55 Plus of Rochester #90: November - December 2024 by 55 Plus: For Active Adults in Rochester

WE’RE 25 YEARS INTO THE 21ST CENTURY THIS NEW YEAR’S EVE

WHAT DRIVES

DR. HARRIS

Lisa Harris is the senior vice president and chief medical officer of Excellus BCBS

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30 Photography

Scott’s Photo by Rowe on East Ave. has been in operation since early 1980s. It’s the last of its type in Rochester 34 Cover

Traveling

Penfield

Curiosity and a desire to help others have fueled the career of physician Lisa Harris of Excellus BCBS.

PLUS: Harris’ top 10 tips to live a longer, healthier life

Forced

What should you do next?

savvy senior Insurance Options for Early Retirees

here are several places early retirees can find health insurance coverage before Medicare kicks in, but the best option for you will depend on your income level, your health care needs and how long you’ll need coverage for.

Here’s where to look.

• Affordable Care Act: For most early retirees who aren’t yet eligible for Medicare, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance marketplace, also known as Obamacare, is the best option for getting comprehensive health coverage. And you won’t be denied coverage or charged extra for preexisting health conditions.

And, if your income falls below the 400% poverty level after you retire — anything below $60,240 for a single or $81,760 for a couple in 2024 — you’ll also be eligible for a subsidy that will reduce your monthly premiums. The ACA also ensures that at least through 2025, households with incomes above that 400% poverty level will not have to pay more than 8.5% of their income for a benchmark policy.

To see how much subsidy you may be eligible for, use Kaiser Family Foundation subsidy calculator at KFF. org/interactive/subsidy-calculator.

To shop for ACA plans, visit HealthCare.gov or call 800-318-2596. .

• COBRA: Another temporary health insurance option you may be eligible for is the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). Under this federal law, if you work for a company that has 20 or more employees, you can remain on your employer’s group health plan for at least 18 months — but could last up to 36 months. But be aware that COBRA isn’t cheap. You’ll pay the full monthly premium yourself, plus a 2% administrative fee.

To learn more, talk to your employer benefits administrator or contact the Employee Benefits Security Administration (Askebsa.dol.gov; 866444-3272).

If, however, the company you work for has fewer than 20 employees, you may still be able to get continued coverage through your company through “mini-COBRA.” Contact the NYS Insurance Department — www. dfs.ny.gov and type “mini cobra” in the search menu — for more information.

• Short-term Health Insurance: If you can’t find an affordable ACA plan and COBRA is too expensive, another possible option is short-term health insurance. These plans, which are not available in every state, are cheaper, bare-bones health plans that provide coverage for up to three months with a one-month extension available. But be aware that short-term plans don’t comply with the ACA so they can deny sick people coverage, they don’t cover preexisting conditions and they can exclude coverage essentials like prescription drugs.

To find and compare shortterm health plans, try sites like eHealthInsurance.com or PivotHealth. com.

• Healthcare sharing ministries: Another temporary solution could be healthcare sharing ministries (HCSM). These are cost-sharing health plans in which members — who typically share a religious belief — make monthly payments to cover expenses of other members, including themselves.

HCSM’s are cheaper than paying full out-of-pocket costs for traditional health insurance but be aware that HCSM’s are not health insurance. They don’t have to comply with the consumer protections of the ACA, and they can also reject or limit coverage for having pre-existing health issues and limit how much you’ll be reimbursed for your medical costs. To look for these plans, comparison shop at the three largest providers: Samaritan Ministries (SamaritanMinistries.org), Medi-Share (MyChristianCare.org), and Christian Healthcare Ministries (Chministries.org).

Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto

Associate Editor Stefan Yablonski

Writers & Contributors

Deborah J. Sergeant

John Addyman, Mike Costanza

Linda Quinlan, Margaret McCormick

Maggie Fitzgibbon, Gracie Scism Lynette Loomis

Columnists

John Addyman, Laurie Haelen

Jim Miller, Jacob Pucci

Chris Clemens

Eva Briggs (MD)

Advertising Anne Westcott • 585-421-8109 anneIGHsales@gmail.com

Linda Covington • 585-750-7051 lindalocalnews@gmail.com

Office Manager Allison Lockwood

Layout & Design Angel Campos-Toro

Cover Photo Courtesy of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield

55 PLUS – A Magazine for Active Adults in Rochester is published six times a year by Local News, Inc. at PO Box 525, Victor, NY 14564, which also publishes In Good Health — Rochester's Healthcare Newspaper.

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

How to Reach Us

P.O. Box 525

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Phone: 585-421-8109

Email: editor@roc55.com

Editor@cnyhealth.com

financial health

By Laurie Haelen

Required Distributions: Changes You Need to Know

If you own an individual retirement account (IRA) or participate in a retirement plan like a 401(k), you generally must start taking RMD (required minimum distributions) for the year you reach your RMD age.

RMD age is 70½ (if born before July 1, 1949), 72 (if born July 1, 1949, through 1950), 73 (if born in 1951 to 1959) or 75 (if born in 1960 or later). If you are still working for the employer that maintains the retirement plan, you may be able to wait until the year you retire to start RMDs from that account.

Failing to take an RMD can be costly: a 25% penalty tax (50% prior to 2023) generally applies to the extent an RMD is not made, so knowing the rules is critical to avoid this.

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act) changed the rules for taking distributions from retirement accounts inherited after 2019. The so-called 10-year rule generally requires inherited accounts to be emptied within 10 years of

the original owner's death, with some exceptions. Where an exception applies, the entire account must generally be emptied within 10 years of the beneficiary's death or within 10 years after a minor child beneficiary reaches age 21. This reduces the ability of most beneficiaries to spread out or "stretch" distributions from an inherited defined contribution plan or an IRA.

In 2022, the IRS issued proposed regulations that interpreted the revised required minimum distribution (RMD) rules. Final regulations have now been issued and are generally applicable starting in 2025. They basically adopt the proposed regulations, while reflecting some changes made by the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 and including changes in response to comments received on the proposed regulations. Under these regulations, some beneficiaries could be subject to annual required distributions as well as a full distribution at the end of a 10-year period.

The required beginning date (RBD) for the first year you are required to take a lifetime distribution is no later than April 1 of the next year. After your first distribution, annual distributions must be taken by the end of each year. (Note that if you wait until April 1 to take your first-year distribution, you would have to take two distributions for that year: one by April 1 and the other by Dec. 31.)

Lifetime distributions are not required from Roth accounts and as a result, Roth account owners are always treated as dying before their RBD. Prior to 2024, these two special rules for Roth accounts applied to Roth IRAs, but not to Roth employer retirement plans.

When you die, the RMD rules also govern how quickly your retirement plan or IRA will need to be distributed to your beneficiaries. The rules are largely based on two factors: (1) the individuals you select as beneficiaries of your retirement plan and (2) whether you die before, on or after your RBD.

The SECURE Act still allows certain beneficiaries to "stretch" distributions, at least to some extent. These eligible designated beneficiaries (EDBs) include your surviving spouse, your minor children, any individual not more than 10 years younger than you and certain disabled or chronically ill individuals. Generally, EDBs are able to take annual required distributions based on remaining life expectancy. However, once an EDB dies or once a minor child EDB reaches age 21, any remaining funds must be distributed within 10 years.

Significantly, though, the SECURE Act requires that if your designated beneficiary is not an EDB, the entire account must be fully distributed within 10 years after your death.

If you die before your RBD, no distributions are required during the first nine years after your death, but the entire account must be distributed in the 10th year.

If you die on or after your RBD, annual distributions based on remaining life expectancy are required in the first nine years after the year of your death, then the remainder of the account must be distributed in the 10th year. Annual distributions after your death will be based on the greater of (a) what would have been your remaining life expectancy or (b) the beneficiary's remaining life expectancy.

After your death, annual distributions will be required based on remaining life expectancy. If you die before your RBD, required annual distributions will be based on the EDB's remaining life expectancy. If you die on or after your RBD, annual distributions after your death will be based on the greater of (a) what would have been your remaining life expectancy or (b) the beneficiary's remaining life expectancy.

After your beneficiary dies or your beneficiary who is your minor child turns age 21, annual distributions based on remaining life expectancy must continue during the first nine years after the year of such an event. The entire account must be fully distributed in the 10th year.

There are many special rules if your spouse is your designated beneficiary. The 10-year rule generally has no effect until after the death of your spouse or possibly until after the death of your spouse's designated beneficiary.

Annual required distributions based on life expectancy are generally calculated each year by dividing the account balance as of Dec. 31 of the previous year by the applicable denominator for the current year (but the RMD will never exceed the entire account balance on the date of the distribution).

When your life expectancy is used, the applicable denominator is your life expectancy in the calendar year of your death, reduced by one for each subsequent year. When the nonspouse beneficiary's life expectancy is used, the applicable denominator is that beneficiary's life expectancy in the year following the calendar year of your death, reduced by one for each subsequent year. (Note that if the applicable denominator is reduced to zero in any year using this "subtract one" method, the entire account would need to be distributed.) And at the end of the appropriate 10-year period, any remaining balance must be distributed.

The IRS has announced that it will not assert the penalty tax in certain circumstances where individuals affected by the RMD changes failed to take annual distributions in 2024 during one of the 10-year periods. (Similar relief was previously provided for 2021, 2022 and 2023.) For example, relief may be available if the IRA owner or employee died in 2020, 2021, 2022 or 2023 and on or after their RBD and the designated beneficiary who is not an EDB did not take annual distributions for 2021, 2022, 2023 or 2024 as required (during the 10-year period following the IRA owner's or employee's death). Relief might also be available if an EDB died in 2020, 2021, 2022 or 2023 and annual distributions were not taken in 2021, 2022, 2023 or 2024 as required (during the 10-year period following the EDB's death).

The rules relating to required minimum distributions are complicated and the consequences of making a mistake can be severe. Talk to a financial professional to understand how the rules and the new regulations, apply to your individual situation.

Laurie Haelen, AIF (accredited investment fiduciary), is senior vice president, manager of investment and financial planning solutions, CNB Wealth Management, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Company. She can be reached at 585-419-0670, ext. 41970 or by email at lhaelen@cnbank.com.

Decorated cakes, pastries and baklavas behind the front counter catch your eye as soon as you enter the eatery.

Dining Out RESTAURANT GUIDE

AS EVI BAKERY AND RESTAURANT

Small, unassuming eatery in Henrietta offers authentic Turkish fare

By Jacob Pucci

When one thinks of weekend brunch, one may conjure up images of a carb-laden feast that’s salty, fatty, potentially boozy and set to knock you to the couch afterwards for an afternoon nap.

Then there’s the Turkish breakfast at Aş Evi Bakery and Restaurant, a small, unassuming spot in Henrietta where the decorated cakes behind the front counter catch your eye and the authentic Turkish fare will keep you coming back for more.

There’s a full menu of salads, soups, pide flatbreads, kebabs and grilled meats, but it was the traditional full Turkish breakfast, known as Serpme Kahvaltı, ($25.99 per person, served Friday to Sunday only) that drew us that morning.

Soon after ordering, a dozen dishes arrived — not including the saucers for our cups of strong black tea — covering much of our booth seat table.

Vibrant colored bowls of briny green and lightly bitter oil-cured olives were nestled on a long wooden board alongside bowls of strawberry preserves, chocolate hazelnut spread, chocolate halva — a sweet, crumbly

confection made from sesame seeds — and tahin pekmez, a mix of tahini and grape molasses that tastes a bit like a Turkish PB&J.

That’s joined by a small platter of sliced tomatoes and cucumber, dressed simply in olive oil, and a whole bear’s worth of honey, accompanied with softened butter and kaymak, a rich spread similar to clotted cream.

Alongside that was a quartet of cheeses and a skillet of four eggs, fried hard and mixed with cheese and sucuk (pronounced soo-jook), a spiced beef sausage that served as the only meat in the feast. The skillet arrived at our table still sizzling, which not only gave the eggs a delectably crispy edge from the bubbling browned butter, but, like a pan of fajitas capturing the whole restaurant’s attention as it makes its way through the dining room, a little bit of fanfare always seems to make it taste better.

It's been more than a few years since I studied in Turkey as a college exchange student, but in one bite of the simit — Turkey’s answer to the bagel, thoroughly coated in deeply toasted, nutty sesame seeds — I was transported back. Aş Evi’s version was every bit as good as the ones

served by street vendors pushing little red wheeled carts throughout the winding streets of Istanbul — maybe even better.

The bread platter also included cheese-filled poğaça (poe-ah-cha), a tender, crumbly pastry similar to a savory scone and a pair of Ramadan pides, a warm, lightly chewy flatbread topped with sesame and nigella seeds that paired particularly well with a thick schmear of honey and kaymak.

Despite such a wide range of items, nothing felt disjointed.

A salty olive balances out a sweet bite of honey, the complexity of the tahin pekmez and the simplicity of a wonderfully ripe tomato and a piece of salty cheese. The eggs and sucuk might be considered the centerpiece of the meal, if only because of its size and the egg’s traditional role as a breakfast staple, but the pleasure really lies in grazing from one bite to another, knowing that regardless of order, it’ll taste good. It’s truly a meal greater than the sum of its parts.

A couple of detractions –— service was friendly, but slow. After delivering our breakfast spread, our server, who doubled on register duty at the bakery counter in the front of the restaurant,

An overview of traditional full Turkish breakfast, known as serpme kahvaltı, ($25.99 per person, served Friday to Sunday only).

had moved on to other tasks. This wasn’t a problem as we leisurely meandered from one little bowl to another, but as our beverages ran dry, acquiring a refill of our Turkish teas took more than a few attempts to gain anyone’s attention.

Pony walls separate the restaurant inside a larger industrial building, but with minimal décor and no discernable background music, the space can feel a bit sterile. Most of the customers we saw during our 90 minutes or so at Aş Evi were there for takeout orders or to pick up pastries from the bakery, so creating a homey ambiance might not be a top priority, but for a meal designed to be shared in-house at a leisurely pace, a few more creature comforts would be welcome.

Despite struggling to finish the whole breakfast spread, we made sure to stop at the bakery counter for some baklava for the road.

We ended up with a few pieces each of the chocolate pistachio and another shaped like a little purse, filled with pistachios. We almost made it out of the parking lot before opening the container and diving in.

A meal like this is nostalgic for me, but nostalgia doesn’t make this pide bread perfectly chewy, or help the baklava achieve the ideal balance between sweet, crispy and nutty.

Real Turkish restaurants are typically few and far between in Upstate New York. I’m glad we have a good one.

As Evi Bakery and Restaurant

2973 W. Henrietta Road, Rochester. A sister restaurant, Aş Evi Turkish Cuisine, is located at 315 E. Ridge Road, Rochester.

Open daily, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Full Turkish breakfast served Friday to Sunday. 585-413.1947

https://asevirestaurants.com www.facebook.com/asevirochester www.instagram.com/asevibakery

A quartet of cheeses and a skillet of four eggs, fried hard and mixed with cheese and sucuk (pronounced soo-jook), a spiced beef sausage.

Some of bread available at Aş Evi Bakery and Restaurant

Santas like cookies and milk, but on a cold night, they also appreciate a hot cup of tea. (Courtesy HireSanta LLC)

TSHORTAGE OF NURSES, DOCTORS … SANTAS?

‘There

are more opportunities to be Santa but fewer candidates,’ say experts, as they explain that being Santa is no longer a

case of sitting in a chair in a mall or retail store

By John Addyman

he job requirements are pretty simple. You have to be nice, someone who likes people. You’re expected to show up for work with a round belly, a hearty laugh, plump cheeks and a full beard — the whiter the better.

And jolly…you have to be jolly and like cookies.

Put on the red suit, remember your knowledge of reindeer and Saint Nicholas legends and you’re ready to step into the world of being Santa Claus.

And this Christmas season, there won’t be enough of you.

“We recruit all year trying to find Santa Clauses,” said Mitch Allen, the head elf of Hire Santa, a company with close to 5,000 Santa from all over the world in its database. “By the time we got to October, we were sold out of Santa Clauses for weekends. There’s a great need for Santa Claus entertainers, someone who appears as Santa Claus professionally.”

As an example, Allen said he was walking through the Los Angeles airport “and there was a guy sitting there. He had the belly, the full beard and he seemed jolly. I told him who we are and now he’s on the road, with the right training, to be a great Santa.”

That road toward being a successful Santa doesn’t have to be long, but it’s important to make the journey.

Because being Santa isn’t so simple anymore.

More opportunities

“There are more opportunities to be Santa but fewer candidates,” said Ed Taylor, founder and head Santa at the Worldwide Santa Claus Network that trains guys to put on the suit and embody the beloved symbol of the season.

It’s no longer a case of sitting in a chair in a mall or retail store.

“Santas are going to pre schools, for example. It happens all the time,” Taylor said. “They’ll invite Santa in. He’ll read some stories and answer questions. I don’t think that was common 10 years ago.

“Now we have breakfasts with Santa at country clubs. We’re seeing this awareness that Santa can show up at people’s events, at home parties, homeowner associations, country clubs.

“We have many photographers around the country who set up what they call ‘mini-sessions’ where children come in and visit with Santa for 10-20 minutes, then kids go to different stations to get photos with Santa in different environments — baking cookies with Santa or reading mail with Santa. These things just didn’t exist a few years ago. There’s this whole evolution of events that Santa can now be a part of. I think that has had a large part in the increase in demand.”

Allen agreed.

“We’ve never not needed Santas and this year there’s more need than ever — more companies, corporations and organizations are using Santa to

associate their brand with, more than ever before,” he said.

Seventy-year-old Taylor, the founder of Santa at the Worldwide Santa Claus Network, was a much younger man when he first donned the mantle of Santa. “I got a call from a friend of mine who was sick. Would I fill in for him as Santa? ‘Santa Claus? Me? Really?’

“I walked out of there after being Santa for two hours and told my wife when I got home, ‘I loved that. That was so much fun! I’m going to do that every chance I get!’ And here we are, 21 years later.”

The average age of most Santas is 65-70, Taylor said.

“Retired guys, guys who are looking forward to having a little fun and doing new things,” he said. “My first paid Santa Claus appearance was in Los Angeles, where all the kids working in the mall were aspiring actors and actresses. They all said, ‘Hey, you need an agent. You need to get on TV.’ I’d never given that a minute’s thought. The next year I got an agent and I’ve now been in dozens of commercials and television shows and a couple of movies and music videos. Who knew? It was something that came up in my life that I never would have imagined. It’s been a ton of fun and financially, it’s been rewarding as well.”

Allen and Taylor both point out that a Santa “entertainer” can make a living modeling, appearing in music videos, commercials, movies and on stage at corporate functions (to help hand out bonuses or awards). “A lot

of company parties invite Santa Claus to come in and very often, there are no children attending.”

Professional Santas generally need some educating before reaching that status and success, and the person responsible for getting all that started was Charles Howard, a farmer from Albion in Orleans County. He decided, in 1937, that the Santa Clauses he saw were damaging the image of the true spirit. Howard saw tattered uniforms and uninformed Santa Clauses wearing them and took it upon himself to upgrade everything.

Howard started the Santa Claus School in Albion, which was taken over by Nate Doan in 1960 and moved to Michigan in 1968.

Tom and Holly Valent run it now, welcoming more than 300 prospective Santas for a three-day October weekend each year.

The CWH Santa Claus School subjects mirror in person what the Worldwide Santa Claus Network does online:

• History of Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus

• Proper dress and use of make-up

• Radio and TV interviews

• Voice and presentation skills

• Visits with children

• Business tips

• Marketing advice

• Reindeer

• Keeping Santa in shape

The Michigan course also covers practice Santa flight lessons, Mrs. Claus, making toys in person, baking cookies and the year’s newest toys and gadgets.

Worldwide Santa Claus Network teaches its certificate curriculum through nine 90-minute videos and one of those sessions is specific to participating in videos and video messaging, which Taylor said are becoming more and more popular. Coursework specifically covers community events (tree lightings, parades), how to work a corporate Santa appearance, story-telling, welcoming special needs children and promoting local events on TV.

Beyond those nine “core session” video trainings, Worldwide has more than 300 specific on-demand videos that include training for the entertainment industry, social media (“This has become a very big thing,” said Taylor. “Some Santas have more than a million followers on social

media; they’ve become influencers.”)

“Some of our Santas are brand ambassadors,” Taylor said, “where we represent brands or not-for-profit organizations in making their social media videos.”

“A lot of what we do is online,” said Allen. “There is a Santa Claus community; these guys identify as Santa Claus, wear red, the vehicles they drive are red and they have a full beard year-round.”

“The guys who have the heart for it, they’ll just love it,” added Taylor. “They are, for their communities, just the best thing ever to help portray Santa. I think it means a lot to people to be able to do this. And the demand — I hate to have to tell someone, we reached out to everyone we know and we just couldn’t find a Santa for you. That happens every year.

“I’ve gotten several letters from the wives of our Santas saying, “Thanks so much for giving my husband something to do. He made enough money to take us on a cruise or put a new roof on the house.”

Getting training

Getting the training and the uniform isn’t expensive. The weekend class at the CWH Santa Claus School on Midland, Michigan, should set you back less than $2,000 including fees and hotel. But take a look at some of the photos from years past and it’s clear this is an experience you don’t want to miss.

Worldwide, on the other hand, offers its certificate program for $247 and you don’t have to fly to Michigan.

“We get hundreds each year who go through our classes,” said Taylor. “We get a pretty significant number of people who go through our ondemand videos every day. That’s the beauty of online. I had a guy tell me his wife was in the store shopping and he was in the truck watching one of our videos.”

Looking like Santa is an investment. You can get a simple off-the shelf suit for less than $300, but the suits that will be offered to the professionals at the Santa School are more than $1,000, plus boots and gloves, etc. Taylor noted that in the right dress, “a Santa can be extraordinary.”

Hire Santa is in the business of doing just that. Your profile, photo and background check are put in the

company’s database, which has 5,000 Santas in it and you get matched to job opportunities.

“On Facebook, we have dozens and dozens of Santas and Mrs. Claus,” he said. “It’s a community where people can ask questions and learn from other Santas.”

“Through our marketing efforts, we find out there’s a Santa needed for a holiday parade in Rochester on Dec. 6,” Allen explained. “They want a real-bearded, real belly, jolly Santa. We reach out to perspective Santas in the area; explain the opportunity and the pay. We send the client your information, they decide you’re the right one and a week after the job, you get paid.”

Worldwide Santa has weekly programs available to people who have signed up for the certificate programs.

“We also book Santas for appearances, primarily in the U.S. and Canada and occasionally overseas,” Taylor said. “We don’t hire directly, we’re a liaison between the people who do the hiring and the Santas. What we do if someone needs a Santa at a certain location, day and time, we let the community know that opportunity is available and they can make a bid for it, a proposal for it.”

“Being a Santa is an ongoing process,” Santa Taylor summed up. “It’s a great community to be part of. Our Santas learn so much from one another and, of course, there are always new things — like how artificial intelligence is developing and all these things that are new every year.

“So many of us, like me, got roped into being Santa and found themselves just falling in love with being Santa.”

Want to Become a Santa?

Here are some companies that offer training and placement:

• Hire Santa LLC: www. hiresanta.com

• Worldwide Santa Claus Network: www.worldwide-santaclaus-network.com

• Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School: www. santaclausschool.com

Personal trainer Anja Jabs-Devins teaches about 15 classes a week at the Irondequoit Community Center. In addition, she runs her business, MOVEment with Anja and works with clients in their homes.

Photo by Linda Quinlan

fitness

FEELING FIT AT ANY AGE

Trained in her native Germany as a beautician, traveling personal trainer Anja Jabs-Devins is all about keeping clients and students moving

By Linda Quinlan

Those who may think they’re too old or too infirm to work out haven’t met Anja JabsDevins.

She drives around with what she calls “a gym in my car” and dubs herself a traveling personal trainer.

She will work with anyone “in any state of life.”

Devins said, “I want people to be successful and learn. To me, it’s all about structure, good form and safety.”

She has learned that the key to helping anyone become more fit is to focus on each person.

“I’m always teaching according to who’s in front of me,” she explained. “I want people to stay active. There are still a lot of things people can do.”

Her training and classes —she teaches about 15 classes a week at the Irondequoit Community Center — are generally tailored to the aging population, but she does work with any age.

Devins, now 56, has had her own business, MOVEment with Anja, since 2020 and really wants to focus more on private clients.

“I find the older population is scared when they hear ‘personal trainer.’ They think I will yell at them or make them run around the block,” Devins said with a laugh. “But I’m really all about age and ability first.”

Dale Heffer, 77, has been taking her classes for years and even started subbing for Devins when needed. Devins calls her “my godsend.”

A former gym owner herself, Heffer said, “Anja pushes you, but not beyond your limits; she’s really observant … and remembers

everyone’s name, something I could never do!”

Devins explained that she really does not want people feeling like they don’t belong or that they’re outsiders.

“I try to take that out of the equation,” she said.

She met Heffer and now close friend Savona (who goes by just the one name) at Rochester’s Maplewood YMCA, where she started taking group exercise classes not long after she moved to Rochester.

“I am a military souvenir,” Devins said with a smile. She met her husband, Aaron Devins, when he was stationed in Germany from 1984-86. They later reconnected and she and her son moved here in 2002. She spent the initial years applying for her green card and going through the process of becoming a permanent resident.

Trained as a beautician, cosmetologist and barber in Germany, Devins learned she had to go back to school — she already had a bachelor’s degree — to get a license if she wanted to continue, here, in the career she had expected to retire from.

The group exercise classes kept her busy and ended up leading her down the path she’s on now.

“I’d either do something different myself or see someone else in class struggling and it just morphed into what I do now,” Devins said.

She did enroll in a three-month aerobics instructor training, but was already asked to teach before the course was complete.

“I really do teach from the gut or the heart,” Devins said.

The group exercise eventually

introduced her to yoga and she completed another training.

“To me, yoga was warm, fuzzy … maybe a little lame,” she said, but now yoga is one of her biggest draws, as is silver sneakers, a class geared to strength, cardio and stretching for senior citizens.

She molds everything she does to suit her students or clients.

“I like to read the room and pay attention to what’s going on; look at people’s facial expressions,” Devins said.

“She all about breathing, too,” said Savona, who just turned 70 on Aug. 24. “She has taught me a lot about breathing.”

That seems simple, everyone breathes, Devins explained.

“But I found people weren’t taking time for themselves … You have to do you and what you can, when you can,” she said.

Sometimes that’s simply starting with a cleansing breath.

Yoga, for instance, is about body awareness, balance, strength and agility, Devins said, adding, “Everybody can do it; it’s just finding the right level. You have to try it at least once.”

Devins teaches everything from classic yoga to chair yoga (where participants have something to hold onto).

Her classes are “one big happy family,” Savona said, adding that people keep coming back.

A resident of the Maplewood neighborhood of Rochester, Devins not only teaches large and small group classes, but also goes to

people’s homes.

“The aim is to keep people independent; it’s amazing, the results I see,” she said.

She currently has clients in Irondequoit, Penfield and Brighton. She hasn’t turned her back on her roots. She has clients that not only work out with her, but also have her cut their hair.

“I was raised from 1 to 16 by my grandmother and I want to give back what I was not able to give my grandmother,” she said. “It’s all about dignity.”

CHILDREN’S

Parents of Estranged Adult Children

She recently did a haircut for a friend’s dad before he died.

She practices what she teaches, but admits that she has to train herself and build endurance, too.

“Today, for the most part, I’m watching; I don’t want to get injured,” Devins said, but adds that teaching and training is still mentally exhausting, since she tries to build in variety and new moves.

She obviously loves what she does and now has Savona as her “go-to guy” at most classes. He also practices yoga right along with his friend’s classes, though he notes that since he has a bad knee and ankle, “I do what I can.”

“He [Savona] is almost like a brother … or like Uncle Fester [from the Addams Family TV show],” Devins said with a laugh.

There’s mutual admiration. Savona, a bachelor who also does martial arts and has a gym in his Rochester apartment, said he has become best friends not only with Anja, but also her husband, son and cats.

While he’s been a vegan for 48 years, Devins (she is not a vegan) even cooks Sunday dinner for him every week, Savona said and taught him how to cook.

Devins likes Rochester, too. She hadn’t been back to Germany in 13 years, but three years ago, started traveling back once a year to see her parents, who had been visiting her in the U.S. once a year.

“It’s nice there and the food is great,” Devins said, but Rochester is her home.

She wants to keep growing her business.

“My focus is really about learning to listen to your body and what you can do,” Devins said. “It’s all about the person on the mat.”

exercise GET MOVING, HAVE FUN — AND GET HEALTHIER

By Margaret McCormick

Shortly after her feet hit the floor in the morning, Karen Brown begins part of her daily exercise regimen.

While her husband prepares breakfast, she puts on some music and moves to the groove, doing some light cardio and piecing together possible steps for her upcoming fitness videos.

Movement comes naturally to Brown after a lifetime of it. She inspires other women and men “of a certain age’’ to fit in some fitness every day — especially if they’re out of practice or never exercised and lead a sedentary life.

Brown, 67, who lives in Deer Lake, Newfoundland, Canada, is the founder of “Easy Fitness Over 50,” an exercise, health and wellbeing brand with a presence on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

Her easy-to-follow videos and relatable approach to exercise have earned her more than a million followers on Facebook alone (and nearly half a million on Instagram). Her motto: “If it’s fun you’ll get it done.’’

Getting in the habit of exercising when you’re in your 50s or older can feel daunting to some or even intimidating or pointless. But studies show that the benefits of exercise for

older adults are many. Exercise can reduce muscle loss, improve joint and bone function and better our mental health and outlook on life. Movement might not add years to our life, but it can add life to our years: Regular exercise can help us navigate stairs, get on the floor with the grandkids, work outside in the yard and maintain functional mobility and independence.

Exercise using social media? Why not? Back in the day, people turned on the TV to get moving along with Jack LaLanne and sweat to the oldies with Richard Simmons. Exact figures aren’t available on the number of online fitness instructors, but these days, anyone with a smartphone and social media account can attempt to become a fitness influencer.

There’s a huge audience to attempt to reach: Meta (the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, etc.) estimates that more than 190 million people follow fitness accounts on Facebook. And more than 140 million people do the same on Instagram.

Brown comes to the space with silver hair, an engaging and encouraging approach and impressive credentials: 45 years of experience as a certified fitness instructor and health coach. If her videos look more professional than others, it’s because

they are. She and her husband, Brian Chaulk, are the founders of a video production company. For years, they’ve been helping small businesses with advertising, marketing and social media.

Brown previously worked as a paralegal in a law office and for years taught as many as eight fitness classes a week. In recent years she embraced a new role: teaching fitness classes for seniors. She is in the same age set, after all, and found she connected well with class attendees — and they with her. She also found she needed to “restructure’’ her workouts.

“I used to teach these classes that were so difficult I could barely do them,’’ Brown said. “I’m not that person anymore. … We’re not supposed to be doing hard exercise. It can cause inflammation. Gentle activity is much better for people our age.’’

When COVID-19 hit in 2020 and brought about lockdown in many places, gyms and fitness venues were forced to close their doors. People looked online for alternatives and Brown shifted gears. She and her husband took a marketing course that suggested it was prime time for individuals and businesses to get on board with TikTok, a social network

that focuses on short videos, to build brands and following.

“So, I started on TikTok and I was doing well. I had about 45,00046,000 followers and then it sort of plateaued,’’ Brown recalled. “Since we were going to the trouble of ‘lights, camera, action,’ I decided I would post each video on Facebook and in our Facebook group and on Instagram, put it on all of them every day.

“In November 2022, Facebook started to explode. I went from 10,000 to one million followers in a year. I think it’s because that’s where my audience is. I’ve got a real sense of my audience now. A lot of people tell me they’re not on Instagram and not on TikTok. A lot of my audience is 65. I’ve got 85-year-olds who love what I’m doing and 55-year-olds who love what I’m doing.’’

Brown emphasizes that there is no “one size fits all’’ when it comes to exercise and that people should consult a medical professional before beginning any program. Her strategy: Everyone has a couple minutes a day for exercise, or, even better, a couple minutes a couple times a day. If you sit a lot, stand up every 30 minutes. Get moving. And turn up the music.

On social media, consistency is key. Brown posts three- to five-minute

“Reels” about five times a week and mixes up her content, often adding something new.

One video might feature four exercises for leg strength and balance, another might show Brown sitting in a chair and then standing to demonstrate beneficial moves for the glutes, thighs and lower back. Another might feature Brown with a broomstick raised to her chest and above her head, to give the pectoral muscles and shoulders a gentle workout.

She loves dance — it’s what got her interested in exercise — and frequently works in dance moves to increase circulation and build coordination and balance.

Most videos are shot at her home. She frequently sets up in her kitchen and makes use of the countertop to demonstrate stability. You’ll also find videos that show Brown in the beautiful Newfoundland countryside, on the swings at a playground, shooting a basketball and getting in some yoga on the dock at a lake. “Have fun, everyone,’’ she said.

A good deal of Brown’s time, on Facebook especially, is devoted to staying in touch with followers who leave comments, ask questions and send messages, via her page and the “Easy Fitness Over 50” private group.

Over time, people started requesting longer videos. Those videos are available for purchase on her website.

“The key is to get moving and do it gradually,’’ Brown said. “Take two minutes and do something you love. Do some reaching. Do some movements. Forget about exercise as daunting. Feel the sense of accomplishment. Think about how you want to feel better. Don’t get overwhelmed with the big picture. Everyone can do two or three minutes.’’

Where to find Easy Fitness Over 50

• Facebook

www.facebook.com/ talkingwellness

• Instagram

www.instagram.com/ easyfitnessoverfifty/?hl=en

• TikTok

www.tiktok.com/@ easyfitnessover50

• YouTube

www.youtube.com/@ easyfitnessover5066

• Website www.easyfitnessover50.com

Karen Brown of Deer Lake, Newfoundland, Canada, is the founder of “Easy Fitness Over 50” videos, which have garnered over a million viewers.

Brown frequently sets up in her kitchen and makes use of the countertop to demonstrate stability.

Solo Beauty is a wand with a flexible, mitt-covered head that angles to access hard-to-reach areas of the body. The mitt options include lotion applicator, body exfoliator and face exfoliator.

entrepreneurship Local Inventor Develops Patented Skincare Applicator

After

a bout of melanoma, Penfield resident created Solo Beauty, a product that makes skincare easier

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Necessity is the mother of invention for Penfield resident Kathe D’Alfonso, 55.

After a bout of melanoma, D’Alfonso realized she needed to up her selfcare regimen to include more sunscreen application to her skin.

But applying the product to her back wasn’t easy.

She wanted a tool that would enable her to quickly apply it.

That’s why she developed one: Solo Beauty.

It’s a wand with a flexible, mittcovered head that angles to access hard-to-reach areas of the back. The mitt options include lotion applicator

(the material resists absorbing the product), body exfoliator and face exfoliator.

D’Alfonso had never invented a product before, which made her patent acquisition in April 2024 exceptional.

“My attorney told me that not everyone gets a patent,” she said.

Consumer response has proved positive since she launched the product.

“Customers absolutely love it,” she said. “It solves a lot of problems and has been helping people.”

She added that people with conditions such as arthritis, Parkinson’s and flexibility issues find that Solo

Beauty offers more independence for using skincare products. It’s also handy for people who need to apply topical medication without exposing the skin on their hands or for people who, like D’Alfonso, need assistance to get products on their backs.

“I don’t know anyone who can reach the middle of their backs,” she quipped.

D’Alfonso spent three years developing Solo Beauty, including creating prototypes until she found one that could stand up to the rigors of machine washing. She has washed hers more than 550 times.

She tried eight prototypes until

she felt satisfied with how the product looked, felt and worked.

“The biggest thing is it has the right angle,” she said. “Just hold it up and put it over your shoulder. The mitt can be washed and dried. There’s no product out there that does that. People are saving money.”

It also saves landfill space, considering similar wands with thinner handles and non-washable heads need replacing more often.

D’Alfonso began selling wands at the Webster Farm Market and she now operates a shop in Irondequoit, Solo Beauty. She also sells online at https:// solobeautybykathe.com.

“It’s been incredible,” she said. “Some customers use wheelchairs. They go through a lot of struggles and this helps.”

She cuts all the materials and has a local worker sew the mitts. She sources the wands from a local supplier also, ensuring that it’s all local labor. Customers can select their favorite mitt color and D’Alfonso is willing to make custom mitts, such as one customer who wanted a Holstein cow print.

“It’s been such a nice experience with everyone who’s buying it,” D’Alfonso said. “For the average person, this product solves a problem and makes your life easier. Once you use it, you’ll never stop.”

Solo Beauty retails online for $28.99. A mitt without the wand is $12.99 to $14.99.

Penfield resident Kathe D’Alfonso, 55, owner of Solo Beauty.

Rochester’s Last FullService Camera Shop

Scott’s Photo by Rowe on East Ave. has been in operation since early 1980s and it’s the last full-service camera shop in Rochester. The good news? It has seen a dramatic resurgence in film photography

By Linda Quinlan

Remember when camera stores were in just about every plaza you passed?

Remember when you could drive up to a little kiosk in a plaza and drop off your film to be processed?

Today, what very well may be the last full retail camera store in Rochester is still going strong.

Jim Brennan, store manager of Scott’s Photo by Rowe at 1755 East Ave. should know. He’s been in the business for 51 years.

Professional photographer Greg Francis stopped into Scott’s recently to have some last-minute prints made.

“It was like stepping into 1996; it’s a time machine,” he said.

It’s a “time machine” that has called its location across from the East Avenue Wegmans in Rochester home since the early 1980s.

While the store has kept up with the times and still does its own developing in-house, it also does restoration work, enlargements, video transfers, poster prints and still sells anything “photography,” from lenses and cameras to frames, albums and more.

“We have a lot of miscellaneous services, too,” Brennan said. Like what he calls “shoebox scanning,” converting a box full of photos or slides to digital so they can be stored on a USB or “flash” drive. They also have machines customers can plug their cell phones into, then pick out what pictures they want to print.

“What draws customers in initially is that we’re knowledgeable,” Brennan said.

What’s increasingly drawing customers in is film photography and developing.

“The resurgence of 35mm film is just crazy,” Brennan said. “And it’s mostly coming from the younger generation that was brought up on digital photography. There’s a lot of excitement to see what comes out; it’s not instantaneous.”

Even 15 to 20 years ago, everyone thought film was dead, Brennan acknowledged. Yet on a recent Monday alone, Scott’s took in more than 100 rolls of film to be developed.

“All of a sudden, millennials are saying this — film photography — is really cool,” Brennan said. “They may have found a roll of film or a camera in their grandfather’s attic and started

Jim Brennan is the store manager of Scott’s Photo by Rowe at 1755 East Ave.

experimenting. Now they like the ‘cool’ look of film.”

Going back that 15 to 20 years, the demographics were that the only people still using film were those age 60 and up who always used it and were set in their ways, Brennan said. Today, he added, Eastman Kodak is still making film and making it in Rochester.

The issue today is meeting the demand for film.

“I think the remaining film machines Kodak has are running around the clock,” Brennan said.

Along with the demand for 35mm film, which Scott sells, is a demand for cameras that use film.

Scott does stock new digital cameras and lenses, but film cameras the business has today are mostly used.

“There’s a big demand for point and shoot-type film cameras,” he said, explaining that, in fact, one that might have sold for $179 20 years ago may go for around $500 today.

Film cameras just weren’t being made anymore, Brennan said, but noted that some makers, like Pentax, are now coming out with new film cameras again.

Currently, Scott’s inventory of film cameras “comes and goes,” Brennan said, because they only sell used, goodcondition cameras that people may bring in to sell or trade in.

“We have to be particular with the ones we offer, because there are no parts available to fix them today,” Brennan explained.

Professional photographers, like Francis, are still using digital, but Brennan said he has also heard there’s a resurgence of brides requesting film pictures.

Francis, who will be 55 early in the new year, said his work has been all digital for 21 years, but he still looks at film as a safety net. “You have to have the equipment and knowledge,” he said.

Francis estimates that film photography is still less than 3% of the market, but adds, “Of course, that’s coming up from zero.”

Francis and his wife were in Italy and Greece this summer, he said, each with their own pocket-sized point and shoot digital cameras. When they’d ask someone to take their picture together, “Our cameras were relics to most people. They were amazed they had to press a button and look at the back

While Scott’s Photo by Rowe has kept up with the times and still does its own developing in-house, it also does restoration work, enlargements, video transfers, poster prints and still sells anything “photography,” from lenses and cameras to frames, albums and more.

of the camera!” Most people today are used to taking pictures with their cell phones.

The couple still came home with 5,800 photos, which his wife will arrange in volumes and have printed in photo books.

Since they still view a roll of film frame by frame during the developing process and make adjustments to get the best prints possible, “I think I’ve seen every country in the world, though I haven’t been there, ” Brennan said.

Over 50 years in the business

Brennan, 67, has seen it all. He started working as a stock boy at Carhart Photo’s Midtown Plaza store when he was 16 and knew the brothers who owned the nationwide company that could trace its history back to the 1800s.

When the brothers started selling off the business, Scott Sims, who was

head of retail operations for Carhart at the time, saw the potential for the East Avenue location, which had been open since the early 1980s and purchased it. That’s when it became Scott’s Photo, Brennan said.

When Sims retired in 2011, a competitor, Richard Rowe of Rowe Photo, purchased the store. Rowe also had stores in Greece, Webster and on Mt. Hope Avenue in Rochester, but they were slowly closed. When the Mt. Hope store sold two years ago, that meant Scott’s Photo by Rowe was the only one left in the city. Brennan estimates there were 30 stores like Scott’s in Rochester when he started in the business.

Brennan, who resides in Conesus, clearly knows the photography field.

“I don’t shoot as much as I used to, but I still have a passion for photography,” he admitted. “It’s like any business … you learn the industry and get to know what questions to ask.”

The question on his mind now is where the industry goes from here. “It was a slow ride to the top of the roller coaster (for film again) and we don’t want to see it just drop off again,” Brennan said. He predicts that eventually the film bubble will burst, “but I don’t see it happening any time soon.”

Every film has a different look, but customers, primarily in their 20s and 30 today, seem to like the “retro” look, Brennan observed. He added that a lot of film photographers were very interested in the eclipse earlier this year, noting, “It could have been magnificent.”

With film, the colors are more muted; not quite as crystal clear or sharp as those digital or cell phone photos, he explained. “It’s just like records are coming back; they sound different. With film, it’s just a different way of looking at things,” he said.

A large sign on East Avenue near Winton Road in Rochester beckons photography fans to Scott’s Photo by Rowe.

Physician Lisa Harris at her office in Rochester on Sept. 17. Photo by Mike Costanza

WHAT DRIVES Dr. Harris

Curiosity and a desire to help others have fueled the career of Lisa Harris, senior vice president and chief medical officer of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield

By Mike Costanza

As a young girl living in Rochester, Lisa Harris decided to set her sights on a career that would satisfy her curiosity about the human body and her desire to help others.

“At age 12, I really wanted to be a physician,” the 62-year-old Rochester resident said.

Over nearly 30 years in medicine, Harris has cared for thousands of patients and held increasingly responsible administrative positions in healthcare institutions in the Rochester area and as far away as Binghamton. Currently, she serves as the senior vice president and chief medical officer of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, the Rochester-based health insurance firm that serves 1.5 million people.

Harris grew up in a family that valued hard work, learning and a commitment to others.

“My parents felt that you need to be active in the community,” she said. “They made sure that we had exposure to the arts, to the political climate, to volunteerism.”

The Hon. Roy King, Harris’s late father, sometimes tried to teach those values to his four children by telling stories from his own life. One was about the way he got his first job in the US.

King had just emigrated from the Bahamas and was living in New York City. When he tried to get work at one

of the Safeway grocery chain’s stores, the owner turned him down, but offered to pay him a day’s wages if he cleaned the store’s basement.

“He cleaned up that basement until it was sparkling,” Harris said. “His work ethic earned him a job.”

He married, moved to Syracuse with his wife and enrolled at the Syracuse University College of Law. Upon graduating, he took his family to Rochester. After practicing law for more than 30 years, he was appointed to the Rochester City Court bench in 1997. In 2002, he was promoted to supervising judge.

“He was the first African American supervising judge for city court in the city of Rochester,” Harris said.

His example and his lessons have benefited Harris all through her life.

“He had always encouraged us to, whatever you do, do your best,” she said. “That has just been something that has been part of my fabric from day one.”

Lucille, Harris’ late mother, took care of the family’s home, managed the office of her husband’s law practice and was active in Democratic politics. She served on the Democratic National Committee, the National Black Caucus and the DNC rules committee and was a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention. When Rep. Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress,

made her unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination for president, Lucille took her place as a delegate to the convention.

After the Democratic Party nominated George McGovern to run for president, Harris pitched in for the candidate.

“As a child, I remember, during the McGovern campaign, setting up storefronts for the campaign…handing out literature, just being very active in the community,” she said.

Local issues also drew her attention. When the Rochester City Council considered a plan to clean up the Genesee River and Lake Ontario, though she was 7 or 8 years old, Harris presented her views on the subject.

“I remember testifying as a child in front of city council about the need to have clean water,” Harris said.

She also demonstrated a curiosity early on about how the bodies of living things worked.

“I used to take my mother’s best silverware and dissect insects to kind of see what they looked like on the inside,” Harris said. “Until she caught me.”

That eventually led Harris to set her sights on a career in medicine. She initially wanted to become a neurosurgeon, but switched direction after acquiring a bachelor’s degree in the neurosciences at the University of Rochester. Harris then headed off

to the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, intending to become a primary care physician.

“I really wanted to have handson, frontline understanding [of] how does disease work, how do you make a diagnosis, how do you help somebody overcome that particular illness and lead a healthier life,” she said.

Harris graduated from Morehouse in 1991 and then completed a residency in internal medicine and pediatrics. She then took a position at Highland Hospital’s Downtown Health Care Center, where she provided primary care in internal medicine and pediatrics to patients.

In 2003, Harris opened her own solo primary care practice in internal medicine and pediatrics in Rochester. By 2013, it had grown to have more than 3,000 patients on its roster. That

year, Harris moved to Binghamton to become the chief medical officer of Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital, Inc. [now Guthrie Lourdes Hospital]. In addition to her administrative duties, she treated patients two or three days a week.

In 2018, Harris joined Excellus BlueCross BlueShield as a medical director for the health insurance giant.

“It really came down to…the best way to impact the greatest number of lives,” Harris said. “I could do that through a practice…or I could look at being involved in a health plan and impact over a million lives.”

Despite her busy schedule at Excellus, Harris worked part-time as a physician for the Rochester Regional Health System until the end of 2022, when her duties prevented her from continuing in that role. The decision

to cease directly caring for patients wasn’t an easy one.

“I miss clinical medicine and I miss my patients,” Harris said.

In early 2023, Harris became Excellus’ senior vice president and chief medical officer. The roles encompass a wide range of responsibilities.

“I am accountable for clinical innovation that delivers a membercentric care model to drive engagement, clinical quality, equitable access and appropriate care at the lowest cost and enables provider efficiency and satisfaction,’ Harris said.

Harris said she is also responsible for Excellus’ “disease and care management, clinical quality and affordability programs,” and for “ensuring the policies, programs and services we provide to and for our members are affordable, equitable, medically necessary and results in improved healthcare outcomes.”

In addition to performing her regular duties, Harris has mentored other women at work, particularly women of color.

“It’s really important for people of color to see someone of color that’s in a leadership role and to help them become the best that they can,” she said.

Though dedicated to her job, Harris makes sure to balance its many responsibilities with an active personal life. Her faith has been a particularly strong support down through the years.

“My relationship with Jesus Christ guides and directs me to love everyone and be of service to everyone,” Harris said.

She has shown that dedication to service at the New Progressive Cathedral C.O.G.I.C. (Church of God in Christ) where she heads the missionary department. Among her many duties, she oversees some of the church’s services to the homeless.

“We do what we call ‘homeless bags’ right now, where we provide socks, some snacks and a small amount of cash,” Harris said. “You see someone who’s homeless, you just hand it out.”

In 2006, Harris’s desire to serve others led her to spend a week in Nairobi, Kenya, as part of a group of African American physicians who were voluntarily treating the poor for free. For her, the experience felt like a return to home.

“Being an African American in this

country, you don’t have a full sense of your roots and where you’re from,” Harris said. “It was just a feeling of completion to be in Kenya and see people that looked like me.”

Harris has also been an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. since she was a University of Rochester student and is in her second term as president of the sorority’s Delta Nu Omega Chapter.

On her off time, the married mother of two grown children enjoys spending time with her husband of 32 years, Torye, an elementary school teacher. In addition to once-a-week date nights and once-a-year weekends away, they enjoy heading to the ski slopes in winter and the golf links when the weather warms.

“I try to hack at golf with my husband,” Harris said. “He’s really good.”

The avid seamstress also enjoys sewing her own outfits and undergoing “retail therapy,” especially when it yields a new pair of shoes.

“You can never have enough shoes,” Harris said.

Five Things You Didn’t Know

1. Physician Lisa Harris modeled for a clothing designer as an undergraduate student and considered doing it as a career.

2. She can whip up something to wear from scratch.

3. When interviewed, Harris refused to say how many shoes she has. “You can never have enough shoes,” she said.

4. In the past, Harris has appeared on "Second Opinion", the PBS television show that helps people acquire good health, stay healthy and make their way through the healthcare system.

5. She’s the oldest child in her original family and has three grown brothers.

Active in Her Sorority

Joan Anderson, public relations chairwoman of the Delta Nu Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., first met Lisa Harris in the 1980s. Anderson worked for the University of Rochester at the time, Harris was a student at the school and both were members of the sorority.

“I thought she was a very nice person, very outgoing and responsible,” Anderson said.

Since then, Harris has given her sorority the benefit of her energy and skills.

“She is caring and she’s compassionate and she has a lot of innovative ideas,” Anderson said. “She likes to keep up with the current trends and she uses that for the advantage of the sorority.”

That knowledge of current trends helped the Delta Nu Omega

Chapter continue functioning despite the restrictions that were instituted to limit the spread of COVID-19.

“When she was programming chair during the pandemic, she kept in touch with everyone via Zoom or through cell phone calls,” Anderson said.

Harris has also been the vice president of her chapter and is in her second term as president. (MC)

Joan Anderson, public relations chairwoman of the Delta Nu Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.: “She likes to keep up with the current trends and she uses that for the advantage of the sorority.”

'An Inspiring Woman'

Melissa Gardner, executive vice president of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, praised physician Lisa Harris, her co-worker.

“She is a deep and inspiring woman,” said Gardner, who has known Harris for nearly 10 years and considers her a friend.

Gardner has often been inspired by Harris’s ability to find simple solutions to complex problems.

“That always just makes me think more, think better, think harder and I’ve always appreciated that about her,” Gardner said.

Harris’ use of personal stories about her childhood, family and interests to guide others has been both entertaining and instructive.

“Every time I hear her speak, I just get more and more interested in hearing more, because she’s passionate about all the things she does, whether it’s her church, her sorority or her family or her clinical

practice,” Gardner said.

She also seeks to guide others through her own actions.

“The theme of ‘Show up, be a role model and people will come with you’ I would absolutely say is how she leads, and a key part of her success and why she has so many people who admire and follow her,” Gardner said.

Harris also encourages the women with whom she works to advance.

“She’s constantly championing our women to be better and to push themselves,” Gardner said. (MC)

Melissa Gardner , executive vice president of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield: “She’s constantly championing our women to be better and to push themselves.”

DR. HARRIS: TOP 10 TIPS TO LIVE A LONGER, HEALTHIER LIFE

By Lisa Harris, MD

Navigating health after 55 is about being informed, staying proactive, and working closely with your healthcare provider.

As senior vice president and chief medical officer at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, and a former practicing physician, I’ve seen firsthand how crucial it is for individuals to be proactive about their health and healthcare.

Navigating this stage of life comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities, and being informed can make all the difference.

I’d like to share with you the top 10 things people over the age of 55 should be aware of when it comes to their health.

to early detection and better outcomes.

2. Get vaccinated. Staying up to date with vaccinations, like flu, pneumonia and shingles shots can prevent severe illnesses.

3. Your mental health matters.

Do you or a loved one have behavioral health concerns?

check-ups are critical.

5. Stay active and move daily. Movement is medicine. Regular physical activity can help maintain mobility, flexibility and balance, reducing the risk of falls; a concern for those over 55.

6. Get plenty of sleep and rest.

Quality sleep isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity for good health. Addressing sleep disorders and establishing a healthy sleep routine can significantly impact overall health and increase your physical and mental capacity.

1. Don’t overlook the power of preventive care. Wellness visits and regular health screenings are not just a precaution, they are a necessity. Wellness checks provide an opportunity to identify and address health issues, stay on top of preventive care and review and adjust your health plan to ensure you stay healthy and active year-round. Screenings for conditions like cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis can lead

Mental health is just as important as physical health. Mental health concerns may often present as or worsen chronic physical health complaints. Depression, anxiety and cognitive decline can occur later in life, and early intervention can make a significant impact if dealing with these and many other health issues.

4. A healthy diet and weight management. Eating right becomes even more important as we age. A balanced diet helps manage weight, supports immune function, and reduces the risk of chronic diseases. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in people over 55, but it’s largely preventable. Staying active, eating a heart-healthy diet and regular

7. Are you ready for retirement? Annual financial checkins are vital to ensure you are on track for a secure retirement and prepared for unexpected expenses. These checkins provide an opportunity to adjust financial strategies, optimize savings and make informed decision that can help maintain financial stability and peace of mind throughout retirement.

8. Estate and end-of-life planning. It’s never too early to start thinking about your future when it comes to your end-of-life wishes. This can be difficult to talk about but can

also provide peace of mind for your family and loved ones.

Here are a few things to consider:

• Do you understand your options from advanced directive to long-term care planning?

• Do you have a will?

• Do you have designated beneficiaries?

• Do you have a durable power of attorney (POA) that allows you to designate someone to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to do so?

• Do you have medical orders for life-sustaining treatment (MOLST)?

9. Maintain social connections. It’s important to stay in contact with people to reduce feelings of isolation and to support emotional well-being. Regular social interactions can boost cognitive function, lower the risk of depression and contribute to overall longevity and a higher quality of life.

10. Get the perks. Don’t miss all the great benefits and discounts that come with AARP membership. From travel deals to leisure activities, these benefits help create a balanced lifestyle that combines relaxation, adventure, and financial savings, all of which contribute to overall happiness and well-being.

As you navigate life after 55, remember that staying proactive about your health is one of the most important things you can do. Understanding your healthcare needs, from regular screenings to managing your physical and mental well-being, empowers you to make informed choices and live well. Take charge of your health now and set the stage for a vibrant, healthy future. Your health is your greatest asset, take care of it with the attention

Lisa Harris, MD , is senior vice president and chief medical officer at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

Pet Considerations: Think Before You Adopt

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Perhaps you spotted a cute kitten in a shelter ad. Or maybe you’d like a puppy similar to one you had as a kid.

Before you let soft fur and sweet expressions get the best of you, consider how a pet would fit into your changing lifestyle.

At this stage, you have more going on than you may think.

Many 55-plussers plan to travel in retirement. Bob Minchella, owner of Dogs at Play doggie daycare and Bob Minchella’s Dog Owner Counseling, cautions people on the cusp of retirement to consider how they plan to spend their time.

“Do you plan to have someone take care of the dog?” he said. “They don’t do as well in kennels, especially dogs who came from shelters. They

often have abandonment issues. They think that you’ve dumped them off there and they’ll never see you again.”

Some cats and dogs travel well, especially if they have early exposure, but many places of lodging do not accept pets. Most cats would rather stay at home than at someone else’s place. It’s easier to have a pet sitter care for felines.

Choosing the right pet matters for its compatibility. Most dog and cat breeds have a baseline of energy expenditure. For example, the Maine Coon cat remains playful and kittenlike for years. Greyhounds are said to be couch potatoes with lower exercise needs. Australian shepherds are energetic dogs that enjoy plenty of activity.

“Look out for a mismatched

breed,” Minchella said. Although he’s almost 70, he walks for more than three miles a day regularly — a feat not shared by many of his contemporaries.

“The backyard is not exercise,” he said. “You can’t turn out a dog into the yard and think they’re going to run around for exercise.”

The size of the dog also matters. A tiny dog may be a tripping hazard to someone prone to falls. A large dog can knock down or pull down its owner. However, proper training can mitigate this effect. Lighter color fur may help make your pet more visible in dim lighting, although a reflective collar can help also.

Mark Forrest Patrick owns Tuxedo’s K9 Training Camp in Rochester and is also a certified dog trainer, veterinary assistant and certified canine massage therapist and family dog mediator. He can assess a home and family to ensure their lifestyle will mesh with that of a dog.

“It’s a social circle of longevity, energy and the group stimulation of the environment,” Patrick said. “It’s very interesting how many people when getting a dog don’t take that

into consideration. It’s amazing how different every dog is. Even though your last dogs were black dogs, this dog could be totally different. I get people commenting all the time that ‘this dog isn’t the same as my last dog.’ The dogs we had five years ago and the ones we have today are totally different.”

He believes that the animals’

breeding and nutrition have changed significantly. These factors influence animal behavior.

Planning for a pet means considering one’s mortality.

“The big thing is we encourage people to make sure that they have a plan in case their pet outlives them,” Patrick said.

Planning who will take your pets

when you pass — preferably someone your pets know and trust — can ensure that the animals won’t go to a shelter and suffer.

If your teens at home now help with pet care, they’ll leave home eventually and it will all be up to you. As you age, will you be capable of keeping up with Fido and Fluffy if you need surgery or become less physically robust? Walking a dog is tougher than changing cat litter but in either case, a little help and the right products make a difference.

A fenced yard, clean-up service and for exercise, a dog walker can make caring for a pooch simpler. For cats, lightweight cat litter takes the heavy lifting out of cat care (some cats dislike this type of litter, so introduce it slowly).

Patrick also stressed the expense of pet ownership.

“If someone’s on a fixed income, having a pet can be costly to their monthly budget,” he said.

Planning for unexpected pet health expenses, along with fixed expenses like grooming, food and litter can help pet care stay within the budget.

GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE

Rochester Area Community Foundation connects donors to the critical needs of our eight-county region. We invite you to co-invest in the places we all live, work, and love. Scan the QR code or visit racf.org/RegionalGiving

Bob Minchella is the owner of Dogs at Play doggie daycare and Bob Minchella’s Dog Owner Counseling.

Mark Forrest Patrick, a certified dog trainer, owns Tuxedo’s K9 Training Camp in Rochester.

By Eva Briggs, M.D.

your health Infectious Diseases: Beyond COVID-19

Four infectious diseases that get less attention than COVID-19 and flu have recently been in the news.

The first two, while rare, could be contracted in the Central New York area. The second two are causing outbreaks in other areas but rarely occur in people who have traveled to these spots.

West Nile virus made news when Anthony Fauci was hospitalized for this illness. It belongs to a group of viruses called flaviviruses and is related to dengue, zika and yellow fever.

All 48 of the contiguous United States and many other countries harbor West Nile virus. It’s not named after the Nile River, but for the Ugandan district called West Nile where the virus was first isolated.

Birds are the main hosts of the virus. Although it can kill some birds such as crows and jays, the main reservoir species include robins and house sparrows. Mosquitoes that feed

Four infectious diseases that get less attention than COVID-19 and flu have recently been in the news. Be on the lookout.

on infected birds transmit West Nile to people. It can spread from person to person rarely, only via blood borne routes such as transfusion, blood or organ donation — or from mother and child.

Most (eight out of 10) people who contract West Nile virus have no symptoms. Those with symptoms develop fever, headache, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash. One out of 50 people suffers serious neurologic disease with high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, stupor, confusion, coma, tremors, seizures, vision loss, numbness, and paralysis. One out of 10 patients with severe

neurologic disease die and others are left with permanent impairments. There is no vaccine to prevent West Nile disease and no specific treatment. Preventing mosquito bites is the best way to reduce risk.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is another viral disease. It is also spread via mosquitoes. There is no vaccine and no specific medicine to treat the disease. This dangerous disease kills about 30% of patients. It spreads to humans from birds in freshwater swamps. Despite the name equine, horses and people are dead-end hosts and can’t transmit the disease.

Oropouche virus is one that I learned about recently. It is found in South America, Central America and the Caribbean. Biting midges are the main route of transmission although some mosquitoes can spread it. Midges, also called no-see-ums, are tiny insects much smaller than mosquitoes. Because oropouche virus has occurred in travelers in the U.S. returning form areas where this disease is found, there is concern that it could become established and spread by midges in the eastern U.S. Infected pregnant woman can spread this virus to their fetus, leading to stillbirth. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, and chills. There is also no vaccine or specific treatment for oropouche. Another name for oropouche is sloth fever because it was first isolated from three-toed sloths.

Valley fever was in the news on the day I wrote this article due to an outbreak at a California music festival. This one is due to the fungus coccidiomycosis. Fever, cough, and fatigue are the usual symptoms. It’s contracted by inhaling fungal spores in contaminated soil. It’s found in the south and west. So, while it wouldn’t be contracted here in New York state, it can return home with travelers. A friend who lives in Oklahoma had a dog who died from valley fever.

Eva

Briggs is a retired medical doctor who practiced medicine in Central New York for several decades. She lives in Marcellus.

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In 2023, Nancy Peters-Necaster, a Clarkson resident, found herself unemployed at the age of 63. “I received some severance pay and was eligible for healthcare insurance via COBRA coverage but the cost was very expensive,” she said. Ultimately, she was able to get insurance via the New York HealthPlan Marketplace.

Forced Retirement: What’s Next?

There is a host of issues to deal with after getting fired, including health care insurance

By Maggie Fitzgibbon

Retirement isn’t always planned. Forced retirement, job elimination and company cutbacks are all difficult circumstances. But for anyone who’s older than 60, this can be overwhelming and frightening.

What do you do if you find yourself close to retirement age but you are suddenly unemployed?

Your first step is to contact your company’s human resources office and inquire about any benefits that you are eligible for such as severance or vacation pay, paid time off, sick pay, profit sharing, pensions, health savings account (HSA), stock options and bonuses.

Depending on your company’s policies, any employee separated from service may be owed these benefits.

A call to your financial planner should be a priority. This professional can give you the best advice on your

next steps. If you are 59 1/2 years old, you may want to consider tapping into your 401k or your IRA funds. At age 55 you can also draw from your company-sponsored retirement plan without penalty.

You may have rights to certain healthcare insurance benefits such as COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) coverage. While this allows an employee to continue enrollment in the same healthcare insurance plan with no change in coverage or providers, the cost is out of pocket. This may be expensive.

In New York state, another option is to research the New York State Department of Healthcare Marketplace at nystateofhealth.ny.gov. This website has many different healthcare plan options for individuals and families. Information must be provided including demographics, income,

family members and any other health insurance coverage.

Theresa Seils is a licensed insurance broker affiliated with Rochester-based Income Maust & Leone Advisors. She explained this process.

“There are different options to compare. You can choose the plan that best fits your needs based on coverage and costs. Some qualifications must be met and once your income is verified, you also may be eligible for a tax credit,” she said.

Seils explained that private pay is another possibility. Like COBRA, all costs are out-of-pocket. It is timeconsuming to research different healthcare insurance companies and the plans offered and finalize choices. Depending on the plan chosen, this can be expensive.

Marion Schrader is also a licensed insurance broker located in Rochester. She explained that

healthcare insurance can be expensive. Purchasing insurance through the New York State Department of Healthcare Marketplace is an option, but as Seils explained eligibility is income-based. For a married couple, if one spouse is Medicare-eligible and the other is not, the options can depend on how the couple files tax returns.

“If a couple files separate tax returns, then the spouse who needs healthcare insurance might be able to find a more affordable plan,” Schrader said.

She suggests that any person run all the different healthcare insurance coverage scenarios.

“Everyone’s situation is different,” Schrader said.

In 2023, Nancy Peters-Necaster, a Clarkson resident, found herself unemployed at the age of 63. The company she worked for was downsized and her job was eliminated. Stunned by this news, she knew she had to make some important decisions. She contacted her human resources office to inquire about any benefits she was owed.

“I received some severance pay and was eligible for healthcare insurance via COBRA coverage but the cost was very expensive. I needed healthcare because my husband is retired and on Medicare,” she said.” “I decided to check out the New York HealthPlan Marketplace and I shopped the plans. I was able to find a plan that was low-cost with good coverage.”

Peters-Necaster also recommends that anyone who is let go from their job check on their healthcare savings account. She found that her former employer was charging her an administrative fee, something she had never encountered before.

Eastman Kodak Company was a worldwide leader and also the largest employer in the Rochester area for decades. In the 1990s, Kodak experienced serious financial losses which resulted in many cutbacks and job layoffs. After a 25-year career with Kodak, Rochester resident Kevin Donnelly was without a job.

“While I worked at Kodak, I also worked for Monroe Ambulance. So when I was let go from Kodak, I still had another income. Unfortunately, Monroe Ambulance did not offer any health insurance plans,” he said. “I had a family with young kids so I needed

In 2023, Nancy Peters-Necaster, a Clarkson resident, found herself unemployed at the age of 63.

to find a job with healthcare.”

Over the next 30 years, Donnelly worked at various jobs including as a technician at two Rochester medical facilities. His experience as a volunteer firefighter helped him to land a job as a fire insurance investigator with Paul Davis Restoration. This new job offered a great benefits package.

“But after almost a year, the company made some changes and downsized. My job was eliminated,” Donnelly said.

Feeling unsure of what to do next, Donnelly took a job as a school bus driver, but although the work was full-time and the benefits were great, he was not happy.

“I was 62 years old. I could not enroll in Medicare yet. I didn’t know where to turn for assistance. I reached out to a healthcare insurance broker who after 30 minutes had me enrolled in a healthcare plan with good coverage,” Donnelly said. “This broker put my mind at ease and relieved me of this stress.”

Peters-Necaster and Donnelly agree that while job elimination and company downsizing are stressful, there is a life after forced retirement.

“Have a plan, make sure you can make some cutbacks. Talk to your financial planner who can help you figure out your finances and next steps,” Peters-Necaster said.

“Relax, keep your eyes open for odd jobs and look at your options,” Donnelly said. “Every day is a new day; wake up, put your feet on the ground, keep moving forward and always have faith.”

last 25 years.

Kneeland has been teaching for 26 years, arriving at Nazareth in 2000. He is the director of the Center for Public History and the Public History Program in History, Politics and Law.

He put the question to his bright young students in September: “What have been the big changes in the last 25 years?”

“My students thought, clearly, that the number one thing was technology,” he said. “The development of the smart phone and social media — those were the biggest ways, they felt, that the first 25 years of the century are changed and different.”

“Another interesting thing,” he added, “they focused in on LBGTQ+ rights, how they have rapidly been secured and recognized in things such as Obergefell v. Hodges, the court case in 2013 when the Supreme Court recognized the right of gay marriage. They thought that was pretty significant.”

He said they talked a little about climate change, an issue they see as “pretty significant.”

“They also thought race had become significant in America, both in Obama’s election but also Black Lives Matter. He said his students recognize the existence of structural racism — “they don’t bat an eye, they see this as something that exists and therefore needs to be dealt with and they need to dismantle that structure.”

Interestingly, students didn’t mention 9/11.

“They weren’t even born when 9/11 happened,” Kneeland said. “But 9/11 explains so much of what happened in the first 25 years in terms of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and some of the problems we had globally in terms of our presence in various countries and how we have probably lost allies and increased distrust in areas of the world where we used to have more solid relationships. I’m thinking in particular of Turkey, where our relationships have been declining steadily for the last 10-15 years.”

Healthcare

Kneeland said the development of healthcare “as a right” in this century was very important.

“We bandied that about in the 20th century. We debated it, but no one now, seriously, on the right or the left, will

We’re 25 years into the 21st century this New

Year’s Eve.

What has changed

say anything but healthcare is a right. That raising of your consciousness and the development of Obamacare, even as Republicans talk about dismantling it, you know they’re not going to take out the most popular parts of it.

“In other healthcare areas, think about trying to control the price of insulin as well as Medicare Part D, the so-called ‘doughnut hole.’ These are imperfect policies, but notice how they’re addressing a new sense of what the government has to take on as a responsible government. That’s huge.

“People in the 20th century were like, ‘Yeah, you’re healthy or you’re not.’ It seemed to be an individualized lifestyle, but now, government has a role to play and that explains, to a large extent, the whole government shutdown and the response to COVID-19. Although it varied state to state, people took it seriously, even though some red states didn’t keep the shutdowns very long. Then the development of a rapid new kind of mRNA vaccine to deal with it. And now, the government just announced in September that it’s giving us free COVID-19 tests again. Think about that.”

Kneeland, who has written four books and teaches about the presidency, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics and public history, sees a rise — or you could consider it a deepening — of “American individualism.”

He referred to Robert Putnam’s

book “Bowling Alone” in the 1990s, which saw that community organizations were no longer being revitalized.

How many people were in your church in 1999? How many were there last week?

“The idea of anomie or a sense of isolation has grown with the development of social media,” he said. “We are creating artificial relationships online, and trying to get meaning through ‘likes’ from other sources.

“It’s probably tied to the rise of anxiety in the younger generation, which is the most anxious generation, we’ve been told. We’ve certainly seen the decline for institutions.”

Hyper-individualized

He said the number of people who are not even interested in a spiritual pursuit are termed as “NONES” in politics. And the number is increasing. “If you look at presidential speeches, going back the last couple hundred years, people had no problem evoking God in a sort of generic way — the blessing,” he said. “As the importance of institutions declined, people became ‘hyper-individualized.’

“My students touched on this. We’ve had a breakdown in society — the mass shootings in our schools, which began at Columbine in 1999. This generation was raised doing preparedness for lock-downs or someone getting in the building. I suppose there could be some parallels with the generation that did drills because they thought atomic bombs were going to land on them. It certainly says something about the kind of society where we’re worried about prevalence of gun violence, not just on our streets, but in our schools.”

He also mentioned the 2008 financial crisis.

“That event helped explain the rise of both Obama and Trump. Both were experts in using social media to engage people but had very different visions of how to respond and meet the needs of society where economic growth continues to be unequally distributed,” he said. “Even if you’re sort of making it now, that low-grade anxiety in working-class America has led certainly to the rise of Trump.”

He cited a continuing decline in people’s political and social trust in institutions “because we never found

Professor Timothy Kneeland, Nazareth University. He put the question to his young students in September: “What have been the big changes in the last 25 years?”

weapons of mass destruction after going into Iraq, which only further eroded confidence in our government leaders.”

Students had first-hand experience with the pandemic. “Coming 100 years after the last pandemic, the shutdowns, the dislocations in education, the differentiation between people who could stay at home and work online, the white-collar workers versus those workers who had to be in person, the retailers, the essential workers like healthcare providers.”

People lost their lives in service of others in that differentiation.

“And it fits in with this rise of resistance to structural racism — Black Lives Matter, George Floyd, the death of Daniel Prude in police custody here in Rochester, Breonna Taylor and throughout the US. The pandemic was an accelerant, a catalyst for changes that were already happening. Those events were only a couple of years ago and we act like they don’t exist anymore, but the aftereffects are going to be with us for a while to come,” he said.

And there was more.

Sports

Kneeland talked about the “rise of the asterisk in baseball.” Aaron Judge’s

62 home runs go into the record book with an asterisk because of a longer season than Babe Ruth enjoyed…other asterisks shade recognition for players who set records but used performanceenhancing products in doing so, and will probably never see the Hall of Fame.

Women’s sports has burst out in soccer, the Olympics and basketball.

And there were scandals in women’s gymnastics.

Kneeland mentioned another head-shaker: “I’m fourth-generation Irish-American and three generations before me were all cops. My family spent an awful long time putting people away for vices that are today not only not criminalized but recognized and encouraged. Sports betting…talk about societal change.”

And there’s marijuana for sale in towns and villages.

Driving a car: “The younger generation doesn’t necessarily go out as soon as it can to get licenses. It’s very common for me to have a 20-year-old student who doesn’t have a license or has a license but doesn’t like to drive,” Kneeland pointed out.

Curating Your Own Reality

Finally, he talked about the social divide so evident in today’s America.

“It seems to be growing and growing. We know social media drives some of that and people are curating their own reality using social media,” he said. “We used to have limited places to get information. Back in the 20th century you had the major TV networks. Today, younger people are turning to places like YouTube or TikTok or Instagram or other places, the so-called ‘influencers.’

“They’re not watching television anymore, but watching snippets of television on their laptops. They curate. They decide what they’re going to watch, not necessarily broadcasting, but narrowcasting. So, people can go and decide, ‘I really like this one person that I listen to on a podcast,’ and they listen to that person and an algorithm suggests other people similar to that.

“Instead of getting a broad array of information and be challenged in any way, people can reduce the information and curate it so they only hear things they already agree with. That was harder in the 20th century. Now that the younger generation won’t even listen to radio, but they will listen to podcasts.”

Yes, things have changed.

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Some local libraries have rooms for the public to rent and can accommodate families interested in get-togethers.

Where to Host the Family Gathering This Holiday

You have other options than your family home

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Perhaps your family has grown to a size where hosting a celebration around your table won’t work anymore. Or maybe it’s stressful to have the bustle of all the grandchildren in your home at once. Whatever the reason, you could host your family gathering elsewhere.

Adult children’s home

Ask one of your adult kids to host this year. You can still be involved in the planning, but it takes some of the burden off you. You could offer to pay for a professional cleaner or assist yourself and spring for catering. Perhaps you could set up a potluck.

Your house of worship

“Churches are definitely a great resource,” said Yve Irish, owner of Organizing by Yve Irish in Pittsford. Most have a fellowship hall and full kitchen and are otherwise set up for entertaining large groups. Some have a gym or other area for children that could help them expend some energy. Best of all, this space will already be decorated. Be sure to reserve the fellowship hall well in advance.

Public parks and golf courses

Popular public spaces for private parties include the Powder Mills Park in Pittsford and some other parks, which include heated lodges yearround.

“They’re very popular,” said Pattie Taylor Brown, owner of All Occasions Catering & Events Planning in Rochester. “You can go online to your county’s parks and recreation site and reserve one. During COVID-19, many were renovated so they’re modern and clean.”

Most have a full kitchen, including a stove and other amenities. Plus, they may be near an area suitable for sledding, snowshoeing or other winter activities.

“That’s a good budget-oriented way of holding the party,” Brown said.

Golf courses would charge more, but you could have your get-together catered.

Museums

An elegant option, museums often have a room that one can rent for private parties. However, it pays to know their guidelines in advance.

“They have rules that may not make sense for your family like you can’t bring in your own food but have to have it catered,” Brown said.

Libraries

Most public libraries have rooms for rent to the public. However, a full kitchen may not be available. But Brown doesn’t see this as an impediment for some families.

“It is nice to go someplace and not focus on food,” she said. “Definitely you could serve a veggie crudité and a bit of hot chocolate. Something simple gives everyone a rest.”

Zoos and farms

“The larger zoos downtown have actual rooms that can be private and have a little outdoor space with them,” Brown said.

If you have many young grandchildren or young-at-heart, this could be a fun option. Brown added that many farms also provide rented space in barns for private parties. However, you should ask about how they’re heated. A farm space may offer areas for sledding and snowshoeing.

Renting these alternative spaces comes with the caveat of additional planning, unlike going to a restaurant. However, you can put more of your personal touches on the event to make it feel more like a classic family celebration.

Last-minute Gifts that Don’t Look Last-Minute

Cookie-cutter gifts won’t cut it if you’re picking presents close to the holiday

Maybe your adult daughter brought home a new boyfriend — who brought his son you’ve never heard of. Or the neighbor you never met pops in on Christmas Eve with a gift.

As much as you try to plan and make lists, surprises like these can make you feel unprepared. It’s uncomfortable giving gifts but finding yourself one present short.

Yve Irish, owner of Organizing by Yve Irish in Pittsford, helps organize “gift closets” with clients.

“As we’re purging their homes, they find things they had bought for gifts but didn’t end up giving,” Irish said. “Or they bought things that they thought were cute but never gave.”

Irish has worked as a professional organizer for 19 years and is a member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals. Naturally, she encourages giving consumable items that don’t end up as clutter. Things such as fancy soap or lotion have a long shelf life but don’t collect dust like a tchotchke.

“Wine is a good last-minute gift,” Irish added as an example of a purposeful gift. “Give gift cards for a coffee shop or bookstore. If you have family members come over and you

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

forgot to get them a gift, they’re usually thrilled with a gift card.”

Keep a few handmade, one-of-akind gifts on hand. Donna Wobschall, owner of Craft Company No. 6 in Rochester, said that’s the nature of her store’s wares, which features jewelry, housewares and other gifts.

Very popular gifts include “Venetian glassware like wine glasses, cordial glasses, on-the-rocks glasses, martini glasses and champagne glasses,” she said.

Glassware isn’t just for newlywed gift registries.

“‘Entertainment’ glassware is nice for those who entertain a lot,” Wobschall said.

A lot of shoppers pick up ceramic items like mugs, plates and spoon rests. One hot seller is her line of bakeware that has recipes stamped on the back.

“They’re very, very popular,” Wobschall said. “For someone who’s a big soup or ice cream person, we have some larger bowls that are great for that. We have some teas from New England, local honey, maple syrup, maple sugar. The maple sugar makes a great little gift to put in an ice cream bowl.”

Shopping for jewelry can feel intimidating. However, Wobschall

starts with considering the recipient’s favorite colors, general style and metal preference.

Wobschall also carries allergenfree beeswax candles in various sizes, which have proven popular gifts.

Stephanie Williams, founder of Family Concierge in Rochester, likes the Jellycat plush toys for kids or those young at heart.

“They are just so joyful and silly with their unexpected characters and cartoonish smiles,” Williams said. “They make everyone smile no matter their age. Their collections range from fruits and vegetables to sports, plants and animals.”

Williams likes to shop locally, including Parkleigh in Rochester and Breathe at Home in Pittsford.

“Another shop I’ve found to be an amazing spot for last minute gifts is Book Culture in the Village of Pittsford,” Williams said. “The owner has created so many memorable retail concepts and has an incredible eye. I’ve found so many thoughtful, unexpected and unique items you can’t find anywhere else in Rochester.”

Other gifts she likes to snap up for the season include small items like candles, notebooks, pins and patches and stationery, as they’re usable gifts that most people welcome.

Diane Shiffer in her vintage kitchen, which is often the backdrop for her Instagram reels. Photo by Grace Scism

vintage MEET DIANE SHIFFER: A SOCIAL MEDIA SENSATION

Albion chubby vintage nana spreads her message of kindness and acceptance and love for vintage things through social media

By Grace Scism

“Be so completely yourself that everyone else feels safe to be themselves too.” That is the quote that you will find on Diane Shiffer’s Instagram account.

The unassuming 67-year-old has amassed nearly one million followers on the social media platform and another million on TikTok.

Like many, Shiffer first used her Instagram account to share pictures of her five children. After she hit 1,000 followers, a friend of hers, whose husband creates YouTube videos, challenged her to create a TikTok account and start making videos to share on both platforms.

Shiffer

learned to create content just by doing it. “I didn’t research anything, just learned by trial and error,” she said.

“I started posting every day and my first video was a typical old lady boomer-style 15-second video of a jar of lemonade on my front porch,” Shiffer said.

That got more than 200 views.

Scrambling for content for her next post, she found a time-lapse video of her doing her hair.

“I ad-libbed the voice over, not knowing anything about how to enhance or isolate my voice, so you can hear the car radio and the screen door slam in the background,” she said.

That little video went viral and got millions of views, which boosted Shiffer’s followers to 50,000 instantly.

“It was wonderful, but also terrifying. You feel very exposed,” she said. “It scared me a little so I took a step back, but then I got back into it.”

At first, she edited her content using the TikTok app. Now she uses a free app called CapCut, shooting everything with her iPhone.

If you follow her @shifferdiane on Instagram, you will see that she doesn’t post on weekends, but is usually filming, writing and editing during that time.

For the first three years, Shiffer didn’t take one day off. Now she paces herself creating a “big video” to post on Mondays, then smaller content throughout the week.

“There’s a lot of action and camera angles and significant voice over that will take me 20-30 hours,” she said.

To watch one of Shiffer’s reels, as they are called on Instagram, is like being transported back in time. Her Albion home, appropriately built in 1930, is filled with the vintage furniture and decor that she loves.

“I’ve always been interested in vintage things, even when I was a very young child,” she said.

A picture book that her father had as a child captured her interest as a toddler and her love for anything from that era grew as she grew.

“When I was finding things for my first apartment, I would go to rummage sales. Back then all of these linens were the tackiest things. But I would go and stuff a bag full of dish towels and gorgeous lace things for a dollar!” Shiffer said. She even collects vintage clothes. She never had the nerve to wear them, but during the pandemic, when no one was stopping by for a visit, she realized that she could dress any way she wanted.

“I went full vintage; undergarments and everything — and loved it,” she said.

Now, when she goes out in public and is dressed in more modern clothes, she feels like she’s wearing a costume, although she does still wear modern clothing for certain meetings and appointments.

Shiffer’s love for everything vintage connected her to another Instagram content creator, “The Vintagearian (@the_vintagearian) a.k.a. “Vinti.”

Vinti, who lives in Germany, actually traveled to Albion to spend time with Shiffer and her daughter, Millen.

“I was thrilled that he wanted to

Diane Shiffer and her daughter, Millen (which means “precious”) on the porch of their Albion home where they spend many summer days.

stay a few days,” said Shiffer.

During Vinti’s two visits, he shot a lot of videos that he is still sharing on his account.

“When he was here, we sat on the porch cutting video and he was done with his in about 15 minutes! He’s very good at what he does,” she said.

So what does Shiffer owe to her immense social media popularity? “The vintage stuff is only one layer, but there are so many layers that are happening with a successful video to keep the viewer engaged,” she said. “If there’s a lag for even a second, you lose people.”

Shiffer believes her viewers are affirmed by somebody who isn’t conventionally attractive, being happy and living their life.

“I do think sharing the vintagey things is a compelling part of it. But the thing that really resonates with young people especially is that no one has ever talked to them like this, which shocks me because we are supposed to speak kindly to our children,” said Shiffer. “So many, an absolutely mindnumbing amount of young people, have parents and grandparents who have rejected them. They crave an older person being kind.”

And Shiffer’s never had an unkind comment from a young person.

“I’m fortunate in that I don’t get many hate comments. Some may say, ‘You’re fat or old or missing a tooth.’ I already know those things, so it doesn’t shock me or wound me,” she said.

However, there are two sources of hate comments — other women

who have distaste for the way Shiffer dresses and wears her hair and those who don’t agree with her politically.

Shiffer said her faith is a huge part of who she is.

“For many years, I was part of the evangelical, conservative Christian subculture,” she said.

But the political events of 2016 were difficult and destabilizing for her. She stopped following people she had once admired and taken council from.

“My core faith in God and Jesus didn’t change,” she explained. “But all of the outside stuff, church and the conservative evangelical stuff, fell away.”

A retired teacher who started her career working in day treatment programs for people with developmental disabilities, then preschools, Shiffer eventually became a special services coordinator for Head Start, a federal program that provides comprehensive services to low-income children and their families.

In the past, Shiffer has profited from her social media accounts through lucrative advertising, but has taken a break from it.

“It was great, but it’s high pressure and you don’t have much control over the content,” she said.

This year, her social media has brought in only $23 per month.

“I do this because it’s my art,” said Shiffer. When she was ill earlier this year and doctors were talking that she might not have much longer, it freed her from the pressure to pursue the many career opportunities being offered.

“I’m completely fine; better than I was. But it hit me what an incredible gift I’ve been given to be able to make these videos so when I’m gone, I’m still able to speak kindness and encouragement into people’s lives.”

Future projects may include a book deal and a YouTube channel.

“YouTube is a much more stable platform, but Instagram is the best platform for creating community. It’s your own little world, so you can create this beautiful little scrapbook and it attracts people who like those same things,” she said.

In March, Shiffer was invited to a Women’s History Month reception at the White House after one of her followers saw a video in which Shiffer mentioned that she would love to visit the nation’s capitol one day.

“I received an email and thought it was a scam at first,” Shiffer recalled.

In her video, Shiffer said that she almost declined because it was so out of her comfort zone, but through encouragement and help from family and friends, she accepted the invitation.

“It was incredible and everyone was amazing — so warm and welcoming,” she said.

What Shiffer said she learned about herself in the process is that it’s OK to accept the help of others and to let her best be enough.

Shiffer turned that around and recently helped a family friend, Kelsey Dreisbach, who has been instrumental in the care of her daughter, Millen. Dreisbach suffered a tragic loss and illness prompting Shiffer to set up a GoFundMe account to help with the family’s financial strain.

The fund ended up raising nearly $100,000 thanks to donations from Shiffer’s followers.

Shiffer said that she’s mainly speaking to her young followers when she creates her videos. “My main message I think is to be gentle with yourself, be kind to yourself,” she said. “Young people are under so much pressure, especially with social media. It can be so easy when you’re young for those voices to become the most prominent voices in your head.”

That is why Shiffer wants to reach young people where they are at.

“I just want to be a little voice in there saying, ‘You’re doing great and you deserve joy and beauty. And if no ones going to give it to you, give it to yourself,’” she said.

Just one of the lovely displays of vintage items in Diane Shiffer’s home.

Smart Money Moves for 2025

As 2024 wraps, take these steps for a better 2025

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

To put yourself in a better financial position a year from now takes planning. Here are a few ideas from area financial experts.

Tips from Jeff Feldman, Ph.D., and certified financial planner at Rochester Financial Services in Pittsford:

• “One thing I always tell clients is to possibly do a mock tax return before the end of the year to see how much taxable income they’ll have. Some people, especially those who are retired, don’t have enough money to offset the marital or single person standard deduction. Some don’t have that amount of income and they should consider a Roth conversion or withdraw money from IRA accounts to get a free pass. They can do this without paying additional tax. If they’re in a 10%-12% tax bracket, they can do a Roth conversion this year and take advantage of that.

• “As far as IRA contributions, people have until April 15 to make the contributions; they don’t have to do it by the end of the year.

• “For 401k contributions, if you’re under 50, the maximum is $23,000. For those 50-plus, it’s $30,500. If they’ve

been under-contributing, they can increase their weekly deductions to take advantage of that. These work on a calendar year basis.

• “529 plans are on a calendar year basis. If they have children or grandchildren who will be looking to go to college, you get a New York state income tax deduction. The maximum is $10,000 for married, $5,000 for individuals.

• “Harvest your losses if you have investments that have lost money. That can offset some capital gains. You can go through your portfolio and sell your losing positions. You might have a lot of capital gains this year, so taking advantage of that, you can look through your portfolio and sell losing positions. Bond funds in general you might have losses. Selling those to offset capital gains might be a good strategy.”

Tips from Diana Apostolova, investment consultant with Rochester Investments:

• “If employee benefits are provided, it may make sense to review the plans and make changes by the deadline. Some of the employer benefits changes may include starting or increasing the 401k contributions;

updating the investment options in the 401k plan; updating the percentage contribution to each investment option; and health insurance plans, plus group life insurance, group legal, pet insurance, etcetera.

• “Changes to Medicare plan may include a comparison to other plans in terms of costs and benefits.

• “A review of expenses typically includes everything from cellphone bills to gas and electric accounts. Switching providers or getting less services from the current provider may be worth exploring. Looking for high spendings or spendings on things that can be eliminated or reduced may help balance a checkbook.

• “In terms of income, getting a part-time job over the holiday season may bring in some extra cash to pay bills, or use the money to help someone you know.

• “Credit card debt with high interest rates can be a big burden. So if at all possible, changing to no interest or lower interest options may help with paying these loans faster. Ideally new debt should be avoided, or significantly reduced.

• “Once all that is done, mark your calendar and do it all over again each year moving forward.”

WE CARE LIKE FAMILY

We are growing and have exciting career opportunities in the health care industry.

JOIN OUR FAMILY

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available positions.

Life in balance.

We are growing and have exciting career opportunities in the health care industry.

To join our talented, professional team, please visit one of our care facilities career pages for available positions.

We are growing and have exciting career opportunities in the health care industry.

A company philosophy that speaks to a continual process of individual and collective development to improve our well-being, quality of life and personal relationships.

Life in balance.

To join our talented, professional team, please visit one of our care facilities career pages for available positions.

Our Mission.

Life in balance.

A company philosophy that speaks to a continual process of individual and collective development to improve our well-being, quality of life and personal relationships.

17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 315-342-4790 | www.morningstarcares.com

Life in balance.

Our Mission.

To provide people in our community with healthcare, customer services, support & employment to achieve their individual best quality of life.

A company philosophy that speaks to a continual process of individual and collective development to improve our well-being, quality of life and personal relationships.

Our Vision.

A company philosophy that speaks to a continual process of individual and collective development to improve our well-being, quality of life and personal relationships.

To provide people in our community with healthcare, customer services, support & employment to achieve their individual best quality of life. Our Vision.

RESIDENTIAL CARE CENTER

Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 315-342-4790 | www.morningstarcares.com

To redefine skilled nursing care through successful team development, use of technology, progressive service and being a strong community partner.

220 Tower Street, Waterville, NY 13480 315-841-4156 | www.watervillecares.com Wa ter ville

Our Mission.

Our Team.

To provide people in our community with healthcare, customer services, support & employment to achieve their individual best quality of life.

To redefine skilled nursing care through successful team development, use of technology, progressive service and being a strong community partner.

To provide people in our community with healthcare, customer services, support & employment to achieve their individual best quality of life.

Registered Nurses

Licensed Nurses

Our Vision.

Our Team.

Our Vision.

Physical Therapists

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Licensed Nurses

To redefine skilled nursing care through successful team development, use of technology, progressive service and being a strong community partner.

132 Ellen Street, Oswego, NY 13126 315-343-0880 | www.thegardensbymorningstar.com

| www.watervillecares.com

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To redefine skilled nursing care through successful team development, use of technology, progressive service and being a strong community partner.

Physical Therapists

| www.thegardensbymorningstar.com

Our Team.

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Our Team.

Occupational Therapists

Speech Therapists

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132 Ellen Street, Oswego, NY 13126 315-343-0880 | www.thegardensbymorningstar.com A ssist ed Living Community

Ellen Street, Oswego, NY 13126 315-343-0880 | www.thegardensbymorningstar.com

new year

GET ORGANIZED IN 2025

Now’s the time to plan to make this year your most organized yet

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

It’s the best possible time in your life for whipping your home into shape. Your children are grown (maybe even flown!), you may be retiring soon if not already. And if you’re considering downsizing in the future, getting your stuff tidied will make that job much easier. Area experts offered their best tips for organizing.

Tips from Lydia Harrington, owner of Reclaimed Spaces by Lydia in Canandaigua:

• “My number one organizing recommendation is to start with a declutter. It’s key so you’re not

organizing too many things. You can even have an organized pile of too many things. It’s an unpopular truth of the process.

• “Another thing to do when beginning an organizing project is to choose the ‘why’ of getting organized. It could be you want a spare room cleaned up or your craft supplies organized so you can get back into your hobby. It helps you make decisions easier. When you’re ‘in the weeds’ it can keep you going.

• “Start small. Go for quick wins so you build momentum and build your capabilities as you tackle bigger projects. Start with just a drawer and get it under control so you can get an

idea of the flow of what organizing looks like. Don’t jump right into a whole closet. Hours in, there will be a mess everywhere. You can budget your time and energy so if you don’t have a lot of time, a drawer is very manageable.

• “Remove everything from the space. Categorize the items based on what they are and what’s going back, what goes elsewhere and what needs to be decluttered. Use containers as limitations. The drawer is the ‘bad guy’ if things don’t fit.

• “Ask for help. Organizing can be overwhelming. Ask a friend or family member who’s patient and supportive. They need to know your

goals. Don’t go with someone who will talk you into keeping things. Or get a professional. We’re not emotionally invested in the things in your home. We have an outsider’s perspective and can help people make the best decisions.

• “Be gentle and kind with yourself. Decluttering and organizing can be difficult and emotional. You’re not alone; there are other people struggling with the same thing. They’ve gotten through it; you can too. Done is better than perfect.

• “If you do the declutter first, do a ‘loose organize’ and purchase containers last. A lot of times when you declutter, you free up bins you can use in these spaces. You can shop your home once you declutter.

• “Sometimes, that can inspire a partner to hop on board as you’re not frantically hunting for your keys every day. Your partner can naturally get curious. Other times, they have a completely different organizing style. It can definitely be a challenge to overcome.”

Tips from Yve Irish, owner of Organizing by Yve Irish in Pittsford:

• “Some do well by creating a plan. Others like to dive in. I usually make sure I have supplies.

• “If you’re purging a room like a spare bedroom or the basement, start with garbage bags, for trash or donations. Don’t buy supplies for organizing yet.

• “Start with half an hour. Say you want to tackle that basement, you can’t expect in two hours to get it ready. This will take me “x” amount of weekends. And just chip away at it.

• “Make sure you don’t leave yourself in too big of a mess. Some people walk in, pick up three things and move things around but get overwhelmed. If you have a box for things that don’t need to leave the house, then categorize them. They need better organization, like all the office supplies and all the clothes.

• “It depends on the space. If it’s just chaos where it’s a dumping zone and things from all rooms end up there, you tackle that differently as you don’t know what each box has. If you

have a set receptacle for all clothes go in this bin, then you deal with them once they’re sorted. Make piles of like items that go into each space.

• “If you don’t know what it’s for, why are you keeping it? Unless it’s a priceless antique, it’s time to let it go. A lot of people have trouble letting go because they say, ‘What if next year, I need it?’

• “Electronics you can recycle, even if they’re broken. Goodwill is in partnership with Dell. They won’t take certain things like dehumidifiers or old tube TVs. Those have to go to Ecopark. At least it stays out of the landfill.

• “Keep the things you love and use. Some things we use but don’t love. You need it. Get rid of the rest and don’t look at it as throwing it out. You’re giving it new life. Someone else can enjoy it. Now it will be their favorite thing. Once you’ve gotten rid of what you don’t need, organize it. Categorize it. Have a place for everything. That way it’s easy to find when you’re looking for it and easy to put back.”

“I feel really good being here. It’s a family. That’s important to me.”

~ Kathy Crelot

“These people all seem to appreciate life. They get up in the morning and they’re raring to go!”

~ Sandy Reed, shown with husband Tim

DS+CO team winning big at the American Advertising Awards. Mark Stone is in the far right.

Staying Relevant

A boomer (Mark Stone) is still making a difference in a business (Dixon Schwabl ) dominated by young professionals

By Lynette M Loomis

Marketing is an industry in which “youth is in” and “mature is out.”

You hear it all the time. Someone turns 50 and suddenly their position is eliminated due to payroll cuts, contract workers and ageism.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 70.2% of marketers are between the ages of 26 and 45.

Mark Stone, 56, defies the odds.

As chief creative officer for Dixon Schwabl + Co., a highly respected marketing and advertising agency, Stone has remained relevant by maintaining a relentless level of curiosity, leaning into technology instead of running from it and by practicing servant leadership.

While he still dabbles in the work and occasionally even gets very hands on with it, he has successfully moved from “doing the everyday work” to

“leading by lifting others up.”

He began his journey as a professional creative at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, then moved to various agencies in Michigan, California and New York. As an art director, he created concepts and guided the visual aspects of advertising campaigns, making sure those elements resonated with the end viewer or listener.

His successes brought him to DS+CO. The transition from doing creative work to leading a creative team is not something that is taught. It relies on using his 25 years of experience in the industry as well as remaining open-minded to the ever-changing ways people like to communicate and receive information. One of his main responsibilities is figuring out what the team needs and building the culture and environment that nurtures the best

creative work possible.

“Advertising is generally an egodriven business and we’ve worked hard to surround ourselves with people who are free of that mentality. Those are the type of people who energize me and who I show up for every day. At the same time, there’s a competitive spirit that challenges us all to do our very best work,” he said. “I’ll often see creative work that was made by another agency that I wish we did. You’re happy for them that it’s so smart, or strategic or beautiful and that motivates me to only want to dig deeper to level up whatever we’re working on. It’s on me to help inspire the team to embrace that competitive mindset and balance it with a level of humility that serves our organization.”

One of the things Stone had to tell himself in going from an art director to a creative director and finally as

CCO, is that while he knew how he might do something, it was important to recognize that “that was not the only way to solve a problem.”

His role is not to take over the work of the creative team but to objectively help take it to the highest level possible.

“I’m often coming in later in the process and providing a new point of view. It’s important to create space to listen, then work to remove barriers and clear the path for them to excel. I’m asking; what’s the challenge? What one thing can we do to make it better? Can we simplify? I certainly don’t have all the answers but I’m able to facilitate the collisions of ideas that lead to creative that surprises and delights,” he explained.

Stone said he’s had some great leaders in his career who lifted him up and made him feel safe to take some creative leaps. Mike Schwabl, DS+CO board vice chairman, showed him the value of just going for it even if it felt crazy.

“When you are putting your creative ideas out there for everyone to judge, you are in a vulnerable position. I like to encourage people to go deeper, really push the boundaries, be recklessly creative. It’s much easier to pull someone back a bit when pushing the limits then to push them towards it. We have the best job you can think of. We’re paid to tap into our kindergartener selves and invent ideas that make people feel, think, rethink and ultimately take action,” he said.

How does Stone stay creative and grounded?

He’s an abstract painter. He’s a lover of nature and said that perspective fuels his creativity. He lives in Victor and cycles everywhere. He’s a technology geek and has to have the latest gadget. His volunteerism for Causewave Community Partners is a gratifying way to give back to the community.

“I have the most amazing wife, Michaela, and our Boston Terriers, Ellis and Higgins — they keep me surrounded by love, grounded, humble and definitely never bored,” he said. “I’m sure all that adds up to how the things you surround yourself with can underpin your drive to still love your work at any age. How awesome is that?”

Mark Stone’s Tips to Stay on Top

• Be honest with yourself. Can you let go? Be egoless?

• Take pleasure in deflecting the limelight and giving credit to others.

• Find the nuggets in their work and then tap into your years of experience to help it shine.

• Be passionate about lifting team members up.

• Develop ways to get to know, motivate and support your team who work remotely. They have a lot of options as to where they chose to work so make your place irresistible.

• Find ways to build culture by designing time to come together.

• Listen 80% of the time and talk maybe 10% of the time with another 10% offering ideas and wisdom.

• Be passionate about helping others.

• Recognize the work-life balance young workers expect and help maintain it.

• Stay current. Stay curious. Read and listen to everything, especially things that are outside of your comfort level or experience. You’re never too old to learn something new.

• Remain grounded and find your own creative outlets to get your personal needs for acknowledgement met.

Mark with Ellis and Higgins.

visits

FOOD YOU’LL FIND AROUND THE THRUWAY

There are plenty of stops along the Thruway to satisfy

all tastes

By Chris Clemens

Back when traveling the New York State Thruway meant always needing exact change and keeping track of your ticket, hopping off an exit for a quick stop wasn’t quite as appealing.

Since the state has gone entirely electronic with the toll system, merely hopping off here and there mid-trip is a breeze.

In fact, hopping off for a bathroom break or a bite to eat is probably even more advantageous than stopping at a rest stop.

Without a guide though, it can be tough to know which exits will have an ideal stop right off the exit.

Between Albany and Buffalo, there are a number of spots where you can dismount and find a unique spot within just five minutes of the exit.

Just east of the city of Buffalo you’ll find the exit for Transit Road (Route 78), which is the regular exit for the Buffalo Airport.

Route 78 runs north and south and just north of the Thruway is a

long stretch of commerce with big box stores like Starbucks and Home Depot. In that first mile north though you’ll also find a Western New York hot dog joint called Ted’s. Locals know it’s one of the best spots for a charcoal grilled hot dog and a loganberry soda. Mighty Taco is a Buffalo-based Mexican fast-food eatery intended to rival the mighty Taco Bell. Even closer to the Thruway on the southside is a newer Anchor Bar location — the famed home of the original Buffalo chicken wing. Within one mile of this exit you can stop and eat and three classic Buffalo eateries that are all locally owned and celebrated!

The next city exit is Batavia, home of the Batavia Downs race track. Most would be a bit surprised to learn that Batavia is home to some of the best Mexican fare in Western New York! Senor Leon Mexico Restaurant’s is just a couple minutes from the exit offering table service and a full bar menu. Los Compadres Mexican Taqueria is a few minutes in the other direction. This

spot is more of a casual taco joint, so if you’re looking for a faster meal this will get you back on track quick.

Once you hit Seneca County, you’ve got an option at the Waterloo exit in the Del Lago Resort and Casino This might not be a super fast stop, but their buffet might be worth spending a few extra minutes.

Further east you’ll come to Syracuse and the Thruway goes practically right through the city. For a quick bite though, consider Heid’s of Liverpool just west of the city. Heid’s is a historic drive-in style hot dog stand serving the local Hoffman brand — plus they’ve also got an ice cream stand attached!

Utica is another city that the Thruway intersects, meaning there is a lot of options right next to the exit. This is a city known for both Italian fare like Utica Greens and tomato pie, but also for having a wide-range of international cuisine.

According to The Center, a resource for refugees in the Mohawk Valley,

about 60,000 residents are refugees from countries like Bosnia, Myanmar, Tobago, Ecuador and many others. The refugee population accounts for about one quarter of the total city’s population.

As a result, there are unique cafes, markets and restaurants from many places around the world. Utica is also home to O'scugnizzo Pizzeria, claiming the famed status of being the second oldest pizzeria in the entire United States. Their pizza is not only historic, but fairly unique in its composition. O’scugnizzo will place toppings like pepperoni and sauage and pepper down first, then the cheese and then the sauce.

Heading further in the direction toward Albany, you’ll run into Herkimer — made famous by its Herkimer Diamond mines. The gems aren’t actual diamonds, but the unique crystals found in the rock formations near here have gem hounds driving from hours away. They’ll tell you the best spot to eat is Crazy Otto’s Empire

Diner. It’s a classic diner style menu served up in what looks like a vintagethemed diner, but the appearance is legitimate. Crazy Otto’s has been a favorite since it opened in the 1950s.

If you’re still driving and have made it to Schenectady, you find a quick and classic burger at Jumpin’ Jack’s Drive-In in Scotia. This historic Upstate gem started in the 1970s as an ice cream stand, but has since grown into a favorite spot for a summer meal. Their Jackburger is a specialty that locals crave all winter long. A sesame bun holds two patties, one with melted cheese and one with coleslaw, each separated by a bottom bun to create a double-decker of sorts.

Just east of Schenectady will put you in Albany — the capital of the Empire State. The Thruway goes right through the city here, so nearly every exit will give you an opportunity to find something. The Gateway Diner on Central Ave. is a solid choice for a longtime, classic menu and Greek fare. With each exit offering something

slightly different in terms of opportunity, the entire Thruway becomes somewhat of a storybook about these regions.

You’ll pass through Western New York, the Finger Lakes, Central New York, the Mohawk Valley and the Capital Region.

With a unique culture and history each their own, you’d well to explore by hopping off the thruway and not only support small, locally owned businesses, but to experience a quick glimpse at what these regions have to offer.

Chris Clemens was born, raised and still lives in Rochester. With a penchant for exploring his own backyard, he has used words and digital media to tell the stories of Upstate New York that he’s discovered on the road.

addyman’s corner

By John Addyman Email: john.addyman@yahoo.com

Unusual Things

Do unusual things happen to you?

When I was 17, I was lying in bed, feeling deeply sorry for my friend, Skip, whose dad had just died.

Skip was taking it very hard.

I was disturbed for my friend and I was kind of talking to his dad’s spirit, trying to tell Skip’s dad how much Skip loved him, even though Mr. Smith was a very stern man.

It was really late at night and I had spent part of the day with Skip, so his feelings were very much in my mind. And I was saying, quietly but out loud, “I wish I could tell you, Mr. Smith, how much Skip loves you.”

And then it happened.

I heard it clear as day — the sound of someone coming up the dark stairs of our house, toward my room. I heard the sound your ankle makes when it snaps a little. I knew my parents and my sisters were sound asleep in their beds.

And I knew who was coming up the stairs for a talk with me.

“Oooooooooh,” I said to myself.

me.

I was 17 years old and I sprinted to my parents’ bedroom at the other end of the upstairs hall, burst in and woke up my dad.

“Who is coming up the stairs?” my dad asked me groggily. I insisted I had correctly assessed the situation. He left me at the side of his bed, went out into the hall, into my room, down the stairs and through the dark house and came back upstairs. He explained that I had been dreaming.

I insisted I was totally and completely awake.

“Are you going to be able to go back to bed and go to sleep?” he asked me.

I was shaking my head vigorously and wordlessly in the dark. After a few seconds of my paralytic speech, he’d made up his mind.

“Let’s go,” he said. He gently led me back to my bed, lay me down in it and got in next to me — protecting me from Mr. Smith for the rest of the night.

To this day, I am certain that was the spirit of Mr. Smith — noisy ankle and all — coming up those stairs.

Move ahead 10 years and I’m a guidance counselor at a middle school in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The PTO had a great idea, a “skill fair” fundraiser where people would demonstrate their special skills. The venue was our round cafeteria that had a stage in the middle.

I had just finished two books on Tarot cards and had bought a set of them, after seeing them used in a movie. My contribution was that I’d read Tarot for someone, priced at one ticket. And I had takers.

The third person I read for, a woman, was stunned at what I told her the cards told me. Seemed I hit dead center on things that were going on in her life, though I didn’t know her at all. Just when I was swelling with a little confidence on what I was doing, she stunned me.

“Could I make an appointment with you to do this again?” she asked. I never expected that. I couldn’t tell her she was dealing with a rank

As much as I wanted to talk to Mr. Smith to tell him about Skip, I wasn’t ready for a dead guy to sit down bedside with

amateur — she’d just paid me one ticket for the reading. And I didn’t want to lie to her either or lead her down a path. Her reaction to the reading upset me a little — maybe I was better than I knew. Maybe I had a gift.

And maybe I was full of crap. Somehow, I got her to accept that I did Tarot readings only occasionally and didn’t want to get into a regular schedule.

She left me her name and phone number anyway, just in case.

Two years passed. I was working as a sports writer in the now-defunct “Coatesville Record” newspaper in Pennsylvania. It was a Friday night. I had covered a basketball game a good distance away. I was totally alone in the newsroom writing my story and doing my stats.

And something caught my eye. The newsroom was on the second floor, accessible by steps in the front and the very back of a long row building. My desk was literally atop the stairs — if someone came up the stairs, I could see the back of their head as they climbed. What caught my eye wasn’t on the steps. It was someone coming from the back hallway, which was only half-lit because I was the only person in the building and the back door locked automatically. I was sure I was alone in the building.

But this guy walked in. He never looked at me and I can’t remember seeing his face. What was clear was that he had on a Revolutionary War Continental Army uniform and was carrying a long rifle. He didn’t say a word and neither did I. He came out of the hallway that led to the back of the building, back where the composing area was where we put the paper together.

He walked right up to the only door on that side of the building — to the darkroom. It was locked. I know it was locked because I locked it.

So, he opened the door without effort and looked inside. Then he carefully closed the door, turned around and walked straight down the hall toward the back of the building. Apparently he didn’t see what he was looking for.

I jumped out of my desk — after a moment to compose myself and suppressing a scream — and followed him. He was, of course, gone. He would have literally had to fly to evade

me. I got to the back door at the back of the building, on the ground floor. It was still locked.

Then came the night of Sept. 26, 2024, my latest big birthday with a zero on the end. My wife and I were sound asleep 56 minutes ago as I write this.

And an alarm went off.

We have an old house, built in 1927. It has two fire alarm systems, one of which no one has been able to explain to me. When it goes off, it sounds like a bell you hear when the water level in something is wrong — like an old boat. The system kind of rings.

At 2:13 a.m., that’s the sound I heard. That ringing. It was a short blast.

My wife, of course, was completely sound asleep. She’s accustomed, after many years, to letting me go check the bats who come to visit and the smoke alarms that go off and the funny noises the ground hog and raccoons make out in the yard…stuff like that.

I was sure the sound had come from somewhere inside the wall. We’d had work done on installing a shower in our old bathroom on the other side of our bedroom wall and I thought something might be amiss there. I listened for the alarm to go off again so I could locate it.

Quickly walking around the house, I couldn’t find the source of the alarm. I didn’t smell any smoke. I opened windows to check if I had heard something coming from next door, but all was quiet. The alarm had sounded just like the old system does when it goes off — which it has done once in the 16 years we’ve lived in Newark. Thankfully there was no fire.

Finally, I went back to bed and all of these thoughts were running around in my brain while I stared at the ceiling. So, I got up and wrote this, figuring someone might explain it to me after they’d read it.

Then, nestling back into my wife’s company under the covers, the alarm went off again. Right in my face. And it lit up this time.

It was my wife’s Fitbit on her wrist, the device she uses to measure her steps during the day and how well she’s slept.

What it didn’t measure tonight was how much it scared the crap out of her husband.

Q. As the chief human resources officer at UR Medicine’s Highland Hospital, you must be fairly busy. Why take on the additional job of chairing St. Ann’s Community’s board of directors?

A. It was an opportunity to take my volunteering at St. Ann’s to the next level, and continue to do great work supporting St. Ann’s leadership and advocating for seniors. It’s a growing population, and the needs are great. It’s a logical next step.

Q. What do you want to accomplish as chairwoman, say, in the next five years or so?

A. The landscape of senior needs and senior care is changing, has changed dramatically and will continue to change dramatically. Really, what I’d like to see us accomplish as a board is continue to support St. Ann’s senior leadership in meeting not only the current needs of our seniors in the Greater Rochester area, but also position ourselves to meet the future needs. In the next five-and-a-half years, all baby boomers will be over 65. One in every five Americans in five years will be retirement age, and in 10 years older adults will outnumber children for the first time in history. On top of that, baby boomers now have a greater number of chronic health conditions than previous generations. So, this landscape is changing dramatically, and it’s organizations like St. Ann's that really need solid strategic plans to really meet the needs of the future.

Q. Can you give the readers an example of a solid strategic plan for St. Ann’s?

By Mike Costanza

Cheryl Ryan, 60

The newly appointed chairwoman of St. Ann’s Community’s board of directors talks about new position

A. I think baby boomers will have a different set of expectations of, say, independent living communities. They will have different expectations than their parents and their grandparents had. I think, again, the potential for more chronic conditions will increase the need for other types of care like assisted living, memory care and aging in the home. There needs to be an understanding of where the market is going and ensure that we can help meet the demands of the new market.

Q. Are there specific challenges that you want to take on, or that you want the board to take on?

A. An area that remains a priority for our board members is advocacy for seniors with our state officials. We need to do our part in ensuring quality longterm care is accessible and sustainable. The fewer number of nursing home beds across the state is honestly visible each day, as a patient’s discharge from a hospital can be delayed due to the lack of capacity in the area nursing homes. This isn’t just a “nursing home problem.” This is a senior care issue that has implications across the health care continuum.

Q. Are there parts of your background that you believe have prepared you for your role as chair?

A. I think I have maybe a rather a unique kind of journey or path to this role. I grew up quite literally down the road from St. Ann’s. It was a cornerstone of the neighborhood, and even as a child I was aware of the great reputation for nursing care provided

at St. Ann’s. When I received the call for potential board membership 30-some years later, I jumped at the chance. Specifically, the CEO and the board at that time recognized that the makeup of the board was thin on HR experience, knowledge and skills. When I was voted onto the board, and subsequently took over the HR committee chair role, I never imagined that I would be voted in as chair 24 years later.

Q. Have conditions changed in the field of health care since you joined St. Ann’s board of directors?

A. I will say that over the years, the workforce dynamics in health care, and even specifically in long-term care, have shifted dramatically. It’s no secret that there is a nursing shortage. There’s shortages in several areas of health care now, and the overall tight labor market is just exacerbated. That’s very different from what we saw in the workforce dynamics, particularly in health care, 25-30 years ago. So, I really do believe that my ability to bring an HR perspective to the board discussions helped us navigate through the most challenging times in recruiting and retaining a world class workforce at St. Ann’s. Finally, just one last point I would make is having been through the process with my sister of helping our parents sell their home and move into a senior independent living community, at St. Ann’s of course, gives me firsthand knowledge of the journey for all involved in this critical transition.

55 Plus of Rochester #90: November - December 2024

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