Many are people who had breast or prostate tumors, says report

T

here are currently 13.7 million cancer survivors in the United States and the number is expected to rise by 31 percent to 18 million by 2022, according to a new report from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

As the American population gets older, more cancer survivors can be expected, added Julia Rowland, director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship at the U.S. National Cancer Institute. “By 2020, we expect that two-thirds of cancer survivors are going to be aged 65 or older,” she said in an AACR news release.

The report, based on an analysis of national data, also found that patients with certain types of cancers account for a large proportion of the survivors. For example, breast cancer patients account for 22 percent of survivors, while prostate cancer survivors account for 20 percent.

People with lung cancer, the second most commonly diagnosed cancer, account for only 3 percent of survivors, according to the report.

“For patients with prostate cancer, we have a nearly 100 percent five-year survival rate, and breast cancer has made tremendous strides as well, with five-year survival rising from 75 percent in 1975 to almost 89 percent in 2012,” Rowland said. “However, we clearly need to have better diagnostic tools and better treatments for lung cancer.”

She said the rising number of cancer survivors will present challenges for the health care system.

“How to ensure that these patients lead not only long lives, but healthy and productive lives, will be a vital challenge to all of us,” Rowland said.

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financial health

By Jim Terwilliger

Don’t Shortchange Your Retirement Standard of Living

T

he rules really do change when transitioning into retirement. An abrupt switch from accumulating assets to consuming assets — particularly when drawing part of your monthly “retirement paycheck” from your investment and retirement accounts — can be a frightening experience.

No longer is there a steady paycheck from an employer. Now a combination of Social Security, employer pension (for a few folks lucky enough to have a traditional pension), monthly annuity payments, and distributions from savings, IRA, and 401(k) accounts replaces that steady paycheck.

The guidance we give clients who are still working toward retirement is “live below your means.” Put money aside monthly toward building an emergency cash reserve, toward your children’s college fund, and toward retirement. Give to charity. Learn to live on the remainder.

Living below your means helps maintain financial flexibility and prevents the stress caused by living paycheck to paycheck.

Above all, it brings peace of mind.

Unfortunately, we often find that clients bring that decades-long practice into retirement and, as a result, under-spend and shortchange the retirement standard of living they have worked so long to achieve.

The practice of saving money is a hard one to break. But, frankly, continued saving in retirement generally is not only unnecessary but can erode retirement quality of life.

According to Rick Kahler, a certified financial planner and author, the problems start when the wise scrimping and saving of the earning years continue long past the time when it is necessary. Frugality can turn into under-consumption.

10

55 PLUS - May / June 2013

A combination, then, of being frugal coupled with a fear of running out of money results in standard of living that is less than what otherwise could be realized.

This is not to imply that retirees do not need to manage their spending.

Not at all.

In fact, retirees on the other side of the coin — those who lived above their means during their working years and did not save adequately for retirement — may find themselves in trouble with a too-small nest egg, lifelong excessive spending habits, and a high probability that they will indeed run out of money.

But those who were frugal and saved adequately should expect to enjoy a standard of living in retirement similar to what they experienced during their working years.

We have often talked about the “4 percent rule” in retirement when drawing out of accumulated assets to supplement the “retirement paycheck.” That is, when a retiree, individual or couple, starts to draw down assets, it is prudent to set the initial withdrawal rate at no higher than 4-5 percent of the market value of the combined investment and retirement assets. Then in future years, one should feel free to increase the dollar withdrawal rate by inflation in order to maintain a constant withdrawal spending power.

For this to work, it is critical that the total investment portfolio be 1broadly and globally diversified, and 2- balanced. The latter means that the ratio of stocks (or stock funds) to bonds (or bond funds) is in the 50/50 to 60/40 range. Studies of past 30-40year periods of market returns have demonstrated that retirees following such a withdrawal strategy from this type of portfolio will most likely not outlive their money.

Risk-adverse investors, on the

other hand, who invest primarily in cash and bond instruments will mostly likely run out of money with initial withdrawal rates in the 4 – 5 percent range.

Maintaining exposure to a broadly diversified array of stocks is key to staying ahead of inflation and preserving needed assets.

There is no free lunch here.

In order to achieve this degree of withdrawal, a well-planned and executed investment strategy is imperative.

Let’s look at an example of what the following couple might expect in terms of gross retirement household income in today’s dollars: • Combined savings, investment, IRA, and 401(k) assets of $800,000 • Small company pension of $12,000/year • Combined Social Security retirement benefits of $45,000/year Assuming an investment strategy as described above, a relativelysafe initial-year total income to the household of about $95,000 should be quite doable. In subsequent years, the initial withdrawal of $38,000 from the nest egg can be increased with inflation.

Social Security benefits will also enjoy a cost-of-living increase, at least in most years.

Finding that right balance in retirement is not easy, given the difficulty in making the accumulationto-consumption switch. Working with a trusted financial adviser to help you manage the transition is critically important to a happy retirement.

James Terwilliger, CFP®, is senior vice president, Financial Planning Manager, 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.

55+

generations

Ellen Polimeni, 71, is the mayor of Canandaigua and a longtime fan of music live in concert.

Never Too Old to

Rock‘n’Roll Music lives on in many a baby boomer

I

By Jay Scott

n the throng of a few thousands fans screaming and dancing to the voice of Bruce Springsteen live at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester last fall was the 71-year-old mayor of Canandaigua, Ellen Polimeni, showing her rock-‘n’-roll roots in a sea of people 10, 20 and even 30 years or more her junior.

But just because this long-time politician with grandmotherly oval spectacles and the knowing and

kind look of a retired teacher grew up with the jazzy, smooth tunes of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin does not mean she can’t enjoy the hard rock beats of Phish or Jon Bon Jovi on stage.

“I don’t know where this comes from, but my mom is a fan of stories and reading and the kind of music she likes kind of goes along with that,” said Polimeni’s daughter, Anna. “She likes music with a great story and

some of the people she likes have great stories.”

Baby boomers cut their musical and rebellious teeth on rock-‘n’-roll and live concerts of the 1960s and 1970s. So it should be no surprise to see current-day grandparents in the audience of a Springsteen or Rod Stewart concert.

Just consider the age of many rock icons such as Paul McCartney, Robert Plant, Mick Jagger and Stewart.

May / June 2013 - 55 PLUS

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John Ninfo, a retired federal bankruptcy judge, is a huge fan of the Rolling Stones. In December, he saw the band in Newark, N.J. on its 50th anniversary tour. He has been wearing the concert shirts and gear all year.

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55 PLUS - May / June 2013

McCartney of the Beatles is 70. Plant, lead singer of Led Zeppelin, is 64.

Mick Jagger, front man of the Rolling Stones, is 69. Stewart is now 68.

Had he been alive, Elvis Presley would have turned 78 in January.

Still raking In terms of ticket sales, The Rolling Stones’ “A Bigger Bang Tour” drew more than 4.6 million people between 2005 and 2007, grossing $558 million.

Rocker Roger Waters, 69, front man for Pink Floyd, drew more than 3 million people to “The Wall” tour between 2010 and this year. So concerts starring senior citizens are still very big business and have a large draw.

Polimeni remembers going to the Arrowhead Bowling Alley in Canadaigua to see “The Dukes” when she was a student teacher in the early 1960s. But she cannot remember how many live concerts she has attended in her life. Her diverse taste in music is a theme she has continued through her life. She has seen live performances from Elton John, Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, Phish, Beth Midler, Tina Turner, Sheryl Crow, Kenny Chesney and others at venues in New York, Las Vegas, Syracuse, Buffalo, and of

course at CMAC on the Canandaigua campus of Finger Lakes Community College.

“Tina Turner is just amazing in concert and of course I’ve seen Bruce, and by far he is the best showman,” Polimeni said. “I saw Phish with my son and what was funny, because I was an administrator at the middle school, I got to the concert and many of my students who were now in high school were at the concert going ‘Mrs. Polimeni, what are you doing here?’”

Live and in concert Anna Polimeni said her mother truly enjoys live music. Their seats for Springsteen were just off the floor where a sea of fans stood in line all day for the much sought-after standingroom-only tickets in front of the stage.

Ellen Polimeni shows everyone the video she shot of Springsteen crowdsurfing at the arena.

“Both of us are short and it is never a good idea for us to be on the floor, but we were just up the side so we could see everything,” said Anna.

“She had such a great time. She gets up and moves around to the point

where you look at her and say, ‘That’s my mom? Now that’s pretty cool.’”

There are several bands that seem to span generations of fans such as Springsteen, The Who, Bob Dylan and of course the Stones. And the interest in the music of the 1960s and 1970s is very strong with aging baby boomers that account for more than 40 percent of iPod and MP3 sales.

John Ninfo, a retired federal bankruptcy judge, is a huge fan of The Rolling Stones. He has an iPod just for his collection of Stones’ albums and songs.

He was a sophomore in high school when The Stones hit in the United States.

In December, he saw the band in Newark, N.J. on its 50th anniversary tour. And he has been wearing the concert shirts and gear all year.

“For biking I have four Stones’ jerseys and a pair of biking shorts and a dedicated iPod with 155 songs,” said Ninfo. “To open up my financial literacy programs, I play ‘You can’t always get what you want’ and sometimes wear my Stones’ tie. It gets pretty silly.”

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55+

romance

Online dating: My Own Experience Be well informed before jumping into new social craze

By Barbara Pierce

I

n just a few weeks, I’ve had a steep learning curve on online dating.

Online dating is huge, especially for seniors.

My friend, Carol, 72, is head over heels in love with a man she met online.

So, after 20 years of not dating, I thrust myself back into the dating world. Back when I last dated, you got dressed up and went out there. Out to the singles dances, the church singles groups, the seminars for singles.

Each was a crapshoot. Maybe you met someone who you wanted to see again, maybe not. If not, the next night you dressed up again and went out.

Now I can sit at my laptop and I search through volumes of men. In an hour, I can sort through hundreds, looking at their photos, reading what they say about themselves, and select potentials that I might want to meet.

I quickly screen out those who don’t look like my kind of man, those who are much shorter or much younger than I, those who are looking for a woman who shares their passion for biking, boating, religion, dancing, or golf.

And he can screen me out if I don’t look like his kind of woman, or he doesn’t like my lifestyle or my dog.

There are many dating sites, most charge. I chose one that was identified as the biggest database for seniors. But it didn’t have many men in my area. A friend recommended another that has worked much better for me and is free www.PlentyofFish.com.

One of the first things I learned 14

55 PLUS - May / June 2013

Barbara Pierce is a contributor to In Good Health in Mohawk Valley. She lives in Florida.

Belmont Management Co., Inc. 215 Broadway, Buffalo, NY 14204 www.belmontmgmt.com

was not to be so quick to jump in my car and travel to meet him halfway. I wasted too much time and too much gas on the Interstate going to meet men who turned out to be duds.

And if we had hit it off, long distance dating would mean way more driving than I want to do.

And I’ve become more selective in noticing his intentions. I want a long-term committed relationship. If he says he is only looking for someone to date or be friends with, I will be ultimately disappointed. Better to rule him out before the beginning.

I’ve met several men for coffee.

An hour may not be enough time to tell if you have met your soul mate, but it is enough to tell when you have not. There is that elusive thing called “chemistry.” No picture or words online, no voice on the phone—nothing but an in-the-flesh meeting can predict who we will have chemistry with. And chemistry is the ingredient that makes relationships work.

I’ve had good chemistry with a few of the men I met, and we’ll keep seeing each other. The others were nice, reasonably OK, but didn’t stir my interest to get to know them better.

Helpful online hints If you’re thinking of getting your feet wet in online dating, here are some things I’ve learned that may be helpful: • Before you sign up, have a good current digital headshot of yourself, maybe two or three. Make sure it’s a good photo, as no one will read further if your photo doesn’t pique his or her interest.

• Have a positive emotion on your face; look approachable. If you have to take a picture of yourself in the mirror, you need more people in your life—make that your first priority.

If you misrepresent yourself with an outdated photo, whomever you meet wants to meet the person in that photo and will be angry at you and disappointed if you are different.

• Be prepared with a user name, as this will be the second-most important thing about you that people notice.

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“What I also learned about online dating is to beware. Proceed with caution on any online dating site. Be skeptical, as online daters are easy prey. Move slowly, with caution.

But be ready to drop your caution and know when to move ahead.”

The following properties are for people over the age of 62 or disabled regardless of age. Income eligibility requirements. Please call the individual phone number of information regarding that project.

Advertise some quality about yourself or something that is important to you, like “Funtobewith,” “Woodstock,” “BeachBum,” “Oneofakind,” or just your first name.

• Be prepared to list the things that interest you, so that you and potential partners can find some common ground. Hobbies, music, how you spend your time, what’s important to you.

• Be prepared to describe yourself and what you are looking for in a partner. You can always go back and edit this information, so don’t let that hold you up. If you’re stuck, ask a friend how they would describe you.

What I also learned is to beware.

Proceed with caution on any online dating site. Be skeptical, as online daters are easy prey.

Move slowly, with caution. But be ready to drop your caution and know when to move ahead.

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Barbara Pierce is a retired licensed clinical social worker who lives in Florida. She writes a monthly column for In Good Health — Mohawk Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper. Contact her at BarbaraPierce06@yahoo.com

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Social Security

Q&A

Q: How long must I work to become eligible for retirement benefits?

A: Most people need 40 Social Security “credits” to be eligible. You can earn up to four credits per year.

In most cases, you need at least 10 years to be eligible for retirement.

During your working years, you earn credits based on earnings. The amount of earnings needed to earn one credit rises as average earnings levels rise. In 2012 and 2013, you receive one credit for each $1,160 of earnings, up to the maximum of four credits per year.

If you become disabled or die before age 62, the number of credits you need depends on your age at the time you become disabled or die.

You must have a minimum of six credits, regardless of your age. Retire online at www.socialsecurity.gov.

Q: I heard that my disability must be expected to last a year to qualify for Social Security disability benefits. Does this mean I have to wait until I’ve been disabled an entire year before applying for disability through Social Security?

A: No. If you believe your disability will last a year or longer, apply for disability benefits as soon as you become disabled. It can take an average of three to four months to process an application. If your application is approved, we will pay your first Social Security disability benefits for the sixth full month after the date your disability began.

For example, if your state agency decides your disability began Jan. 15, we will pay your first disability benefit for the month of July. We pay in the month following the month for which they are due, so you will receive your July benefit in August.

For more information about Social Security disability benefits, refer to our publication, Disability Benefits at www.socialsecurity.gov/ pubs/10029.html.

Q: Are Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits taxable?

A: No, SSI payments are not subject to federal taxes. We will not send you an annual form SSA-1099 to report your benefits to the Internal Revenue Service. However, Social Security beneficiaries may have to pay income tax. If so, you may ask Social Security to withhold your federal taxes from your Social Security benefit payments. For more information, visit our website at www.socialsecurity.gov.

Q: How many parts to Medicare are there?

A: There are four parts to Medicare: • Part A (hospital insurance) helps pay for inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing care, hospice care and other services; • Part B (medical insurance) helps pay for doctors’ fees, outpatient hospital visits, and other medical services and supplies that are not covered by Part A; • Part C (Medicare Advantage) plans, available in some areas, allow you to choose to receive all of your health care services through a provider organization. These plans may help lower your costs of receiving medical services, or you may get extra benefits for an additional monthly fee. You must have both Parts A and B to enroll in Part C; and • Part D (prescription drug coverage) is voluntary and the costs are paid for by the monthly premiums of enrollees and Medicare. Unlike Part B in which you are automatically enrolled and must opt out if you do not want it, with Part D you have to opt in by filling out a form and enrolling in an approved plan.

More information may be found in our publication “Medicare” at www. socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10043.html or by visiting www.medicare.gov.

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zoo life

Jeff Wyatt is celebrating his 31st year as head veterinarian at the Seneca Park Zoo. Here he is shown checking on a rabbit that was neutered.

Passion for Animals

Head veterinarian at the Seneca Park Zoo has traveled the world: from Borneo to learn about the Pacific island’s famous orangutan population, to Madagascar to see its lemurs

By Jason Schultz

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eff Wyatt, 57, head veterinarian at the Seneca Park Zoo, is known for his passion in caring for his flock as well as making his zoo a model for animal care, conservation and education.

With a head of blond hair and a smile always on his face, Wyatt possesses a calm and friendly demeanor that man and beast alike can sense, allowing him to provide care to the wide array of animals that live on the zoo grounds.

The Seneca Park Zoo is small compared to other Upstate New York

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zoos, Wyatt said, though it packs in plenty for people to see on its 15 acres.

“We have about 220 animals at our zoo, compared to cities like Buffalo and Syracuse, which each care for around 1,000 animals,” he explained. “We aren’t as big as our neighbors to the east and west, but we do a lot of good work, with the efforts of our talented and passionate staff.”

“I enjoy all the people I work with, because we all share the enthusiasm for caring for these animals and making this zoo the best it can be; it’s

one of my favorite parts of coming to work every day.”

Wyatt first developed his love for animals as a teenager growing up in Cincinnati, where he took classes at the Cincinnati Zoo as part of the junior veterinarian program to learn about the zoo profession.

“These classes definitely sparked my love for zoos and the jobs of the people who keep them running,” said Wyatt, adding this experience showed him the powerful role a zoo can play in inspiring young people to care about the natural world.

Following his undergraduate education at the Ohio State University and veterinarian school, Wyatt made his way east on I-90 to Rochester, where he has worked for the past 31 years as the zoo’s head veterinarian.

Wyatt also holds an appointment at the University of Rochester Medical Center, where he advises medical researchers on the humane care and use of their animals, including mice, sheep and pigs.

“I also work on animal models for medical testing,” Wyatt said. “This involves comparative medicine, which uses animals with biological properties similar to humans to test drugs and other medical treatments.”

In addition to all his other duties, Wyatt is also a commissioner for the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which is responsible for the accreditation of zoos and aquariums all over the country. As an AZA commissioner, Wyatt travels to other zoos and aquariums to examine the conditions and treatment of the animals in the facility’s care. He explained that of the 3,000 sites in the United States which exhibit wild animals, only about 300 are accredited like the Seneca Park Zoo. Wyatt is also active in the One Health Initiative, which focuses on the balance between healthy animals, habitat and people.

Although he is based in Rochester, Wyatt’s passion for the care of animals has taken him all over the world, from Borneo to learn about the Pacific island’s famous orangutan population,

Wyatt’s rounds also takes him on visits to see Flounder the sea lion. Laura Shipp, a zoo employee, watches. to Madagascar to see its lemurs.

Wyatt said he visited Gunung Palung National Park, which contains the largest wild population of orangutans in the world, as part of the Health in Harmony program, which promotes rainforest-friendly policies and encourages the local population to not harm the ecosystem.

This initiative includes a contingent of physicians from Strong Hospital to provide health care to the local population.

“That experience in Borneo was a formative one for me, as it taught us about providing a more natural

environment for our zoo’s population of orangutans, which is the only zoo in the state that cares for these primates,” Wyatt said.

Much like a head doctor at a hospital, Wyatt is tasked with managing the menagerie of animals at the zoo, from the tiniest lizard to African elephants, the only zoo in the state to care for the largest of land animals.

“As a veterinarian, my goal is to help animals have long, happy and healthy lives,” he said. “I work primarily on preventive medicine and quality-of-life issues. Unlike animals

Making the rounds at Seneca Park Zoo. May / June 2013 - 55 PLUS

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rounds throughout the zoo, much like his human doctor counterparts. One big difference, of course, is that the animals can’t talk, which has large ramifications on the type of care Wyatt and his staff have to provide.

“As a vet, you have to be acutely aware of the subtle signs an animal is sick,” he explained.

“It the wild, a sick animal is easy prey, so animals tend to internalize what’s bothering them until the very end. If you wait until an animal Jeff Wyatt in December in China visiting a panda conservation research station where a vet friend from is clearly sick, it’s too late.” the Smithsonian Institution works.

Wy a t t a d d e d in the wild, the health problems that treatment of individual animals has go along with aging are a big part of become more personal and respectful of their well-being and quality of what we do here.”

Wyatt’s typical day involves doing life.

“Our relationship to the animals has definitely changed over the years,” Wyatt said. “We used to tranquilize animals as standard procedure for treatment, which led to the animals fearing and distrusting us; I remember when I started here, the elephants used to throw rocks at me, and now they look forward to my visits.”

Wyatt’s soft touch was on display while interacting with Lu the hyena.

Although Lu (short for Lucifer) has jaws that can tear flesh and crush bone, around Wyatt he is as gentle as a domestic dog, and enjoyed a pet on his backside while he sat against the fence of his enclosure. Wyatt’s rounds also took him on visits to see Flounder the sea lion, as well as polar bears, chimpanzees and an up-closeand personal visit with an African elephant named Anjue (AN-JOY), better known to zoo-goers as Lilac the elephant.

During his tour of the zoo, Wyatt pointed out the many changes at Seneca Park during his tenure. In 1995 the Discover Center opened, which featured animals found native to the Genesee Trail, and in 1997 the

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zoo added the Rocky Coasts exhibit, which features such crowd favorites such as penguins, seals and the zoo’s polar bears. To promote the education portion of the zoo’s aims, the ZooTeens program was formed in 1993, which gives young adults the opportunity to explore their interests in ecology and conservation. He said Seneca Park offers a number of programs for toddlers to college students, including summer and winter camps, along with internships and a pre-vet program.

Like many professions, Wyatt said the resources available to zoo vets has grown tremendously with the advances in technology over the past three decades.

“When I started in 1982, we had a small group of vets that met once a year to talk about the issues we faced,” Wyatt explained. “Outside of our meeting, we communicated through phone calls once in a while; it really was a small network of people. Now it has grown into a true profession; with veterinarian textbooks, journals and conferences. With the Internet, we are able to communicate much more, and our profession has become much more sophisticated. We are now able to share information between different zoos, which allows us to care for our animals better.”

Wyatt said that along with technology, attitudes about the care and treatment of zoo animals has advanced as well.

“Back when I started, many animals were kept in small cages close together; I call it the stamp collection attitude toward zoos, where the idea was to collect and exhibit animals without much thought to the animal’s quality of life,” he explained. “They were treated as livestock as opposed to wild animals, and this led to many health and welfare problems.”

Wyatt said the trend over the past couple decades is about providing a more natural environment, with more examples of mixed-species habitats, and a focus on education and conservation as well as entertainment.

“I firmly believe education has to be a central part of any zoo’s mission,” Wyatt said. “Fostering an interest in animals and conservation of nature is vital if we are to find a balance with our environment.”

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Center Court Three veteran Rochester tennis pros talk about what’s kept them on top of their game

By Amy Cavalier

D

ecades of hard work, dedication and discipline have tallied up to success on and off the court for accomplished Rochester tennis professionals Grace Woo, Linda Gohagan and Joan de R. O’Byrne.

Tennis is the lifeblood of Woo, co-owner and operator of Mendon Racquet and Pool Club.

A former high school physics teacher, Woo picked up her first racket at the age of 36 and has been racking up the accolades since. Named to the Kitty Godfree Cup for women players in the age 65 category, the 72-year-old has played numerous United States Tennis Association national and category 2 tournaments and is ranked fourth in the USTA National Women’s 70 Singles.

A tennis coach for the past 40 years, Gohagan was named United States Professional Tennis Association Eastern Division College Coach of the Year in 2007.

She has led the St. John’s Fisher College women’s tennis team to five New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament berths and has piloted the men’s team to two appearances in the Empire 8 Championships.

A 10-time district doubles champion, the 63-year-old played competitively up until five years ago.

A practicing attorney for 50 years, O’Byrne, 76, is a competitor on the tennis court and in the courtroom. Her career is equally as varied as her athleticism. Since getting back into tennis 30 years ago, she has worked her way up from playing singles as an amateur to a 4.5 rating. O’Byrne won the Western District of New York annual tournament in the 1989 and 1990 and was a member of the USTA team that won the World Team Tennis Nationals in Palm Springs, Calif. in 2005.

They’ve all found themselves playing against one another at some point or another over the years, but when the final scores are posted, the momentum behind their backhand is a sense of community.

“You get to know these women at tournaments and it’s inspiring,” says Woo. “We all have coaches. We all work on strength and flexibility training. We all take lessons. You go out and play hard and then afterwards, you go and hang out with these incredible women athletes, so there is this camaraderie.”

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Scorecard: Grace Woo Co-owns Mendon Racquet and Pool Club with husband Jeff Wagstaff A USTA professional, she ranks fourth in the USTA National Women’s 70 Singles and has a national doubles ranking of 2.

Named to the Kitty Godfree Cup for women players in the age 65 category in 2006 Has played in USTA national tournaments, Canadian-US Friendship Cups, Addie Cup, on New York state women’s intersectional teams and in USTA category 2 tournaments Manages town of Pittsford tennis recreational programs for juniors 24

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race Woo, 72, of Pittsford, picked up a tennis racket 36 years ago and has been racking up the points ever

since.

A USTA professional, she has played in USTA national tournaments, Canadian-US Friendship Cups, Addie Cup, New York state women’s intersectional teams and USTA category 2 tournaments.

She ranks fourth in the USTA Women’s 70 Singles. Last year, Woo was awarded “bronze balls” for placing third in singles and doubles in the USTA National Women’s 70 Indoor Championships in Vancouver, Wash.

Wagstaff, her husband and coach, is a USPTA certified professional. He says Woo worked hard for her success.

Beginning at the age of 45, she played in national competitions for five years before claiming her first victory.

“It bugged me, but it never bugged her,” he says. “I wouldn’t have gone back until I knew I had a chance of winning a round.”

With work ethic, motivation and grace, Woo has gone from a 2.5 rating to a 4. A member of the USTA Eastern Women’s Team, she has traveled to Turkey and Uruguay as one of the top three female players in the country.

“It’s awful tough when you start at her age and you play against girls in college, and on the circuit,” says Wagstaff. “Some of the girls have played Wimbledon that she’s played with. Some of those girls have been playing since they were 3 years old and in this sport. She didn’t even know tennis existed until 36.”

Married for 23 years, Woo and Wagstaff own and operate Mendon Racquet and Pool Club in Pittsford.

Born and raised in California, she earned a Ph. D. in physical chemistry from the University of California at Riverside.

55+ “That was my lifelong goal and my life was centered on that,” Woo says. “When you work and raise a couple of kids, you’re just too busy doing life things, getting dinner on the table.”

A mother of two, her love for tennis began when she moved to Rochester in 1977. She was looking for something to take up her time while her daughter was in gymnastics.

“Tennis was a perfect sport,” She says. “I could get a great work out in a couple of hours and pick her up.”

Woo and Wagstaff met 26 years ago when she began taking lessons with him.

“He really improved my game,” she says. “He was a great instructor.

That wasn’t the reason I married him.

We were friends.”

In 1995, at age 55, Woo retired as a physics teacher at Brighton High School to assist her husband with his growing junior tennis programs and pursue tennis 100 percent.

“When I retired, I didn’t retire,” she says. “I retired to sort of start to reinvent myself.”

In 2006, Woo was one of four women in the U.S. chosen to travel to Turkey to play in the Kitty Godfree Cup in the 65 age category.

She’s won several brass and silver balls in national tournaments, but no gold yet.

She travels the U.S. year-round for tournaments, playing on clay, grass, indoor and hard courts in Alabama, New York City, California, Washington and Florida. Although she and Wagstaff don’t play together very often, they do pair up for a national husband-wife tournament in California once a year.

Wagstaff says Woo takes her losses a lot better than anyone he knows.

“She thinks of how to improve,” he says. “That’s really the right attitude. Most tennis players when they lose are upset for two to three days and then they get over it and realize what they need to do.”

Although she is on the court six to seven days a week, Woo takes a holistic approach to training with aerobic and weight training at her gym at home and she also practices

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Scorecard: Joan de R. O’Byrne Served in Peace Corps in East Central Africa Listed in “The Best Lawyers in America” every year since 1981 Named a “tier 1” family law attorney for 2011 and 2012 by U.S. News & World Report Won Western District of New York Singles 4.5 Division in 1989 and 1990; finalist in the mixed doubles open division in 2002; winner of World Team Nationals in 2005 4.5 tennis player, yoga enthusiast, downhill skier; still competing in districts in singles and doubles in 2012 May / June 2013 - 55 PLUS

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yoga.

“You have to be in really good shape to spend hours on the court hitting with people,” she says. “It’s a really hard job.”

The sport can be tough on the body, she admits. So far, she’s been lucky to escape without any injuries, knee or shoulder replacements. Being able to maintain her competitive edge for all these years is about balance and discipline, says Woo. “When you get older, you really have to pace yourself,” she says. “I own a club. I could play for hours each day, but I don’t. I can’t if I want to be involved in this sport until I’m well into my [later years]. You can’t just spend hours on the court. You’ll hurt yourself.”

Tour de Force

O

ne morning in 1982, Joan de R. O’Byrne woke up and decided to get back into tennis.

The long-time lawyer was looking for a way to beat the winter doldrums and socialize, so she dusted off her old Jack Kramer racket and signed up to become a member at Midtown Athletic Club in Rochester. Quickly, she learned things had changed.

Instead of wooden rackets, they were now using graphite rackets.

“I had never heard of such a thing,” she says.

O’Byrne has worked her way up from playing singles as an amateur to a 4.5 rating. She faced off against Gohagan in a western district semifinals match and lost, but won in 1989 and 1990.

One of the proudest moments of her life came in 2005, when she played on the team that won the World Team Tennis Nationals in Palm Springs, Calif. After beating out eight other teams to play against Missouri in the finals, it was down to a tie-breaking four-and-a-half-hour match, on one of the hottest days of the year.

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“The woman collapsed afterwards and started to cry like a child,” she says. “It was one of the proudest but most humbling moments of my life. I felt the woman’s pain.”

The trophy was presented by tennis legend Billie Jean King.

While she’s a very powerful opponent on the court, O’Byrne’s success happens as much in the courtroom as it does on the tennis court. At 76 years old, her life is a kaleidoscope of varied experiences, accomplishments, interests and involvements.

In her 50 years of practicing law, she’s tried cases in every court in the country—from town court to the U.S. Supreme Court. She’s served in the Peace Corps in East Central Africa and helped establish the New York State Physicians Union. When she’s not in the courtroom, she’s on the tennis court or traveling abroad while deepening her understanding and practice of yoga.

“Practicing law is as competitive as a sport because you’re always competing against the skills of the other lawyer but you’re competing on more of an intellectual basis,” she says. “When you do trials, you might as well be playing on a tennis court.

It’s challenging. You’re not hitting a ball but your marshaling facts, crossexamining, all in an effort to win.”

Caught up in the idealism of John F. Kennedy, she earned her undergraduate degree and attended law school at the University of California at Berkeley, one of the most liberal colleges in the country at the time. After graduating in 1961, she worked for the attorney general’s office in Sacramento, Calif.

Two years later, at the age of 28, she joined the Peace Corps serving in East Central Africa. That’s how she met her husband who was in the British Colonial Service.

The couple moved to Rochester in 1968, on the day Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Her husband took a job as a lawyer. Five years later, he passed away unexpectedly. O’Byrne came close to moving to San Francisco after her husband’s death but then she got a phone call that changed

her life—an opportunity to represent a group of physicians looking to establish a union. The New York State Physician’s Union was formed as a member of the AFL-CIO under the legal guidance of O’Byrne. In 1974, she went into private practice.

O’Byrne’s love of athletics fell to the wayside in her years at college.

It wasn’t until about 30 years into establishing her career and the loss of her husband when sports crossed her mind again.

“Prior to that there was no time for tennis,” she says. “I was building my practice, out every night, all over the region, trying cases until four in the morning. I had a criminal law practice so I was in the town courts every night for arraignments, plea bargains and trials.”

In 1984 she says, she realized she wasn’t concentrating on herself.

“I had no personal life,” she said.

“It seemed like all I was doing I was working.”

Determined to change that, she picked up tennis again and learned to ski at 48. In 2005, she got hooked on yoga. She traveled to India in 2012 and to Greece in January for a yoga retreat on the island of Lesbos. Yoga has helped her tennis game, O’Byrne says.

“It’s good for balance and movement, and I have a lot more muscles than I ever thought I had,” she says. “The prana, the breathing part, has helped me because I don’t get tight as I used to, when at a crucial place in my match, I can now relax.”

O’Byrne says she enjoys the individual nature of tennis.

“That’s the way I like it,” O’Byrne adds. “I’m not a team player. I live alone. I practice alone. I like individual sports. I’m an individualist by nature, so it just goes with the territory.”

Fellow tennis player Renee Derosiers has known O’Byrne for many decades and competed against her on the court.

“She’s extremely competitive and dominant in this sport,” Derosiers says.

Describing her friend as “a fascinating person with a heart of gold,” Derosiers says O’Byrne has the

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intelligence, mental toughness, focus and strategy required to be a fierce competitor.

“She’s definitely out there holding her own and she’s beating younger competition,” she says. “And they totally underestimate her. She’s a slight woman, but she’s got a great technique and she knows how to play the game.”

As she gets ready to turn 77, with no sight of slowing down on the horizon, O’Byrne says her yoga practice and recent study of philosophy has also helped her come to terms with the concept of aging.

“Defining myself or identifying myself as a lawyer and nothing else is incorrect because it’s only a role I play in life, just like the role of a tennis player or a yogi or a skier or a mother, sister or friend,” she says. “These are things I do. They aren’t me, so when life ends, the essence remains.”

In the meantime, not much has changed about her life.

“It’s difficult for me to accept my age because everything I was doing at 40 I’m still doing,” she says. “I’m still playing tennis, still skiing, still practicing law, still socializing, still going out on dates, and doing yoga.

Namaste.”

For the Love of Tennis Scorecard: Linda Gohagan 2007 USPTA Eastern Division College Coach of the Year 2002 Eastern Volunteer of the Year Award; Empire 8 coach of the year Women’s 35 District Doubles Finalist 1991, 1999; Women’s 35 District Open Doubles Finalist in 1997 Women’s 35 District Doubles Champion 1992-1997 Women’s 45 District Doubles Champion 1999-2002, 2004 Six-time 45 Women’s Singles District Finalist

Growing up on a horse farm in South Jersey with thoroughbred racehorses, Linda Gohagan has always loved sports.

In college, she played basketball, softball and was an all-conference field hockey player. She gave up softball to join the tennis team her junior year at Glassboro State Teachers College, now known as Rowan University, where she earned her bachelor ’s degree in health and physical education in 1973.

“I liked to run and tennis to me was a challenge so I went into tennis over softball,” she says. “I was very competitive and it was a sport you May / June 2013 - 55 PLUS

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could play for the rest of your life.”

Gohagan met her husband on the tennis courts at the Haddonwood Indoor Tennis Club in New Jersey while taking lessons. Once she became a certified USPTA professional, she landed a full time job as a club pro at Cherry Hill Indoor Tennis Club in New Jersey.

In 1975, Gohagan moved to Rochester and began coaching at Irondequoit Tennis Center. She decided to remain in Rochester after she and her husband divorced. Since then, she’s taught more than over a thousand people at more than a handful of facilities including Salmon Creek Golf Course, Midtown Athletic Club, where she taught full time for 11 years, Manhattan Square Tennis Club, Webster Tennis Club, the University Club and Brighton Tennis Club. She also works at Bell Racket Spots, a pro shop in East Rochester, stringing rackets and assisting customers.

Throughout the years, Gohagan has seen her fair share of success on the court, playing in tournaments in the Middle States section of the USTA, eventually ranking 13th in the Eastern Division.

“It made me a better player because I had to learn to control the ball,” she says in regards to how her competitive career helps her in her coaching career. “It technically made you think about your strokes a little bit more. It helps you to understand that you win by being consistent, not hitting the ball real hard.”

In 1978, Gohagan strapped on her running shoes and competed in her first Rochester Marathon. There were only three other women in the race.

The other two women did not finish.

“That’s my claim to fame,” she says. “That’s the only marathon I ever won.”

Gohagan ran over 12 marathons and many 10K road races before focusing more on competitive tennis.

She became a Women’s 35 District Doubles Champion five years running and a five-time Women’s 45 District Champion. She continues playing tennis but not competitive 28

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tournaments.

“It got frustrating and I had to accept the fact that that’s part of the process,” she says. “I can still play a good game and my brain knows what to do with the ball, but I may not be able to get to the ball as fast as I used to.”

Gohagan’s college coaching career began at the University of Rochester, where she served as head women’s tennis coach

from 1984-1986. She also coached at the SUNY Brockport.

A USTA member for 42 years and a USPTA Level 1 pro for 35 years, Gohagan has been giving tennis lessons at Monroe Golf Club since 1997. Her season at Monroe Golf Club runs May through early September. From August through May, she coaches the St. John Fisher College men’s and women’s tennis teams.

“It’s not easy sometimes,” she says. “It’d be nice to have one job, but at the same time I like the variety. I wouldn’t be able to do a 9-to-5 job.”

In 2002, Gohagan won the USTA Eastern Volunteer of the Year Award and in 2007, she was named USPTA Eastern Division College Coach of the Year. She also won Empire 8 Coach of the Year in 2003.

Now entering her 16th season as the head coach for the Fisher women’s tennis team, Gohagan has led the ladies to five New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournaments as well as two Empire 8 Championships.

Coach of the men’s team for 15 years, she’s carried them to two Empire 8 championship appearances the last four seasons.

At the Division 3 level, Gohagan

says, academics comes first for athletes, but she says, “I still want the players to win.”

“My approach to coaching is for the players to focus on performance as individuals and as a team,” says Gohagan. “If they focus on improving with each match and having fun, they will have a better chance of achieving their goals.”

Patricia Danaher of Fairport took lessons from Gohagan and served as her assistant coach at SJFC from 19992004. Gohagan is a good competitor and a great coach “who the kids respect a lot,” says Danaher.

“She’s tough on them and they accept it,” says Danaher. “They’re good at putting forth as much effort as they can.”

When she’s not coaching, the Irondequoit resident serves as league coordinator of the Ladies Inner Club Summer Tennis League, a competitive league that plays June through August.

Professionally, Gohagan stays current by reading, watching videos and attending tennis seminars.

Gohagan admits it’s been challenging succeeding in a maledominated career, both in pay scale and the opportunities presented.

However, the pay-off is well worth it.

“When I get up in the morning, I don’t dread going into work because I love what I do,” she says. “It’s an amazing opportunity to be able to teach and coach tennis for a living because it is a sport for a lifetime.”

action

55+

Extreme Biking ‘My 124-mile bike ride in Quebec’

By Janet Goldman

C

Janet Goldman, middle, with her husband, Mike, and a friend, during their bike ride in Quebec.

ould I ride my bike for 124 miles over four days on the Parc Lineaire Le P’tit Train du Nord?

Not being an avid bike rider like my husband Mike, I questioned the possibilities. The idea was very attractive as the trail was mostly flat and the surrounding countryside would be beautiful.

Each night, we would stay in comfortable and charming bed and breakfast inns with delicious meals. In addition to riding with my husband, we would be riding with Jan and Phil, friends from our past who moved away from the Rochester area.

A new workout routine was needed. I searched for organizations sponsoring bike rides. First I joined a ride sponsored by Women Outdoors, a local woman’s group. Since bike riding is only one of the group’s many functions, I realized I needed to continue searching and found the Rochester Bicycling Club.

This turned out to be the perfect solution. Every weekend, as well as a few week day evenings, they sponsor rides on local trails varying by length, number of hills, and the riders’ speed.

Always, they offer rides for beginners where they have a leader responsible for ensuring that everyone keeps up with the group.

Outfitting myself for the trip involved minimal preparation.

At first I thought I’d need a new bike. As a casual bike rider, I had a hybrid. Although road bikes would help my speed, I learned they were May / June 2013 - 55 PLUS

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action Endurance test

Janet Goldman and husband Mike during a visit to Newport Beach in March. inappropriate for unpaved trails.

While riding with RBC, I bought the few necessary biking purchases. I already had a helmet, but as required, I purchased a tire repair kit. Quickly, I learned I should also buy a water bottle holder, a metal bike attachment.

Carrying it in a backpack proved highly unnecessary. Similarly, I saw the advantages of a bike pack, for under my seat, to hold my tire kit, car keys, and cell phone.

To join the food breaks of the RBC bike rides, I also bought a bike lock. After my first long distance bike ride with RBC, I found myself to be saddle sore. Quickly, I treated myself to padded biking shorts and a biking top.

Regarding packing for the trip, I was given a weight limit. Although the cycling package provided daily transportation of our luggage, we were

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limited to 34 pounds for the two of us.

Similarly, what I carried with me for biking needs was limited to necessities as they would be transported upon my back.

Daily, I carried a rain suit, a water bottle, sun lotion, sunglasses, energy bars, and a bathing suit. Not having long distance experience, I wasn’t familiar with bicycle packs and racks that go over the rear bicycle wheel.

Weak language skills were another concern. Would I be able to communicate with the staff at the B&Bs and the restaurants? Rarely did we find language to be a barrier.

Occasionally, when stopping for lunch, we did need to depend upon creative hand, arm and face communication.

In fact, I found it fun to call out “bonjour!” when passing bikers along the trail.

On Aug. 2, 2012, we drove to St. Jérôme, in Quebec, Canada, about 350 miles, and stayed at a local hotel.

The following morning, we drove our bikes and luggage to a prearranged shuttle that transported us to the beginning of the bike trail. For three and a half days, we rode our bikes along the P’tit Train du Nord trail.

For 200 kilometers, or 124 miles, we rode on paths through the Laurentian Mountains that took us through forests, along farms, brooks, and rivers. As anticipated, most of the trail was flat with conditions varying between pavement, crushed gravel and dirt. Although there were hills, they were never steep.

In fact, the trail follows what used to be an old railway line as suggested by its name. Cycling packages can be customized to meet the riders’ needs and interests. We met people who planned to ride the same distance in fewer days and others who carried their own tents. Campgrounds were available.

The first day, we alternated who the leader would be. Stressed not to hold up the others, I struggled to keep pace. After riding about 34 miles over a five-hour period, with brief energy breaks as well as a lunch stop at a local outdoor restaurant stand, we arrived at our lodging on Lake Nominique.

The actual riding time was three and a half hours. Every part of me was sore. To relax, we lounged on the dock behind the inn. Unlike the others, I chose to minimize movement and not cool off in the lake.

To my delight, dinner was served at our inn. The food was Belgian cuisine. Regardless of our selections, we were all very happy. The remaining days were much more enjoyable for me. I set the pace by being the leader.

Occasionally, Jan also led, but at my speed.

Although it was summer time, the heat was not a problem as the path was usually well shaded, and riding conditions were surprising comfortable. Nevertheless, we often kept a lookout for possible swimming

stops. Usually the water was too rough or inaccessible.

Unexpectedly, we also rode by a farm selling pick-your-own blueberries.

Bathrooms were one of my big concerns. Yet, we consistently found public restrooms along the trail.

Another concern was weather.

On day three, the weather forecast and dark skies warned us of a bad storm. Although the rain began before our lunch stop, it didn’t become heavy until we had the shelter of a restaurant. Due to limited indoor seating capacity, we had an outdoor table, but were enclosed with plastic sheets. By the time we finished eating, the storm cleared.

After such a positive biking experience, the four of us agreed to plan another one for this coming summer. We even discussed repeating the same trail, but with modifications.

Rather than continually biking long distances several days in a row, we agreed it would be ideal to lengthen our stay and spend one leisurely day at Mount Tremblant. Recently, we made the reservations.

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      

 

Linden Knoll is your place to call home.

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Visit our new model apartment and see the possibilities!

Maintain your familiar lifestyle with added choices, convenience and peace of mind—at a surprisingly modest rate. ���Monthly rent of $780, including utilities ���Emergency call system in every apartment ���Preferred consideration to The Friendly Home for short-term rehabilitative or skilled nursing care

Contact Sharon Peterson today at 585-385-0223 to schedule a tour and to learn more.

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Cloverwood | Glenmere Assisted Living and Memory Care Linden Knoll | Lovejoy Transitional Care Center | The Friendly Home

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longevity

Larry Marro and his great-great granddaughter Autumn Valentino

Meet 101-Year Old Larry Marro He once made 15 cents an hour working on a rose farm

By Jessica Youngman

L

arry Marro has finished his supper a bit early and settled into his electric recliner for the evening.

But he doesn’t appear to be ready to turn in for the night: He’s dapper in a striped button-down shirt with a matching cardigan, slacks and a rather fancy watch.

Hanging on the wall behind him is a backdrop he’s rather proud of: Three of his own paintings, all country scenes that he surely could have profited from. Across the living room 32

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is the computer, outfitted with a flatscreen monitor, where, almost every day he sends email and logs onto his Facebook account.

It’s hard to believe Marro is 101.

“You’d better believe it,“ he tells his skeptical visitor, pointing his finger for extra emphasis.

He should know. He was born Feb. 3, 1912.

Marro once made 15 cents an hour working on a rose farm. His family weathered the Great Depression. He survived World War II, just barely. He

owned a successful restaurant. He was widowed twice.

All those years have yielded plenty of stories. And Marro, who lives at Ashton Place in Clifton Springs, doesn’t mind sharing most of them.

His memory is sharp. Just ask his daughter, Mary Jane Valentino.

She recently noticed two older ladies staring at her father while they were out to lunch recently. One finally approached Marro and hesitantly asked, “Do you remember my husband?”

“He said ‘Of course I do!’” said Valentino, of Geneva. She said her dad went on to share memories of the woman’s late husband, including his drink of choice when he patronized Marro’s restaurant in Newark, called Speck’s.

The restaurant was aptly named. Speck, after all, was Marro’s nickname.

He has a grade-school bully to thank for it.

Marro said a boy taunted him and took his bicycle. Marro told his buddy he was planning to give the boy a lickin’ in retaliation. When the tormentor learned of Marro’s plans he grabbed him by the collar, lifted him off the ground and threatened, ‘‘‘You do that and you’ll have nothing’ left but a fly speck,’” Marro recalled.

He swears no punches were thrown that day. The bully happened to be much larger than Marro.

Born in Clyde, Wayne County, Marro was one of seven siblings. His parents came to the states from Italy with hopes of opportunity: His father arrived first, lured by the promise of work on the Erie Canal.

The family settled in Newark.

Marro completed four years of high school but never got his degree because he “flunked” a course and couldn’t make it up the next year because “things were pretty rough.”

It was the late 1920s and the Depression loomed. Marro took the job at the famed and long gone Jackson & Perkins Co. in Newark, where his dad was making about a dollar a day. It wasn’t much, but, “at the time there was no jobs available,” said Marro.

Marro married and, soon after came his first and only child, Mary Jane. When Mary Jane was barely a toddler her mother died suddenly and she went to live with her grandparents.

Marro wound up drafted by the U.S. Army. At age 32, he said, “I was the oldest guy in the company.”

He was deployed overseas and found himself in the Battle of the Bulge, considered the largest and bloodiest battles of WWII. He was in combat for only a half hour on Dec. 18, 1944, when half his company was killed as they scaled a hillside. Shrapnel left him with severe wounds, including a shattered ankle and damaged lung.

He was sent to an Army hospital and, eventually, back home.

“I earned a purple heart and the right to say I was in the Battle of the Bulge and that was the end of my career,“ he said. “I never fired a shot.

I never saw the enemy.”

Marro picked up where he left off back home. He met a “looker” named Irene over dinner at a cousin’s house.

“She started eating off my plate and that did it,” he smirked. “She was a very beautiful lady.”

They married and, with about $3,500 borrowed from relatives, they bought the restaurant, now Cross Park Family Restaurant. She handled the books and helped wait tables while he oversaw the daily operations. “It was not a hit immediately,” he said, “but after a while it was pretty good business.”

The Marros ran Speck’s from 1948 to 1967. After selling it, “I scooted to Florida right away,” Marro said. He and Irene spent their winters in the sunshine state, returning to Wayne County only when it was warm.

After 57 years of marriage, Irene lost her battle with leukemia about 10 years ago. Marro has had a few dates since then and, given his Web prowess, knows about the online dating scene, but says most of those women post pictures of themselves that are at least “15 years old.”

These days he’s content to get to the store or a restaurant with fellow Ashton Place residents a handful of

times each month.

Marro is something of a celebrity at the senior living facility as one of its eldest and most active residents.

“He tries to take every trip they take,” said Valentino. “He almost always is one of the only men and that doesn’t bother him a bit.”

In addition to enjoying visits from friends and family and keeping tabs on his Facebook account, Marro also participates in plenty of activities at Ashton Place.

“If he isn’t down at bingo, they’re looking for him,“ said Valentino.

Marro never dreamed he’d make it to 100, let alone 101.

“Nobody’s more surprised than I am,” he quipped. “I never watched my diet. I ate everything that was set in front of me.”

He quit smoking about 50 years ago and gave up liquor in his early 90s.

Marro gets around just fine on his own, though he uses a walker for trips outside his apartment. Aside for some hearing loss and, more recently, a nagging cough, he’s in good health.

Back in Marro’s apartment, from the comfort of his recliner, he says he saw a television news report earlier in the day about a woman in Japan about to celebrate her 115th birthday.

It’s certainly an admirable milestone, he says.

He doesn’t expect he’ll top her.

And that’s just fine.

It has been a good life, he says.

Larry Marro ran Speck’s in Newark from 1948 to 1967.

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volunteering

Karen Kall and members of the 2012 Women Build teams raise the pink and purple wall on Mother’s Day 2012 on the Women Build house.

Women Don Hard Hats Habitat for Humanity Women Build project involves teams of women helping to build a home from start to finish

By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

E

laine Richane has never fallen prey to stereotypes or being told what she couldn’t accomplish something.

So when the opportunity came to build a Habitat for Humanity home to help a single mother, she jumped at the chance and never allowed age or gender to play a role in her decision.

She hammered nails and was even seen busting up the sidewalk with a jackhammer for the construction crew.

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“Why shouldn’t women be a part of this? What’s better than one woman helping another woman out, especially if that means giving her child a better life,” said Richane, 70, of Fairport. “I would love to see more women get involved because it is really fun. Men may have an advantage in upper body strength, but helping to build a house is definitely something that we can handle.”

Not only do most people not envision women performing these

difficult manual labor tasks for Habitat, but many of the women who participate in the build are 55 years or older.

The 2013 Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build Project involves teams of women helping to build a home from start to finish. The women learn new skills in fundraising, team building, and construction, which often gives them the confidence to tackle projects at home. These women paint, put up beams, carry lumber, clean out back yard debris, saw and hammer.

The person receiving the home pays the mortgage and taxes and spends 450 hours working on her house. The women also work on other Habitat homes. Habitat for Humanity has committed to building and refurbishing 100 homes in the city of Rochester. With Rochester having

the highest child poverty rate in New York state, officials understand that helping someone become a homeowner can provide a boost.

Richane has been involved with Habitat for the past four years. A friend got her involved, and with every year, she enjoys the process more.

“It’s incredible working with a team of women who work hard. We are always up for doing anything,” said Richane. “When I first started, I couldn’t hammer a nail in straight, but now I can. It’s a good sense of accomplishment and extremely empowering.”

The Habitat group is looking to recruit at least 100 women to organize a team or join a team. Each team, whose responsibility is to raise $1,000, participates one day in home construction. The larger goal is to raise $75,000 all together for building materials, supervision, insurance and other supplies.

Much like many others, Linda Ciaccia was introduced to the program through word of mouth four years ago.

The first year, she poured concrete.

The second year, she put up siding.

The third year, she painted, gathered wood and cleaned out debris. This year, she’s up for anything.

Karen Kall jumps in the backhoe as excavation begins on the 2012 Women Build home.

Good vibes

“When you are out there, the enthusiasm from everyone is so contagious that you would want to be out there for a whole week if you could,” said Ciaccia, 60, of Fairport.

“It’s rewarding and amazing to see what each team can do in one day.”

She was drawn to Habitat because it offers the opportunity for a local family to own a home.

“There is something about having your own house that is wonderful. And the family has so much pride once the work is done,” said Ciaccia.

“The homes that Habitat has put in that neighborhood is helping to Carolyn Whitfield and her team member Nancy Hawk rebirth an entire (both with Women of KMC) pause for a dusty moment area in the city.

You always want as they work on the 2012 Women Build house.

to make sure that your city is on strong footing.”

Carolyn Whitfield was involved in mission groups that built Habitat for Humanity houses every summer in other areas. They would be gone a week at a time. When the members decided they wanted to do something more local, they organized a team for Rochester. The first year they got involved, 22 people participated.

“We like Habitat’s philosophy of helping people in a concrete way,” said Whitfield. “We are women who are eager to help out in any way, even doing things we have never done before.”

K a l l C o ff e y, a p a re n t a n d grandparent of eight, said at almost every stage of her life there were other women who gave her the courage and aid along the way.

“Most all of us have benefited from the help and support of other women during our lives and that enabled us to grow as people,” said Coffey, of Pittsford. “Often it is our mothers who provide that initial encouragement. This is a way to give back to another woman because we have all been through times when our lives weren’t going perfect.”

May / June 2013 - 55 PLUS

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volunteering

While the work is rewarding, it is difficult as well. The women are in charge of doing the brunt of manual labor for hours at a time.

“At the end of a work shift, all of us are dog tired and often dirty from head to foot, but we’re smiling and asking when can we do it again,” said Coffey. “These aren’t glamour jobs. We leave our fashion jeans at home and instead we wear steeltoed boots and hard hats.”

More than 80 percent of the building on Flower City Habitat Women Build houses is done by teams of all women — even basements. In the top photo Linda Ciaccia (wearing a blue T-shirt) works on the 2010 Women Build house foundation. At left the 2010 Insero Women Build team and nonWomen Build Habitat.

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Reaching the Fastest Growing Population in the Region 585-421-8109 • editor@roc55.com 36

55 PLUS - May / June 2013

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history

Pittsford’s Past Rochester-area pair teams up to co-author historical book

By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

A

stay-at-home mother, Vicki Profitt didn’t know she wanted a change in her life.

She just knew there was a healthy appetite of knowledge and curiosity that she always had within.

She had been intrigued for years by the cemetery tours offered to the public in Pittsford, coordinated by Audrey Johnson, Pittsford town and village historian.

That started a friendship that blossomed into three things: ignited Profitt’s new passion, mutual respect for each other and a book collaboration that is due out by this summer.

“Audrey is someone who has made a huge difference in my life,” said Profitt. “Taking her tour was one

Vicki Profitt, a Pittsford resident, (left) and Audrey Johnson, Pittsford town and village historian, recently co-authored a book titled “Pittsford” for Arcadia Publishing.

of the seeds that led us here to writing a book together.”

After Profitt took part in the cemetery tour four years ago, she met with Johnson and they started talking about interesting Civil War soldiers in the area. The pair had an immediate rapport and soon they were giving joint tours throughout the year in the cemeteries.

Profitt also started a blog called “Illuminated History,” where she writes about Civil War soldiers. When the two talked about history, Johnson pointed out a Confederate headstone belonging to John H. Thurmon.

Having always been interested in the Civil War, Profitt decided to photograph and transcribe the graves of the Civil War soldiers buried at

Pittsford Cemetery.

The project snowballed into a fun obsession to find any and all information about these men that they could.

“I was looking to stay busy and wanted something extra to go along with being a stay-at-home mom,” said Profitt, of Pittsford.

The two women are now coauthoring a book titled “Pittsford” for Arcadia Publishing.

The book will feature numerous stories and original never-before-seen pictures of early settlers and essential people that contributed to making the suburb a vibrant community.

Connecting with history The pair also serves on the board May / June 2013 - 55 PLUS

37

Fun Factoids

Healthy Older Women Advised Against Taking Calcium

H

ealthy older women should not take calcium and vitamin D supplements to prevent fractures, according to a final recommendation issued in February by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

In healthy adults, lower doses of calcium and vitamin D seem to be ineffective. As for higher doses, it’s still up in the air, the government group said.

The new recommendations do not apply to people who are known to be vitamin D-deficient or who already have osteoporosis, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) noted.

Calcium is one of the main building blocks of bone growth, and vitamin D (sourced via sunlight’s action on the skin, or through diet) helps bones absorb calcium. But at issue is whether people receive enough of these nutrients in their daily diet, or if supplements would help protect them.

Virginia Moyer, a physician serving as chairwoman of the USPSTF, said experts know that a “medium dose” of supplements — less than 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D and less than 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium does not work.

As for higher doses? “We simply don’t know. There are reasons to think they could work, but unfortunately, even though there are a bunch of studies, there are problems with them,” Moyer said.

38

55 PLUS - May / June 2013

of Historic Pittsford and works on cemetery tours and the Day of the Dead, an annual October event created by Johnson that involves citizens acting out the lives of about a dozen deceased people buried in the Pittsford cemetery.

The living history tour enables residents to learn about history in a creative, interactive way as people make a connection between the names on the headstones and those buried underneath it.

“People find it interesting to learn about all these people that they otherwise would have no clue about,” said Johnson. “It makes for some good conversation because there are fascinating people who once lived here. And it’s just a fun event for people to attend.”

Arcadia, which has published more than 7,500 books on local history, contacted Johnson years ago about writing a Pittsford book. Her ancestors, Barnett & Hannah Maxfield, were early residents of Pittsford. Johnson was unable to write and organize the book based on her busy schedule, but then thought of the idea of working with her friend Profitt.

They have been collecting pre1950s photographs by visiting the homes of many multi-generational Pittsford families. After months of doing research, gathering and scanning photos, the hard part began.

“We almost have too much information and too many pictures,” said Profitt. “Now we have to decide what are the best aspects to put into the book. It definitely isn’t an easy job but the book is coming along.”

Team approach They each plan to write sections of the book and edit each other ’s work so it has two interesting, yet distinctly different voices. The two women say they want to put out the best product they can by meticulously getting the genealogy and history correct. Profitt said Johnson is so well versed in history, she could throw out a Pittsford resident’s name and she could mention something interesting about them.

Even though Johnson feels

• Pittsford began as an agriculture community. Now there are only seven farms left.

• At one time there were seven saloons and seven churches in the town. All the churches have remained.

• Pittsford had a factory in the village that was famous for pickles.

It also had a working dairy farm in the village.

• District No. 1 school (at the milepost which is called that because it is a mile from village center) was the first and only school in all of Northfield that included seven towns people know of today as Pittsford, Perinton, Penfield, Brighton, Webster, Irondequoit, and Henrietta. It was started in 1799 with the first teacher, named John Barrows.

• There once was an airport on Marsh Road near what is now White Haven Cemetery. comfortable reciting Pittsford history, that doesn’t mean co-writing a book was simple. Outside her busy schedule as a historian, it’s difficult to always put together the beginning, middle and end of the residents’ stories. But through hard work, she has found several aspects fun.

“When you do the research, you get to know how different families are connected,” said Johnson. “Sometimes you’ve always known one family line and you didn’t know how they eventually linked to the other side of their relatives. I just think history is fascinating as a whole and it’s important for people to understand the importance of it even if they don’t think it directly affects them.”

Johnson said she enjoys working with Profitt and that her contentiousness and thoroughness is what makes her a wonderful teammate.

“I wouldn’t have done this book without Vicki,” said Johnson. “She brings so much of herself into this project. And with her technological expertise and my historical expertise, it has made this challenging endeavor worth it. I am happy that she is there every step of the way.”

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May / June 2013 - 55 PLUS

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long-term care

By Susan Suben

The State of Long-Term Care Insurance Don’t let change in the industry scare you away from planning. Everyone needs a plan and there are multiple solutions from which to choose.

W

hen I think of the state of long-term care insurance in 2013, I think of two words: change and adapt. To change is to alter by substituting something for something else; to give and take reciprocally. To adapt is to make suitable, to alter so as to fit a new use.

The LTCI industry is changing and adapting due to the economic climate, claims history and caregiving needs of consumers.

Whether this evolution appears to be good or bad, you need to know and understand it in order to make informed decisions about the coverage and, hopefully, still remain open to the importance of having the insurance as part of your retirement plan.

What are the changes? LTCI companies are increasing the premiums on new business, increasing the premiums on existing policies, removing benefits, features and discounts, and revising underwriting criteria.

What are the trends? There is greater focus on hybrid policies that combine life insurance with an LTC rider. Companies are introducing creative inflation options and simpler policy design. Two of the biggest complaints consumers have about LTCI are that premiums are wasted if the policy is never used, and the coverage is too confusing.

Why are these changes occurring? Interest rates are low.

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55 PLUS - May / June 2013

One only has to look at return on investments or CD rates. Companies are trying to maintain required cash reserve levels and remain solvent in order to fulfill their commitment to pay claims now and in the future.

Lapse ratios (the number of policies that lapse after being issued) are another factor that has forced LTCI companies to re-evaluate their premium rates. Thirty-five years ago, when LTCI coverage first appeared, lapse ratios were actuarially based on life insurance lapse ratios, which were at about 5 percent. In reality, the lapse ratio for LTC insurance is approximately 1.5 percent.

Individuals are holding on to their policies. They understand the value of the coverage. The result will be higher claims.

According to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI) 2012 LTCi Sourcebook, the top 10 insurers paid $10.8 million in per day claims in 2011 and overall claims paid in 2011 was $6.6 billion.

Due to increased longevity and Alzheimer’s diagnoses, claims will

continue to rise.

How are the companies reacting? Many of them have had premium increases on existing books of business and raised premiums for new buyers. These increases are not haphazard. No carrier can automatically raise premiums without the approval of the NYS Insurance Department.

Some carriers have eliminated lifetime or unlimited coverage, and suspended preferred health discounts and paid-up policies, such as 10 pay or pay until age 65. We are also seeing the trend toward pricing premiums based on gender and marital status.

Underwriting is becoming more restrictive. Several of the carriers will be requiring paramedic exams that include blood and urine samples.

That being said, the most positive reaction of the LTCI carriers is innovative policy design. Many are offering monthly cash alternative benefits that allow policyholders to hire informal nonlicensed/ non-certified caregivers who generally cost less. These cash alternative benefits are a percentage of the monthly or daily benefit selected by the policyholder.

Claims history has shown that most people want to stay at home. AALTCI cites that 50 percent of newly opened claims are

for home care.

Another feature that has become more creative is inflation protection.

Traditional policies generally offered 5 percent simple, 5 percent compound or no inflation. Now companies are offering 3 percent, 3.5 percent, and 4 percent compound, compound inflation linked to the Consumer Price Index, and deferred inflation, that allows policyholders to accept inflation offers on certain anniversary dates.

One of the most popular trends is the hybrid or combo policies.

These are life insurance policies with either an LTC or critical illness rider. The policy allows for the acceleration of the death benefit to pay for LTC services. Many offer a money back guarantee. In the past, these policies required a single premium but we are starting to see policies that allow for annual premiums. For those who are fearful they will “waste premium dollars” if they do not use their stand-alone LTCI policy, this is an excellent alternative.

One carrier recently introduced a short-term recovery care policy.

It is not LTCI but it does offer up to 360 days of coverage in all settings and is very competitively priced.

So what does all this mean?

Even with the changes outlined above, people are still planning for long-term care. They understand that a LTC illness is a very real risk that can have dire consequences on their families. According to the AALTCI, 337,000 individuals purchased LTCI in 2011 and 82 percent were under the age of 65.

There is no doubt that LTCI keeps evolving in response to the economic climate and caregiving trends. The companies are doing their best to be creative, innovative and reliable. Don’t let change in the industry scare you away from planning. Everyone needs a plan and there are multiple solutions from which to choose.

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Susan Suben, MS, CSA, is President of Long Term Care Associates, Inc. and a consultant for Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Company. She can be reached at 800-422-2655 or by email at susansuben@31greenbush.com.

May / June 2013 - 55 PLUS

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last

page

By Ernst Lamothe, Jr.

Mary Luckern, 81 Longtime Town of Geneva supervisor talks about public life, education and her feelings upon being named Geneva’s Citizen of the Year Q. How did you feel about receiving the Citizen of the Year award given by Geneva Area Chamber of Commerce?

A. I was just overwhelmed and it took me completely by surprised. I received an award for doing something I love to do. I have done this all of my life and this is something that I enjoy doing and will be doing for the rest of my life.

Q. What were the reasons you decided to get into public service and when did it begin?

A. It started in the 1960s. I never really called it public service or volunteering. I just liked helping people and liked working in organizations that help the community as a whole. This is something that I have always felt comfortable doing.

And I continued doing this as a teacher.

Q. Where did you grow up and tell me about your teaching career?

A. I grew up in the Finger Lakes area, and attended St. Patrick’s Elementary School in Seneca Falls.

I pursued a career in education and worked in the Geneva school system for many years as a teacher, administrator, and retiring as a school principal. I love working with young people and watching them develop.

There is something about coming up with different approaches with the goal of meeting students’ needs. As principal, I was able to support staff and faculty by giving them words of encouragement or helping them implement some of their creative ideas.

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Q. How did education change during the time you went from a teacher to an administrator and what it has become now?

A. My first year of teaching was 1953 where I taught second, fourth, fifth and sixth grade along with summer school. Some of the things I am seeing now are more children with single parents than when I first started teaching. Also society itself has changed and children are more exposed to things earlier in life.

The other thing I am seeing is that with new standardized testing, more pressure is being put on teachers.

And when you put more undue pressure on teachers, it is going to affect teaching.

Q. What are some accomplishments during your supervisor terms that you have been proud of?

A. Even before I got elected, people were talking about things getting done once we moved to the new town hall. With the work of the town board and my predecessor, we worked to make sure we would have a new town hall in 2001 that was debt free. It was important to be debt-free because we wanted to be a town that wasn’t saddled with loans.

Secondly, we contracted the sheriff ’s department for added services to our community. They helped us check buildings and make sure we are as safe as possible.

I’m also proud that we obtained grants that were used to create a larger, modified water district. Now people who previously had to go to well water or bring in water have services

that they never had before. This all makes us a better community.

Q. What significance do you see about being the first woman to hold the Geneva supervisor position?

A. I was the first woman to hold the position of supervisor of the Town of Geneva when I was elected in 1998. I am also a member of the County Board of Supervisors. I think this is just a sign of the times. Before, women weren’t in Congress but now you have seen that increase. You have the last two administrations with secretary of states Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice. The town was willing to accept a woman in a leadership role and I have been here for almost 16 years.

Q. What do you like doing in your free time?

A. I love reading fiction but I most enjoy reading historical nonfiction books. I am reading a book about Argo and another one about Abraham Lincoln. I like reading a couple books at a time. I also like spending time on Cape Cod. When it comes to television, I like watching the news. My favorite is Brian Williams, Channel 10 and NCIS.

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