55 Plus of Rochester, #25: January – February 2014 by 55 Plus: For Active Adults in Rochester

How Divorce Can Affect Your Social Security Benefit

Jim Terwilliger — Roth IRAs: A Really Good Deal!

PLUS 25 Issue 25 January / February 2014

For Active Adults in the Rochester Area

Investing

Local planners discuss best ways to invest in 2014

Job Interviews They have changed so much Are you ready?

Geriatricians Doctors share secrets to health and long life

There are many tricky jobs out there. ‘My adventures in employment’

Passionate About Public Service

Ellen Polimeni celebrating nearly 40 years of public service, the last 22 as mayor of Canandaigua

Financial Workshops

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January / February 2014 - 55 PLUS 3 Member FINRA/SIPC

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CONTENTS

Got a story idea? editor@roc55.com

55 PLUS

January / February 2014

PLUS 26

12 18

28 Savvy Senior 6 12 RELATIONS JOB MARKET Real Estate 8 • Job interviews have changed a great • Study: Divorce rate among adults Financial Health 10

deal. Are you ready for them?

14 My Turn 16 TRENDS Visits 40

• Adventures in employment—there are many trick jobs out there

Gill Petri, a former Pittsford teacher gets an observation deck named after him.

30 ADVICE

• Personal life planner guides seniors into the next phase

18 CRAFTSMAN

32 NEST EGG

20 COVER

34 HEALTHCARE

• Local man carves indelible niche with unique musical creations

42 Q&A

50 and older doubled

• Canandaigua Mayor Ellen Polimeni reflects on nearly 40 years of public service

26 RELATIONS

• Older adults face new challenges mingling with singles

• Planning for retirement in turbulent times

• Geriatricians share their secrets

36 GIVING

• Working with children delights retirees

January / February 2014 - 55 PLUS

savvy senior By Jim Miller

How Divorce Can Affect Your Social Security

ou’ll be happy to know that for the most part, Social Security provides divorced spouses benefits just like they do spouses, if you meet the government’s requirements. Here’s how it works. A divorced spouse can collect a Social Security retirement benefit on the work record of their ex-husband (or ex-wife) if they are at least age 62, were married for at least 10 years, are unmarried now, and are not eligible for a higher benefit based on their own work record. In order to collect, however, your former spouse must also be at least 62 and eligible for Social Security benefits, and you must have been divorced for at least two years. But he doesn’t have to be receiving them in order for you to collect divorced spouse’s benefits. Even if your ex is remarried, it won’t affect your right to divorcee benefits, nor will it affect your ex’s retirement benefits or his current spouse’s benefits.

Getting Remarried Since three-quarters of U.S. divorcees get married again, it’s also important to understand that remarrying makes you ineligible for divorced spouse’s beneﬁts unless the later marriage ends. And, for those who have been married and divorced twice, with both marriages lasting more than 10 years, you can collect using the ex-spouse with the larger Social Security beneﬁt.

Divorced Survivor

Benefit Amount A divorced spouse can receive up to 50 percent of their ex’s full Social Security benefit or less if they take benefits before their full retirement age — which is 66 if you were born between 1943 and 1954. To find out your full-retirement age and see how much your benefits will be reduced by taking them early see ssa.gov/retire2/ agereduction.htm. Keep in mind though, that if you qualify for benefits based on your own work history, you’ll receive the larger of the two benefits. You cannot receive benefits on both your own record, and your ex’s work record too. To find out your retirement benefits based on your own earnings history, see your Social Security statement at ssa.gov/myaccount. And to get an estimate of your divorced spouse benefit, call Social Security at 800772-1213. You’ll need your ex’s Social Security number to get it.

Being divorced also offers some switching strategies that can help boost your benefits. For working divorced spouses, there’s an option that lets you file a “restricted” application with Social Security (at full retirement age) to collect a divorced spousal benefit, which is half of what your ex gets. Then, once you reach 70, you stop receiving the ex-spousal benefit and switch to your own benefit, which will be 32 percent higher than it would have been at your full retirement age. Divorced widows (and widowers) have even more options. If you are collecting Social Security retirement benefits on your own record, and your ex-spouse dies, you can switch to survivor’s benefits if the payment is larger. Or, if you’re collecting survivor’s benefits, you can switch to your own retirement benefits — between 62 and 70 — if it offers a larger payment.

55 PLUS - January / February 2014

Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto

Associate Editor

You also need to know that if your ex-spouse dies, and you were married for 10 or more years, you become eligible for divorced “survivor beneﬁts,” which is worth up to 100 percent of what your ex-spouse was due. Survivor’s beneﬁts are available to divorced spouses as early as age 60 (50 if you’re disabled). But, if you remarry before 60 you become ineligible unless the marriage ends. Remarrying after age 60 will not affect your eligibility.

55PLUS

Switching Strategies

Lou Sorendo

Contributing Writers

Deborah J. Sergeant, Ernst Lamothe Jr. Deborah Graf, Mike Costanza Avery Galek

Columnists

Jim Terwilliger, Susan Suben Jim Miller, Cindy Blair, Andy Roberts Bruce Frassinelli, Laura Thompson

Advertising

Donna Kimbrell, Amber Dwyer H. Mat Adams

Ofﬁce Manager

Laura J. Beckwith

Layout and Design Chris Crocker

Cover Photo

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

Health in good

Rochester–Genesee Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper

Mailing Address PO Box 525 Victor, NY 14564 Subscription: $15 a year © 2014 by 55 PLUS – A Magazine for Active Adults in the Rochester Area. No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher. Third class postage paid at Syracuse, NY. Permit Number: 3071

How to Reach Us P.O. Box 525 Victor, NY 14564 Voice: 585-421-8109 Fax: 585-421-8129 Editor@roc55.com

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A Legacy of Love for Your Community, Annual Payments for You.

The Salvation Army Charitable Gift Annuity provides you with a degree of financial stability while assuring that your concern for others will be your legacy. Here are some representative “one life” rates:*

Here’s How it Works:

You receive a tax deduction for the charitable portion of the gift. You receive fixed annual payments for life, a portion of which may be tax free. The rate is determined by your age. The older you are, the larger the payment. You can enact a Charitable Gift Annuity for yourself OR for yourself and another loved one. Payments continue until the death of the last annuitant. The payment rate is locked in at the time the annuity contract takes effect and NEVER CHANGES!

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*The Salvation Army adopts annuity rates recommended by The American Council on Gift Annuities

For Free and Conﬁdential Information or a personal illustration contact: John P. Gleason CFRE - Director of Gift Planning for The Salvation Army Phone: 888-434-1391 Email: John.Gleason@USE.SalvationArmy.Org January / February 2014 - 55 PLUS

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55 PLUS - January / February 2014

aving just turned 55 this past summer, I am now reflecting as a seasoned member of the Brighton baby boomer community. Having been born and raised here has given me a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the residential and commercial community. I’ve been able to share this knowledge with my real estate clients over the past 18 years. I marvel about how the town has evolved and grown over the years, yet retains its unique community ambiance. Established in 1814, Brighton is one of the oldest towns in Monroe County. Named after Brighton, England, it functioned as a farming and brick community until the 20th century, when the town entered its revitalization into what is now recognized as an upscale suburban residential area. 2014 marks the Brighton bicentennial celebration, with monthly events highlighting the rich and varied history of the town. Special events include an arts festival, a harvest celebration in early fall, and an interfaith ceremony celebrating the rich religious diversity in the Town of Brighton. An annual highlight is the popular 4th of July festivities at Meridian Centre Park. This includes a 5K race, amusement rides as well as food and entertainment, with ﬁreworks capping off the days events. Additional information about monthly events celebrating the bicentennial can be found at www.Brighton200.org. Due to its central location, Brighton is considered the nucleus of Monroe County and offers easy access to downtown Rochester and surrounding suburbs. Defined by diverse architecture and neighborhoods alike, one can ﬁnd single family homes, condominiums/townhomes as well as apartment living. Average travel time to work is a mere 15 minutes, as compared to a statewide average of 30-plus minutes.

Residents seem to remain in their Brighton homes longer, and their children tend to return home due to the enhanced quality of life and nationally ranked educational systems, which include Brighton Central Schools and local universities. 2010 census data shows that over 42 percent of the 36,600-plus population is over 45 years of age, and 17.5 percent over 65 years of age. The senior center, located at 200 Idlewood Drive, offers various programs for both young and old. The farmers market is held here, occurring on Sundays between 1–5 p.m. through the winter months. With the advent of good weather, the farmers market moves outdoors to the Brighton High School parking lot. Brighton’s strength is its diversity and strong sense of community. The extensive infrastructure of sidewalks a n d s t re e t l i g h t s c o n n e c t s t h e neighborhoods and residents, which enhances quality of life and family ties. Going into the next century, Brighton continues to evolve and grow. The Monroe Avenue Green Innovation Grant Program (GIGP) is an effort to update the Monroe Avenue corridor to improve storm water management, as well as support sustainable green infrastructure. This effort can provide significant and palpable ecological, economic and social beneﬁts supporting the desired quality of life in this vibrant town. If there is one thing for certain, it is that Brighton’s past has set a strong foundation for its continued success going into the future. Cindy Blair is a real estate salesperson at Magellan®, Inc. Real Estate and Relocation located on Monroe Avenue in Brighton. She has 18 years of experience serving the Rochester and New York City real estate markets. For more information, contact her at CindyBlair@1Magellan.com, or 585802-8022

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financial health By Jim Terwilliger

Roth IRAs: A Really Good Deal!

t’s no secret that I like Roth IRAs — a lot. The Roth IRA was established by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 and named for its chief legislative sponsor, Sen. William Roth of Delaware. It is one of the most beneﬁcial gifts ever bestowed by Congress upon the American taxpayer. Yet many folks are not familiar with its features and, as a result, do not take advantage of its beneﬁts. Roth IRAs generally are funded during one’s working years by making annual contributions. The 2014 maximum IRA contribution is unchanged from last year — $5,500 plus $1,000 “catch-up” for taxpayers aged 50 or older. Contributions can only be made in a given year by workers who have W-2 or net selfemployment earned income equal to or greater than the contribution. Spouses of workers may also contribute. The maximum annual contribution can be allocated in any ratio between traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs. The primary difference between the two is that Roth IRAs are funded with after-tax dollars. Further, Roth IRAs are tax-free accounts. No income tax will ever be paid on the money in the account, provided that certain conditions are met. Traditional IRAs generally are funded with pre-tax money. Such contributions are tax-deductible in the year of the contribution. When withdrawn in retirement, distributions are then taxed. More recently, Congress allowed employers to offer Roth 401(k)s in addition to traditional 401(k)s. As with IRAs, the former is funded with after-tax money and the latter with pre-tax money. The 2014 maximum contribution into a Roth 401(k) is $17,500 with $5,500 “catch-up.” The conventional wisdom is that 10

55 PLUS - January / February 2014

people who expect to face the same or higher tax rates during their retirement years should direct as much money as possible into Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k)s, if employer plans allow the latter. But none of us has a crystal ball to know what Congress and NYS are going to do with tax rates. Also, this guidance may discourage those who believe their tax rates may be lower in retirement from building a strong Roth position. My recommendation usually goes beyond the tax-rate criterion. It is my judgment that folks saving for retirement should focus on the ﬁrst two of the following types of assets: • After-tax — savings, CDs, investment accounts • Tax-free — Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k)s • Pre-tax — traditional IRAs and 401(k)s Why emphasize the building of after-tax and tax-free assets vs. pretax? At retirement, the retiree will have significantly more spending power with, say, $500,000 in a combination of after-tax and tax-free accounts vs. $500,000 in pre-tax accounts. Accordingly, my recommended order of preference for working folks saving for retirement is: First, max out traditional 401(k) contributions annually to the level of any employer match; second, max out Roth IRA c o n t r i b u t i o n s ; t h i rd , c o n s i d e r contributing to a Roth 401(k), if available; and fourth, direct any remaining savings primarily to aftertax accounts. The only advantage, in my view, for building pre-tax assets is the tax deduction at the time of contribution. But if one is saving for retirement, why not maximize the spending power of the money at retirement vs. beneﬁtting from a tax deduction now for the same

number of dollars set aside during one’s working years? There is an issue for high earners. While they can contribute annually to employer Roth 401(k) plans if available, regardless of income, high earners cannot make Roth IRA contributions this year if their 2014 modiﬁed adjusted gross income exceeds $129,000 for unmarried taxpayers or $191,000 for married taxpayers. But there is a workaround if high income prevents you from making Roth IRA contributions. First, make a non-deductible (after-tax) contribution to a traditional IRA. There is no income restriction. Next, immediately convert the nondeductible traditional IRA balance into Roth status. Since the non-deductible contribution is after-tax money, there will be no income tax owed on the conversion, and your money is now in a Roth IRA. There are three watch-outs: 1) you must have earned income; 2) you must be under age 70 -1/2; and 3) if you have one or more existing traditional IRAs containing pre-tax money, converting the new non-deductible traditional IRA into Roth status will not be taxfree. This article does not address the wisdom of converting pre-tax IRAs and traditional 401(s) into Roth IRAs. That is another topic for another day. As always, be sure to consult with a trusted financial planner and tax adviser to map out a Roth strategy that works best for your circumstances. James Terwilliger, CFP®, is Senior Vice President, Financial Planning Manager, Wealth Strategies Group, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Company. He can be reached at 585-419-0670 ext. 50630 or by email at jterwilliger@cnbank.com.

Social Security

Q&A

Q: What’s the average monthly Social Security beneﬁt for a retired worker? How is the retirement beneﬁt amount calculated?

. The current average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker is $1,294. Social Security benefits are based on earnings averaged over most of a worker ’s lifetime. Your actual earnings are first adjusted or “indexed” to account for changes in average wages since the year the earnings were received. We calculate your average monthly indexed earnings during the 35 years in which you earned the most. We apply a formula to these earnings and arrive at your basic benefit amount.

Q: I am nearing my full retirement age, but I plan to keep working after I apply for Social Security beneﬁts. Will my beneﬁts be reduced because of my income?

: No. If you start receiving benefits after you’ve reached your full retirement age, you can work while you receive Social Security and your current benefit will not be reduced because of the earned income. If you keep working, it could mean a higher benefit for you in the future. Higher benefits can be important to you later in life and increase the future benefit amounts your survivors could receive. If you begin receiving benefits before your full retirement age, your earnings could reduce your monthly benefit amount. After you reach full retirement age, we recalculate your benefit amount to leave out the months when we reduced or withheld benefits due to your excess earnings. Learn more about Social Security reading our publication, How Work Affects Your Benefits, at www.socialsecurity. gov/pubs/10069.html.

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55+

jobs

Job Market Job interviews have changed big time. Are you ready for them? By Mike Costanza

he job interview just isn’t what it used to be. “It’s changed dramatically for everyone of all ages,” says Ann Marie Walker, a workshop specialist at RochesterWorks! a local nonprofit that provides employment assistance and workforce development. Older job seekers — particularly those who are re-entering the job market after a long absence, may find those changes a bit hard to fathom. 55 Plus magazine recently turned to Walker and other employment specialists for a few tips that could make an older job candidate’s next interview go well. To begin with, job candidates need to bear in mind that the focus of the interview process has shifted in recent years. “The ones before were focused more on skills — what skills you have, what you can do,” says Tracey Aiello, founder of the career coaching firm Winning Career Strategies. “Today, if you want to get a job, you need to go a step furhter.” To stand out in the pack, a job candidate needs to go beyond a relatively simple description of his or her work skills to show how those skills Walker have benefited a company in the past. “You really have to speak to how you’ve made a difference using those skills and experiences, how companies became more successful,” Walker explains. 12

55 PLUS - January / February 2014

From there, the candidate may be asked to show how those skills could be put to use for the company at which he or she is applying for a position. Oftentimes, interviewers put their questions in behavioral terms. “It’s more story-based, giving more information than giving yesor-no answers,” Walker explains. For example, instead of asking whether the interviewee has given PowerPoint presentations, the interviewer might ask for a much more detailed picture of the person’s experiences. “What they might ask you is, ‘Could you give me a time when you were very effective in giving information to an audience?’” she says. Walker strongly suggests interviewees have true stories on hand to answer such questions. Called “SCAR” stories, each one would contain a situation the interviewee encountered, the challenge it presented, the actions the interviewee took to overcome the challenge, and the positive result that came from those actions. Knowledge of the company, gained through research, could help the interviewee select stories that would illustrate how useful he or she could be to the company if hired. The eagerness to put such skills to use for the company would deﬁnitely be a plus. “If I focus more on what I can do for the company, versus more on the job, I’m going to be much more successful at getting back to work,’” Aiello says.

Demonstrate flexibility As companies look more to accomplish their goals with less in the way of resources, the willingness to wear many hats and grow with the firm is another plus. “Show that you are flexible, that you are motivated to change and to learn, that you are able to work with all different types of people at all ages,” Walker explains. At the same time, a job seeker needs to demonstrate to the interviewer the ability to fit in with the company’s o t h e r workers and its culture. “ T h e more you are like somebody, the more you like s o m e b o d y, ” Aiello

says. “That’s typically how we get hired.” Here again, re s e a rc h c o u l d help the job seeker either to apply to the right companies or to avoid mishaps while interviewing at them. An older man who once managed an office Aiello at Kodak might, for example, feel more comfortable at a company that has a similar sort of button-down culture than a startup with a more laid-back feel. Older job seekers also often need to be able to demonstrate a familiarity with the Internet and its tools in order to be able to fit in at modern companies. A page on LinkedIn, the social networking site for professional people, is essential to demonstrating such skills, and in addition will draw the eyes of potential employers. “That requires having a well-done LinkedIn profile with the proper key words for your particular position with a branding statement,” says Rita Carey, director of the career coaching, management and consulting firm RCM Associates.

Carey recommends job seekers obtain the aid of professionals who know how to craft LinkedIn pages when putting their own pages together. As computers, smart phones and other high-tech devices are more common among younger workers than telephones were back in the 1960s, older job interviewees also need to show that they own — or at least can use — such devices. Aiello even goes so far as to suggest that they ﬁnd some way to indicate they have such devices during job interviews. While mentioning the latest iPhone app might make a person seem tech-savvy, it may take more than high-tech gizmos to change the view an interviewer has of an older interviewee. “Many who do the ﬁrst looks at the responses that come into the company buy into the stereotypical myths,” Carey explains.

Be a myth buster To overcome those myths, the interviewee needs to walk through the door with energy and enthusiasm. Age is to be treated as an asset. “With my age and my experience, you can’t afford not to hire me,” Aiello says, by way of illustration. “I’m going to tell them right up front why I’m going to make a difference in their

Older Workers: Myth vs. Reality Myth: Older workers are more likely to be burned out and less productive than their younger colleagues. Reality: According to a 2009 report from the Sloan Center on Aging & Work, hiring managers gave older employees high marks for loyalty, reliability and productivity. M y t h : O l d e r w o r k e r s a re unequipped to multitask and juggle the technological distractions of the modern ofﬁce. Reality: The cognitive skills that enable us to switch between tasks can be delayed with exercise and training. So a 75-year-old who is smart and active could easily

outperform a 40-year-old couch slouch. Myth: Older workers aren’t as creative as younger workers. Reality: Older workers have been shown to perform well when it comes to organization, writing and problem solving, among other skills — even in cutting-edge ﬁelds like computer science. Source: AARP The Magazine For tips on fielding difficult interview questions, go to: http://www.aarp.org/work/jobhunting/info-07-2008/10_tough_ interview_questions.2.html

Need Help With Your Job Search? For assistance with career issues, or help with a job search, contact: Rochesterworks! 585-258-3500, http://www.rochesterworks. org. Winning Career Strategies 585-402-5284, http://www. winningcareerstrategies.com. RCM Associates, 585- 398-7508, http://www.rcmassociates. com For free job search support and networking opportunities, go to the August Group at: www.augustgroup.org. organization.” At the same time, the interviewee should not focus on age issues. The skills and experience the person brings are much more important than the years spent acquiring them. In particular, don’t even appear to treat someone who is younger as younger in any way — stories about “way back when,” and “when I was your age” are out. Interviewees should also dress in contemporary styles that are appropriate for the company and the position involved, according to Carey. For example, don’t wear a “power suit” if you are going for a middle manager’s position — it may make you look as if you won’t be satisﬁed with the job. Finally, older adults might bear in mind that youth may not be all its cracked up to be when the interview begins. “The issues of being older and having experience are the same issues that our younger workers have that don’t have the experience,” Walker says. “Being open and responsive, being able to be credible, and putting together the right package — both verbally and written — is going to be conducive to landing a job at any age.” Aiello also heads the August Group, a free, nonproﬁt networking organization for job seekers. In that role, he estimates that he has helped as many as 4,500 people 55 and older to realize their career goals — all without charge. January / February 2014 - 55 PLUS

55+

trends

s e r u t Adven

t n e m y o l p m E in A job delivering phone books turns out to be a tricky one By Laura Thompson

t’s not easy out there. The job market is tough, and like many who were laid off during the recent economic meltdown, I’ve been piecing and patchworking my professional life together over these past few years. Sometimes the jobs are less than suitable. A few years ago, ﬁnding myself between writing assignments and other employment, I responded to an ad seeking people to deliver phone directories. I had done this before once some years earlier, and I had found it to be good exercise and even a bit of fun. Why not, I thought. Off I went to apply, and they were delighted with my prior experience in the complicated matter of delivering phone directories. Just what they were looking for, they said, and then they led me through a very speciﬁc set of delivery instructions: Phonebooks standing to the right-not-the-left of the doorway, click the portable GPS 14

55 PLUS - January / February 2014

unit once in front of each and every doorway, deliver every housing unit in my map area, whether or not it was listed, keep careful track of my unreimbursed mileage, and please, please, please, drive in the most logical and gas efﬁcient manner while doing my route. Failure to do any one of these could result in non-payment for the route, or possibly execution at dawn. This was, they assured me, a very serious matter. I had no idea. Plus all those instructions made my head reel and sweat. I was then directed to a parked trailer, where a cranky young woman loaded my car as full as possible with yellow directories, my struts squealing in protest. This cannot be good for my car, I thought, as they handed me a very inaccurate paper map of an area I was familiar with. I drove off squeaking and rocking, those slippery vivid books sliding all around.

During the most scalding days of that summer, I faithfully delivered those shiny yellow directories. To every apartment, every house in my route area, clicking on my GPS in front of each and every doorway so the ofﬁce could catch all the cheaters they thought they might have hired who were not really delivering directories at all, but pitching them in bundles into nearby bushes, which made more and more sense as the days dragged by. Up and down the multiple staircases I trundled, up and down the by’s and ways I drove, my route of 700 deliveries expanded into 7,000, due to their highly inaccurate map. And my questions as to how this would be financially corrected were met with vague reassurances that I would somehow be compensated for the difference in the number of directories the route claimed should be delivered vs. the number of actual addresses I was ﬁnding and delivering to. And

when all was said and done, after five arduous days of labor in that sizzling summer sun, I finally finished that route and they looked at me with a sage and seasoned eye and said, “You’re good at this. We just need to find a way for you to complete your routes faster.” So I explained about the 7,000 vs. 700 deliveries again, and they said that was a very, very good thing, quite desirable really, and just exactly what they wanted. I would be paid extra money for those 6,300 additional directories, but the problem seemed to be that no one knew exactly how much per directory, nor when. This was a question batted about that office, because not one of those 14 company employees knew the actual answer. But they would find that out for me, by golly, yes they would. In the meantime, there were still routes to be done, and since I was so good at this, surely I would do another one? The only part of this story that is to my credit is right here, where I suddenly developed serious mechanical issues with my car which required immediate attention, leaving me without the transportation to do another route for them, alas. (Ha!) And I knew I had made the right decision when five weeks later I received a paycheck for the princely sum of $74.50. One year later, this company called me and asked me to work for them once more. When I stopped laughing, I went through the 7,000 vs. 700 explanation—again. This resulted in another check being mailed to me, for $64.50. So my total take for the delivery of 7,000 directories over the course of five days was a stunning $139, paid out over two years. Which meant that before deducting my gas expenses, I made $18 a day, which is more than some workers in Peru make. The problem being, of course, that I don’t live in Peru and life in this America costs a little more. In my defense let me say that I have no defense and was undoubtedly suffering from heatstroke, which badly affected any judgment I possessed. It’s so easy to take advantage of the 55-plus crowd. If you see an ad touting the benefits of delivering telephone directories, do us all a favor and burn it. Meanwhile, I waddle on, hopeful yet of better employment in this brave new world.

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12/5/13 10:28 AM

my turn

By Bruce Frassinelli Email: bruce@cny55.com

Being Punctual: She is from Venus; I am from Mars

hen it comes to being on time, my wife’s motto seems to be “no worries and no hurries.” On the other hand, being a journalist all of my adult life, I have been chained to deadlines. I set my wristwatch to U.S. Naval Observatory Time. It is accurate to the second. On this issue, there is no getting away from it: She is from Venus; I am from Mars. Or is it the other way around? In the nearly 22 years since we have been married, I have tempered my frustrations with little tricks that have prevented full-scale war between us. Like many of the idiosyncrasies we bring to the table, Marie was a pro in hiding this flaw (my word, not hers) until after we were married, Or maybe I was flying so high that I just didn’t notice it. The first time it became an issue was in 1992, about four months into our marriage, when we were to meet another couple for dinner. As the newly named publisher of The (Oswego) Palladium-Times, I wanted to be punctual since both the husband and wife with whom we were dining were among the community’s elite power brokers, and I wanted us to make a good first impression. I went to the car in our garage, and I sat, and I sat, and I sat. More than 10 minutes passed, but Marie, who I thought was seconds behind me, did not appear. We had about a 15-minute trip to the restaurant, and it was now 10 minutes before our agreed upon meeting time. I got out of the car, returned to the house and found Marie cleaning off the kitchen counter. With angry looks of disapproval, I told her she should get 16

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her priorities straight. She explained to me that her priorities were “perfectly straight” and that “something sticky” on the counter needed to be dealt with before leaving the house, regardless of the social consequences. T h e re w e re s e v e r a l s i m i l a r encounters in the coming months, and, typically, these episodes would degenerate into recriminations with each of us ending up giving the other the silent treatment. In some cases, it would ruin the social occasion for both of us. I wanted to get at the reason for this constant tardiness, but Marie didn’t see it as a big deal. We were late for other events aside from social functions, including Sunday morning Mass, funerals, weddings and appointments. Each would be preceded by my waiting in the car, doing a slow burn, then exploding when she finally showed up — no apology, completely oblivious to the time and my growing agitation. I learned after the ﬁrst eight months of our marriage that I was not going to change her, because, incredibly (my word, not hers), she didn’t think there was a problem. I would need a strategy that would accommodate this ﬂaw (my word, not hers) and, in the process, preserve my sanity. I developed the “We’ll Get There When We Get There” battle plan. I would get ready but not leave the house until she opened the door and went into the garage toward the car. I had the key and when she left, I would lock the door, thus preventing her from remembering something she had not done and re-entering. While waiting for her ultimate exit, I would read a book or the newspaper, watch TV or do something else to kill

time. Marie invariably found little undone chores around the house that could not possibly wait until our return. It worked, and I have continued with this strategy for more than 20 years. We continue to be late for just about everything, but I don’t care, or at least I pretend I don’t. When I have a function or appointment which involves just me, I am always punctual. Yes, I still set my wristwatch to U.S. Naval Observatory Time. Marie is not alone in this “disease” (my word, not hers). Writing in her book, “Time Management from the Inside Out,” Julie Morgenstern says a person’s lateness is “technical,” a function of underestimating how long things take, and not psychological as in “I’ll show you who’s queen.” Morgenstern advises the chronically late to resist the temptation to cram in “just one more thing” by viewing time as we view space. We need to look at an hour as a container into which we can cram just so many activities. She also suggests that for a week we track how long it takes to do tasks associated with getting ready — bladder maintenance, showering, dressing, putting on perfume, etc. — then add 20 percent to this amount of time as a cushion. Writing in her nationally syndicated column, advice goddess Amy Alkon says chronic inconsideration, even when it isn’t intentional, chips away at a relationship. Alkon says we punctualists should explain that if there is “one more thing” she should squeeze in, perhaps it could be the thought of how we feel sitting alone in that car waiting…waiting… waiting.

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craftsman

Precision Instruments A wide variety of guitars and other instruments can be found at Lehmann Stringed Instruments in Rochester.

Craftsman carves indelible niche with unique musical creations By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

aci Peer was searching for someone to restore her vintage Biwa Japanese lute. The short-necked, pearshaped instrument with four to five strings needed refurbishing by a true craftsman because the neck had come loose. She talked with other music lovers and was referred to an out-of-the way shop in the Neighborhood of the Arts area of Rochester off University Avenue. She walked to the second floor of a restored brick building and met Bernard Lehmann, who she described as a knowledgeable, unassuming modest man with an energetic presence. “I walked up the two flights of stairs into guitar heaven,” said Peer, of Rochester. “The quality of the instruments that he has made takes your breath away. They are flawless.” Lehmann Stringed Instruments is a full-service shop. Each crafted 18

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instrument is unique in its wood and decoration. The vintage instruments that leave the shop are guaranteed to be in the best playing condition possible, and Lehmann said attention to detail is his hallmark. Trained by master luthier Owen Shaw in Boston, Lehmann perfected his trade by hand building more than 60 different models of instruments and 400 total custom-made instruments. One of his favorites that he made is a replica 16th century double-stringed Spanish guitar. Steel string guitars are the shop’s specialty, but he isn’t a one-note artist. Throughout his career, he has made a variety of instruments including classical guitars, lutes, vihuelas, rebecs and ﬁddles. He also perfected the mandolin family instruments including octave mandolins, banjo necks, dulcimers and several one-off instruments such as electric guitars

and basses, and guitar telephones. He prides himself in making a guitar that will be both a pleasure to play and ﬁt the customer’s particular needs. It all started with being unmotivated and unchallenged in college. Lehmann joked that he graduated from Syracuse University with a degree that could only have been possible in the tumultuous but adventurous ‘60s: experimental design. But he went to college with a different career in mind. He went into Syracuse looking at industrial design, taking basic painting, drawing and art classes. But he found the major too stiﬂing and rigid. “It didn’t allow me to be creative and produce the type of art form that I knew I would be attracted to,” said Lehmann, 64. “I would call it a forced revelation. I just combined what I was good at, which was making things with my love of music, and experimental

design came out of it. You don’t always have to follow an exact straight line path in life to reach your goal.” After graduating in 1971, he worked in Boston. Six years later, he came back to his hometown in Rochester and leased an industrial space at 34 Elton St., where he still remains today. Back then the neighborhood was industrial and factory-heavy, but he enjoyed his studio having high ceilings and natural light entering both the main shop and his workspace. Today, the neighborhood has more of an art vibe. “The neighborhood ﬁnally caught up to me,” he said with a smile. “It’s a wonderful artistic environment that I am happy to be a part of.” When walking up the stairs to his shop, you can sometimes hear him playing one of his many instruments. Then you walk in and an assortment of string instruments catches the eye in every corner of the room. Growing up in a household where music was center stage, he learned an appreciation for the arts. In high school, he played in a folk-style band in the image of artists like Peter, Paul and Mary. “My father was a trumpet player and he brought his ukulele with him when we went camping,” said Lehmann.

unique. Finally, he makes the neck and attaches it to the body. The mission is to design an instrument that satisfies a client’s particular musical need and construct a beautiful and lasting example of the luthier’s art. It takes at least 100 hours to finish a typical guitar. He tells customers they should expect six months before the instrument is completed. “I once tried to do a guitar in a week and got it done. I worked on it all day, barely ate and didn’t answer the phone,” said Lehmann. “I won’t do that again.” Peer said when she first talked to him about repairing or buying a new Japanese lute, he was open to taking a look at the instrument and doing what he could. “Bernie greeted me with a million dollar smile and could not have been friendlier,” said Peer. She went to his shop and they had a wonderful conversation about oriental instruments. All around the

studio there were hand made, finely crafted instruments. He showed her a recent reproduction of an ancient instrument he made, which he was donating to the Memorial Art Gallery for the Renaissance Music Collection. She marveled at his knowledge and lost the time just talking about their passion, which is music. “Who knew you can attend college to get a degree to make instruments?” asked Peer. In his spare time, Lehmann still dabbles in art. His studio is filled with original landscape paintings of lakes, flowers and wilderness scenes. But his first love remains being a craftsman. “I thought I would be making guitars for 10 years and then get bored and move on to something else,” said Lehmann. “But design is so complex that you can’t learn everything in a lifetime. I want to advance the art and not just make what has already been done.”

Honing his craft Lehmann starts the process of making an instrument by ﬁnding out what the customer wants and what kind of music they are hoping to play with their new creation. Then he asks them if they plan on just playing the instrument for recreation or are they musicians who have plans to play on stage. The response determines what kind of sound he will create for the instrument. After that initial conversation, he selects the type of wood for the instrument, like rosewood, mahogany or spruce. He takes the already perfectly cut and aged piece of wood and the real work begins. “When you touch the wood it should make a lively, musical sound and not a thud,” added Lehmann. “Every instrument should be made to sound differently.” The next few steps include bending the sides of the wood with heat and steam to create the shape, designing the back, putting together the soundboard and any small details that make it

Bernard Lehmann in his shop, Lehmann Stringed Instruments in the Neighborhood of the Arts area of Rochester. He builds custom-made guitars and other instruments. January / February 2014 - 55 PLUS

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cover

n o i s Pas e v r to Se

Ellen Polimeni celebrating nearly 40 years of public service, the last 22 as mayor of Canandaigua By Ernst Lamothe, Jr.

ongevity and local government do not always go hand in hand. An incumbent can be ousted from office just based on one bad winter storm if a town supervisor or city mayor fails to make sure all the roads are clear enough to drive. Between the often fickle nature of the voting population or wanting change for change’s sake, it’s very difficult to hold the top office in town when you have to please different people’s needs. Ellen Polimeni knows this well. That is why she appreciates every re-election in her 22 years as city of Canandaigua mayor, even though the majority of them have been foregone conclusions. Polimeni, a Democrat, has been mayor since 1991. In that time, she has faced only two opponents in 11 elections. With historical preservation igniting her interest in civic service, it has been her desire to maintain both that and Canandaigua’s aesthetic waterfront. “I just consider myself an ordinary person who has to handle an extraordinary job,” said Polimeni, 72. “I ran back then because I wanted to 20

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do something to help this community that I love. It’s not something you do for the money, but because you have a passion to serve people.” Back in the late 1970s, Canandaigua was in the midst of adopting urban renewal, meaning the idea of being more metropolitan was winning out over preserving historic buildings. There were many plans being considered to take down older buildings and replace them. It was something that deeply bothered her. “It didn’t seem like that was something that we should envision for Canandaigua. We should take great pride in our historic nature and want to see it preserved,” said Polimeni.

Mayoral timbre That began her entrance into mayoral politics after already being appointed to the city’s planning commission for six years in the 1970s followed by eight years as a city councilwoman. When she was first elected, she had several core values that she never wanted to lose. Number one was her continued fervent defense of historical preservation. Second was improving the infrastructure of the city. Third was

creating more park space. In her two decades, ofﬁcials have improved the water treatment facility and storage, refurbished the sewer disposal plant and city hall along with rebuilding many street and roads. In addition, they created Kershaw Park, which features nine acres of land on the north shore of Canandaigua Lake. Redeveloped in 1996, the park improvements included sidewalks on both sides, walkways, a new beach area, bathhouse and public dock equipped with a boat pump-out station. “It hasn’t felt like I have been mayor for 22 years. As you get older, you ﬁnd yourself wondering where has all the time gone by,” said Polimeni. “It really doesn’t seem that long, but we have gotten a lot of things done.” Another thing she is proud of is the work the city has done in safeguarding Canandaigua Lake. In 1989, she brought together people who formed “Groups Concerned About Canandaigua Lake.” It included groups like duck clubs, boat house owners, all municipalities bordering the lake and other groups monitoring areas of the lake. They met

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Polimeni chats with Gov. Andrew Cuomo in July 2013.

several times and a watershed task force resulted. It has grown into the Watershed Alliance today.

Passion for education

Polimeni marches in a Canandaigua parade in 1995.

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Many times, your first career prepares you for future endeavors. That became the case in Polimeni’s life. She ﬁrst began as a Canandaigua student teacher in 1961. Finding education a wonderful outlet and necessary for every evolving society, she became a full-time teacher. She was hired two years later as a sixthgrade teacher in Canandaigua, the only school to which she applied. She eventually became an eighthgrade principal in the 2000s and retired three years ago, ending almost ﬁve decades with the city of Canandaigua school district. “So much of what we do in government is educating people,” said Polimeni. “You have to learn about topics and projects before you can make an educated decision. I know more about sewer treatment plants than I ever thought I would want to know. Then after educating yourself, your job is to educate others. I always tell people who are running for city

council that you have to be a good listener and a good teacher to get this job done right.” Steve Uebbing, retired Canandaigua City School District superintendent, is not surprised that Polimeni found success in a second career. Every school district leader needs to lean on his or her staff and hope they are doing the best job representing education and serving students well. Those were two subjects in which Polimeni always scored high honors. “Ellen is just a remarkable individual. Number one, she is someone who is selﬂess and always puts the needs of others ﬁrst,” said Uebbing. “Secondly, she is a true visionary. She takes the long view on issues and is patient which made her an excellent teacher and mayor.” In education, many times egos must be checked at the door if any real progress can be accomplished. You need people who are more concerned about the greater good than the good of themselves. “That is why I tell people she is not your typical politician because she doesn’t have a personal agenda,”

55+ Uebbing added. “She values everyone in the room and wants to take the best idea. She listens to viewpoints and really believes in the importance of establishing good relationships with people. That is why people can trust her.” Today, Polimeni remains in education as an adjunct faculty member at Finger Lakes Community College teaching reading and state government. Her love of preservation continues as she is a staunch supporter of the Granger Homestead, Sonnerberg and the Ontario County Historical Society.

What lies ahead? Her next venture is the North Shore development project. On the 21 acres across from Kershaw Park, there are plans to develop a mixed-use commercial and residential property. There would be apartments and townhouses as well as public space. The $120 million project preliminary site plan has been offered to the public. It has been in the making for three to four years with several plans revised. The project hit a snag because of funding and possible high infrastructure costs of curbing, pavement, water, sewer and roads. “We have been waiting a long time to move this project forward. We ﬁnally have the right people involved in addressing all the main issues and possible environmental factors when you build,” said Polimeni. “We think we have a viable project that will make the community proud and that will increase our tax base so we can continue to have one of the lowest tax rates in the state.” While she knows you can’t please everyone and every citizen won’t necessarily have a favorable response to the project, she enjoys educating and interacting with her constituents. That is the fun of local government. “You don’t see a lot of partisan politics here like you see on the national level,” said Polimeni. “You see more people work together whether they are Democrats or Republicans. You focus on doing what you need to do to make your community better and I think you leave some of the ego behind which is why we get things done.”

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Polimeni is sworn in as mayor of Canandaigua in 1994, at Sonnenberg mansion.

‘ No Plans to Retire’ Mayor Polimeni talks about political longevity and how she’s been able to do it all

ornell Mayor Shawn Hogan was elected January 1986, which makes him the longest tenured city mayor in the state of New York. The silver medal goes to Ellen Polimeni. However if you count her almost decade long stint as a council member before becoming mayor, Polimeni would be tops in the state. How does one survive that long and continue to have the passion for the job? And what has been the key to her success? Polimeni credits many aspects to her long run. One of the ﬁrst things she points to is not having something that many politicians do have: an ego. “I’m not someone who has all the answers,” she said. “A good idea can come from any place. Sometimes the best ideas have come from other people and I have no problem using a good idea even if it doesn’t come from me. I just try to do the best I can for Canandaigua because that really is the only important thing.” Another key is networking. She joined the New York Conference of Mayors in 1983, serving as president 13 years later. The organization combines mayors from throughout the state who work together to have their interest represented in Albany. “Most cities our size couldn’t afford to have someone work on our behalf and lobby for our interest,” said

Polimeni. “It allows us to have our interest represented and discussed in the legislature and governor’s ofﬁce.” Whether it’s the topic of unfunded mandates or infrastructure block grants, she believes the group truly helps communities get their message across. She is also chairwoman of the Small Cities Council of the National League of Cities, which work in partnership with 19,000 cities, villages and towns nationwide. In addition, it has been a good networking tool where mayors can brainstorm with each other and provide a boilerplate of ideas. “You have a lot of smart and dedicated people in a room together and good things can happen,” said Polimeni. “We also help each other in thinking of ways to get the community more active and bring back wonderful ideas to our communities.” Whenever you have served this long, the next question is always when are you going to retire. “It is really hard to answer that question because I want to be here as long as the people want me to be here,” said Polimeni. “But talking about my career helps me reﬂect on the things we have been able to accomplish as a community and look ahead to things that need to yet be done. As mayor, I am more focused on the task at hand instead of taking time to really take a look at what has happened in my tenure.” January / February 2014 - 55 PLUS

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At home with a vast CD collection.

‘Boss’ of Canandaigua Huge Springsteen Fan Polimeni, the mayor of rock ‘n’ roll By Ernst Lamothe, Jr.

llen Polimeni has always admired people who can create, especially music. She grew up with music around the house and grew up in the exciting and turbulent 1960s and 1970, when she discovered who and what made her want to dance or want to examine her world view. While she started with interest in the Beatles and Elvis Presley like many young people, her taste eventually gravitated to a certain New Jerseyborn guitarist who still rocks stadiums today. “I can’t say enough about how great Bruce Springsteen is. He brings so much energy to each of his concerts that you never leave one of his live 24

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concerts disappointed,” said Polimeni. “I just hope that he comes back to the United States again when he tours because I would love to see him in concert again. I saw him in Rochester last year and it was just incredible.” “The Boss” has many admirers with even Rutgers University planning to start a freshman course examining Springsteen’s theology in his lyrics. In her spare time away from her city of Canandaigua mayoral duties, she ﬁnds comfort in music. Polimeni has hundreds of albums and CDs in her collection, ranging from from Neil Diamond and country star Kenny Chesney to Phish, an American rock band that senior citizens would more likely associate with hippies rather

than calling them hip. She remembers an occasion when she ran into some young students at a concert. “ Tr u e s t o r y. I w a s a t t h e Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center long ago and one of the kids that I used to know when I was a middle school principal saw me at a Phish concert and she gave me a look because she couldn’t believe I was at the concert. The kids looked at me and asked, ‘What are you doing here?” added Polimeni. Growing up with the kind of music her parents liked, it would have been a stretch back then to see her interested in rock ‘n’ roll. She was inundated with Irish music piping through her household and her grandmother often played the accordion. Then living around Poland, N.Y., she often heard music from the central European country around her neighborhood. It was not uncommon to hear polka music in heavy doses. “Then the 1960s and 1970s happened and that was a turning point for me,” said Polimeni. “Life was changing all around us. It was the culture of our time to listen to rock music.” She listened to The Dukes early on, and as she grew older, she gravitated toward Elton John, Rod Stewart, Billy Joel and Sheryl Crow. She has seen all four of them in concert. “One of the best was when Elton and Billy performed together. It was one of the most amazing concerts that I have attended,” she said. “I saw Rod Stewart who was great too but he used more instrumentals and back up singers when he was out there. I can’t blame him because he is no spring chicken. Some of these artists had to battle drugs during the height of their popularity so they have surprisingly been able to maintain pretty well in their older years.” She said as long as she is alive and well music will always be part of her life. “I’ve got a couple hundred albums and CDs in my house that make me happy. And when I am in the car, it’s either NPR or Bruce Springsteen,” said Polimeni.

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55+

relations

The Dating Game

Older adults face a whole new environment when mingling with singles By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

f it’s been a while since you’ve dipped your toes into the dating pool, you may be surprised at how different it’s become — in both positive and negative ways. And it’s not all because you’re a mature adult now, who perhaps has raised a family and worked a career for decades in the meantime. Barbara Jean Sergent, 67, of East Irondequoit, founded Senior Mingle (www.meetup.com/Senior-Mingle), a social group for baby boomers. Though she’s seeing a man regularly, “We don’t want to give that up,” she said. “When you’re younger, you’re thinking about marriage. But that’s not there at our age.” Sergent didn’t meet her beau through Senior Mingle. It’s not a singles group, although some people do meet dates and mates through the group. For many older adults, platonic socializing with the opposite gender is an aspect of marriage that they miss. If they don’t wish for commitment but just enjoy the conversation, social 26

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groups may be just what they want. Kathy Moreland, 66, of Farmington, became an organizer of Boomers of the Finger Lakes (www.meetup.com/ boomers-of-the-finger-lakes) two years ago. The activity group isn’t about dating, though some couples have met through the group. “Most people want to enlarge their social circle and like the activities,” Moreland said. A lifelong single and, as of 11 years ago, a retiree, Moreland likes making new friends in the group and said it’s a good way for recently divorced people to fill their social calendar without all the entanglement of dating. “I like getting out and seeing people,” she said. “We’re always right there to help each other. I have one brother in South Carolina. To have a support group directly around you is important.” Ironically, socializing in a nondating environment is a good way to find someone special for those who are looking. There’s no pressure and the men and women in the group can

bond over a shared experience, not a contrived experience like a date. Once a couple starts seeing each other regularly, the whole dating experience is much different from decades before on many levels. Sergent has been divorced and ﬁnds this true. “At my age, they don’t care if I shave my legs or not,” she said with a laugh. “When younger, I made sure my hair was just right and ﬁxed myself up just so. I’ve talked to other women and we just don’t care. We know there aren’t many more years left and God knows if an accident or arthritis comes about.

Don’t expect change “Whoever wants to date us should take us the way we are and vice versa. That’s how a lot of us feel. At this point, we’re not changing. We’ve seen enough and been through enough.” Changing to suit a date or mate isn’t going to happen at this point. With maturity comes self-assuredness. By the time one is 55, what you see is what you get. Older couples have different family

values also. The first time around, they were more concerned about the f a m i l y they hoped to form t o g e t h e r. But Sergent has different priorities. “ M y f a m i l y Kathy Moreland, 66, of comes first,” Farmington, became she said. “In an organizer of your 20s, Boomers of the Finger you didn’t Lakes two years ago. have to deal with it. His children come first in his life. You have to understand and deal with that also.” The couple also has to negotiate where to spend holidays and set a good example for their grandchildren and children. A friend of Sergent who is dating discovered that her adult children do not like her boyfriend, adding another layer of complexity. From romantic to platonic, the dates themselves have also changed from the dates of yesteryear. Sergent said most women pay their own way and don’t expect to be waited on. “Dutch treat” is typical. Some couples alternate who pays or designates the person who initiated the date as the one who pays. And that’s not always the woman. “Women at our age, being single, are more independent,” Sergent said. “We don’t want someone to think we’re dependent on him. No one is telling us what to do anymore.” Though online dating has become more mainstream in recent years, retirees aren’t as interested in using technology for becoming paired off, just in finding social outlets. The same isn’t true for older retirees and online dating, according to a recent report from the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project. The study indicated only 3 percent of those over age 65 have tried online dating. Compare that with the 17 percent in the 35-to-44 age bracket and the 25 percent of the 25-to-34 year-olds.

Nuts Anyone? Large study links nut consumption to reduced death rate

n the largest study of its kind, people who ate a daily handful of nuts were 20 percent less likely to die from any cause over a 30-year period than were those who didn’t consume nuts, say scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the Harvard School of Public Health. Their report, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, contains further good news. The regular nut-eaters were found to be more slender than those who didn’t eat nuts, a finding that should alleviate the widespread worry that eating a lot of nuts will lead to overweight. The report also looked at the protective effect on specific causes of death. “The most obvious benefit was a reduction of 29 percent in deaths from heart disease — the major killer of people in America,” said Charles S. Fuchs, director of the gastrointestinal cancer center at Dana-Farber, who is the senior author of the report. “But we also saw a significant reduction — 11 percent — in the risk of dying

from cancer,” added Fuchs, who is also affiliated with the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women’s. Whether any specific type or types of nuts were crucial to the protective effect couldn’t be determined. However, the reduction in mortality was similar both for peanuts and for “tree nuts” — walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamias, pecans, cashews, pistachios and pine nuts. Several previous studies have found an association between increasing nut consumption and a lower risk of diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, gallstones and diverticulitis. Higher nut consumption also has been linked to reductions in cholesterol levels, oxidative stress, inflammation, adiposity and insulin resistance. Some small studies have linked increased nuts in the diet to lower total mortality in specific populations. But no previous research studies had looked in such detail at various levels of nut consumption and their effects on overall mortality in a large population that was followed for over 30 years. January / February 2014 - 55 PLUS

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relations

More Divorces Among 55-plus Crowd Divorce rate among adults 50 and older doubled, according to study By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

ivorce is graying. A study by the National Center for Family & Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University in Ohio found that between 1990 and 2009, the divorce rate among adults 50 and older doubled. About one in four divorces in 2009 were among the same age group. Audrey Berger, a psychotherapist in Rochester, has been in practice for 32 years and has noticed the trend. “More and more people are coming in for these [marital] issues at later ages,” she said. “You can feel it as a practitioner, the shift that’s happening.” She lays the blame among many factors, including greater longevity, better health, feminism, Burger and how boomers view marriage. “The parents of baby boomers were concerned about fulﬁlling their roles 28

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in marriage,” Berger said. “Boomers look to marriage for happiness and fulfillment. “Sometimes people wait until their children grow up which is definitely a factor.” Barbara Jean Sergent, 67, of East Irondequoit, has weathered two divorces — her first from an alcoholic husband after 22 years and the second three years ago after 19 years. “There’s a big difference than when a child is young and [when he’s older]. It was less painful for everyone involved,” Sergent said. She and her first husband had one child who was 17 when they split. She had been working, so the divorce didn’t hit her as hard as many women who stay home for decades and then lose their financial support. With her second divorce, she had not been working, so she took a job. Since she had worked before, finding work again was not as difficult as for her peers who had never worked. Emotionally, the divorces took a toll. “It was quite devastating,” Sergent said. “You make plans for the golden years and things you want to have fun

doing. You have to be a survivor and not crumble.” Culturally, divorce has become more commonplace and accepted. Born into the post-World War II to early-60s era, boomers represent a generation that always bucked societal norms. Lifelong marriage is yet another area in which boomers create their own path. “The mores have changed,” Sergent said. “People are living together now, and divorce is more accepted. Me and a lot of my friends didn’t know any gays and lesbians. Now it’s OK.” At midlife, many changes take place in one’s life. The cliché plays out in real life for many couples. “They may realize that they let their relationship lapse as they focused on their careers and work,” said Cindy McCormack, licensed clinical social worker practicing in Rochester. “Now the focus is back on the relationship and they realize it’s not as fulﬁlling as when they ﬁrst met.” Physical limitations associated with older age may begin to subtlety manifest. But one also realizes that

life can only last so much longer and if the home life isn’t what one wants, some boomers desire to change things, even if it means divorce. Some people call it “growing apart” when McCormack formerly shared interests fade. Every generation has faced these challenges. But boomers’ response to these challenges is where they differ from their parents, members of “the silent generation.” Sergent’s second husband initiated separation by stating he wanted to go dancing with other women and didn’t want her to hold him back. After a month’s contemplation, Sergent relented. She did not want to endure living with a philandering husband again. “People want to feel fulfilled and certainly don’t feel like they should have to settle for a miserable relationship,” McCormack said. “[boomers] feel like it’s OK to take care of yourself and be in a relationship that brings you some joy and happiness for the rest of your life.” Remarrying baby boomers face different issues than younger people. Though boomers may not be blending families like the “Brady Bunch” since their children are grown, their families may face financial quandaries in the future. “The very biggest risk factor for divorce in the 55-plus age group is that they’ve been married before,” Berger said. “Fifty-three percent of people over 50 and who are getting divorced have been divorced at least one time before.” She attributes this to the complexity of subsequent marriages, such as blending families, finances and households. Those who are dating and marrying again must accept that their new significant other had a life and relationships previously. Sergent’s beau is a widower. Though at times it can be difficult seeing photos and reminders, “I would never expect him to give that stuff up because she gave him three wonderful children and spent 42 years with him,” Sergent said. “It’s something you have to deal with.”

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advice

Reinventing Oneself

Personal life planner guides seniors into the next phase By Debra Graf

usan Larson knows that the desire to be better, improve our lives and feel good, is a natural part of life. She’s a life planner who works with individuals and couples in midlife, to help them reinvent themselves. Whether through a planned transition such as retirement or an unexpected life event, Larson carefully helps guide, advise and support people as they seek to redeﬁne their purpose and create meaning in their lives. “This is a future-focused, customized and action-oriented approach to total life planning,” says Larson, a nationally certified counselor and transition coach. “I liken it to an archeologist going on a dig with people. I’ll bring the map, the equipment and the tools. And I view myself as a coach-facilitator, not wed to any particular outcome, but I help them focus and create goals to work together.” With more than 25 years experience in career development, training 30

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and teaching, Larson specializes in transition and reinvention. Her primary focus is with people midlife and beyond who may be contemplating a career or life change, retirement, downsizing or improving physical health, ﬁnances and other transitions. She helps pinpoint lifestyle needs, emotional and spiritual well being, assess talent and skills, and then sets goals for a fulﬁlling future outcome. “What I see is an exciting, new template for how we can live in the second half of life,” says Larson. “We look at what’s next, but we seek that out in a different way than our parents did. Life planning has really evolved. Because of longevity, people are not following the classic retirement path.” The process of transition and life planning uses several methods and techniques to achieve success. Larson’s approach is designed to help people unlock their potential to maximize their own performance. She creates a partnership with people based on

Susan Larson, transition and reinvention coach, helps people in midlife plan, learn and discover their goals, meaning, and choices for living a vibrant, healthy, and successful future.

trust built by listening, motivating, strategizing, and collaborating. Through this approach, her clients are able to explore, discover, and learn about themselves. “I found many clients wanting a future-focused, customized and action-oriented approach to not just career, but total life planning,” says Larson. “I work with them from their own place of authentic happiness, help them see how we work from the inside out, and re-patterning in all areas of their lives.”

Respecting oneself One of the key areas is self-care and cultivating good health. Larson says much of her work is focused around happiness and optimism, which can improve health and provide optimal living. Another aspect of self-care involves downtime and meditative time. Learning to say no and not confusing a busy life with a good life is important, she says. “A lot of people are already in motion when they come to me,” says Larson. “They are revisiting their motivation, their passion, their values, and their health. People are adapting to their own ‘new normal,’ such as a chronic health consideration and are redefining success and fulfillment.” An encore career after retirement or job loss is increasingly popular, according to Larson, especially in a shifting marketplace. Many adults are learning new skills and taking entrepreneurial routes. Knowing how to market one self, knowing the resources available, and knowing where opportunity exists are important to success, she says. “Workplaces are in upheaval, there is global change,” says Larson. “People have to be resilient and redefine their sense of stability. For people 60 and over, it’s important to have a sense of meaning and purpose and continue to matter and belong.” A person’s circumstances make a big difference in what they can consider in an extended career. Larson considers skill sets, training and even relocation possibilities when helping clients develop a plan. While she does not do job placement, Larson uses area resources for clients who are considering making a career shift. She also collaborates with experts in other fields including therapists and

ﬁnancial planners.

Client sheds praise “I am very pleased that I found Susan because I was considering retiring and wanted to be sure it was the right time and thing to do,” says Linda Proctor of Canandaigua. “It was really scary for me and I thought it was such an important decision that I should consult with a professional. She helped me explore retiring and also, very importantly life after retirement— the next life phase.” Proctor recently retired from her position as the director of Literacy Volunteers of Ontario-Yates. She says she liked Larson’s professional, guided approach to personal development. “There are many different aspects to consider when retiring, and a life coach may be worth the time and investment to have a happy and healthy life,” says Proctor. Some of the things Larson enjoys about being a reinvention coach are the variety of people she works with, and the ability to customize and form a unique partnership with each of them. She says she is not just a facilitator, but also learns from her clients.

Being a life coach, Larson says, has carved out a niche that aligns nicely in her own life as a 60-something woman. “It’s a partnership, and people have different styles and ways of working with each other,” says Larson. “The majority of clients I work with for four to six months, but some I have been working with for years. Often you space out coaching so you can renegotiate the partnership.” But that is what life planning is all about—renegotiating along the way. “It’s a puzzle, and you try to complete the puzzle. But people are now realizing they are already doing it,” says Larson. “The puzzle will always be a work in progress, it’s really a journey not a destination.” Larson is a member of the Life Planning Network and the Rochester Coaching Alliance. Larson resides in Pittsford and Canandaigua with her husband. She enjoys volunteering, doing yoga, and being outdoors, especially kayaking on Canandaigua Lake. She has grown children and two grandchildren.

Susan Larson (right) enjoys a women’s reading group focusing on optimal aging and personal journeys of faith. The group has about 10 members, and reads a cross-section of books on various enriching topics. They meet monthly at Larson’s home in Bristol Harbour, Canandaigua. January / February 2014 - 55 PLUS

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nest egg

Planning For Retirement in Turbulent Times By Mike Costanza

etirees who hope to weather the nation’s turbulent financial waters need to set a good financial course — and stay on it. “The circumstances of the day rarely, in the long term, outweigh the importance of having a plan and staying with the plan,” says Doug Parker, a financial planner who serves as senior vice president of Sage Rutty & Company, Inc. Many financial storms have rocked the US in recent months, alarming those who have passed or are approaching retirement age. Interest rates remain historically low, forcing retirees to look beyond CDs and other traditional sources of revenue to maintain their incomes. “The overwhelming biggest issue for retirees and near-to-retirees currently is the low level of interest rates,” says George Conboy, chairman of Brighton Securities Corp. “Inflation is outstripping interest rates.” Atop that issue, sequestration took effect last March, taking more than $80 billion in federal funds out of the economy in 2013 alone. Finally, the 16-day partial government shutdown sucked another $24 billion out of the US economy, and could be repeated in January 2014 if Congress is unable to craft another budget agreement. Such circumstances can prompt seniors worried about their nest eggs to precipitously change investments — perhaps with unforeseen consequences. “The emotional roller coaster that the market puts them through is their Achilles heel,” says M i c h a e l C o n l e y, a specialist in life 32

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insurance and estate planning who works at Legacy Financial Planning, LLC, in Rochester. Conley and other experienced financial advisers agree that effective financial planning can help keep a retiree’s investments on the rails and growing in value until actual or perceived financial crises pass. “We cannot control the fluctuations of the market, interest rates or the contractions of the US economy,” Parker says. “We can control the plan that we develop, the rational way that we build a long-term financial plan, how much money we spend, how we bring money into our household.” Unfortunately, most investors lack the information and expertise they need to formulate such plans, according to the experts interviewed for this story. For that, they need to turn to a financial

adviser to help them prepare for retirement or maintain their assets after they leave the workforce. The right financial adviser should be someone with whom the retiree feels able to discuss financial matters. “They should talk to a number of people before they find someone who can explain things in a way that they are comfortable so that they know what’s happening with their money,” Conboy says. The adviser should begin by helping the client enumerate his or her assets, income, expenditures and other financial circumstances. Then, the conversation can move on to the rate at which the client can sustainably use those assets during retirement — in essence, how much the person can spend while maintaining those assets. “We have to set the correct expectations for any client,”

says Jerry Wells, a financial services executive with the Financial Freedom Group, an office of Metlife, Inc. “How do I take my nest egg, and basically, not outlive it?” A retirement portfolio should encompass a diverse mixture of elements that reflect different levels of risk, and thereby of potential gain and loss. Stocks, for example, can generally provide greater gain than annuities or other fixed investments, but are riskier investments that produce more variable returns. On the other hand, fixed investments bring a measure of stability to a portfolio, and can allow a retiree to ride out the ups and downs of the market more easily without sustaining serious losses. “We generally combine those two asset classes together, to get surety at some level with the fixed investments and rising income on some level with the variable income investments,” Parker says. A c l i e n t ’ s d e s i re s a n d r i s k orientation should influence the ratio of fixed and more risky investments in a retirement plan. For example, someone who is not comfortable taking risks might want to focus upon fixed investments more than stocks. At the same time, the plan needs to be flexible enough to respond to market conditions. Given current interest rates, a client might — and, the word is “might” — benefit from shifting from safer investment vehicles to those that are riskier. “Instead of government bonds, you’re probably better off with highyield bonds,” Wells explains. “To get higher yields, you have to take more risks.” Also, the retirement plan needs to incorporate a degree of liquidity — assets that can more easily be converted to cash if needed. “You need that darn liquid emergency fund,” Wells asserts. As valuable as a good retirement plan can be, it must be followed to retain that value. “Investors, savers who take the time to choose a careful course, and then stay with that course, those are the ones that tend to do best,” Conboy says.

Market: Strong in 2013, But What About 2014? By Andy Roberts

credit strong equity market performance this year to the Fed’s decision to continue its monthly b o n d p u rc h a s e p ro g r a m t o stimulate economic growth. Some say they should’ve scaled back, which I agree, but in my opinion the Fed’s decision contributed to strong stock returns. It will be interesting to hear new decisions coming out of the Fed over the next few months. As it stands, the decision to “taper” is based on a substantial improvement in the job market; we’ll wait and see if they deviate from their stated policy. Stock market indices are hovering around record highs; h o w e v e r, s t o c k v a l u a t i o n s a re n o higher than average and below average when considering the low levels of interest Roberts rates and inﬂation. In short, I’m still bullish on equities based on the fundamentals. My suggestion is to remain cautious of stocks trading well above their valuations and your bond holdings as interest rates rise. L o o k i n g f o r w a rd , I w o u l d contribute any increase in market volatility and/or market pull back to inconsistencies in Fed policy and/or unanticipated world events. Market performance is usually the ﬁrst thing on peoples mind when it comes to what I do. However, a successful long-term plan should include all factors that impact us now and in the future; including taking on appropriate market risk. The planning doesn’t stop once the investments are made.

Here are a few things to keep in mind for 2014: 1 — Social security recipients are getting a raise — but not much of one. The 1.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment is one of the smallest in program’s history. 2 — Look at tax efficiency in your portfolio. For individuals in or near retirement, you may want to consider income-producing investments inside your IRA and direct investments with lesser tax implications into brokerage accounts. 3 — Unified estate tax exclusion amount will increase to $5,340,000 (up from $5,250,000 in 2013.) 4— Gift annual exclusion. For gifts made in 2014, the gift tax annual exclusion will be $14,000 per person per year, same as 2013. Parents may also use the technique of “gift splitting” or combining gifts to a child, whereby they can each make a gift of $14,000, for a total amount if tax free gifts made of $28,000 to s single person or child. Andy Roberts is a financial adviser and portfolio manager with Charleton Financial, LLC, in Rochesster.

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healthcare

Geriatricians Share Their Secrets Physicians for the elderly describe how they take care of their own health By Mike Costanza

octors have long agreed that caregivers must stay healthy if they are to

help others heal. “I always tell the caregivers, ‘You have to take care of yourself ﬁrst, so you can care for others,’” says Susan Gillespie, medical director for senior living services for Thompson Health System. So, how do those who treat the elderly keep themselves in the pink? Gillespie and three other local geriatricians detailed the practices they follow to stay in good shape and ready to care for their patients. Though all regularly exercise, watch their diets, and strive to keep their personal and work lives in balance, each adds a different wrinkle to those regimes. Putting miles on local trails and boosting weights helps William Hall do his best for his patients. “Unless I have some daily exercise, I don’t have the sense that I’m as efficient as I’d like to be,” says the head of the Center for Healthy Aging at Highland Hospital. Though in his mid-70s, Hall 34

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regularly tramps the trails of nearby Mendon Ponds Park, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of nature while combating the muscle loss that occurs as a consequence of aging. “Fairly vigorous physical exercise does shave a few calories off, but more importantly, it really promotes muscle regeneration,” he explains. Regular workouts on a weight machine also help keep Hall’s muscles growing, as does riding a bicycle on the Erie Canal when the weather permits. To fuel the process, Hall consumes meals that are rich in fruits and vegetables, and feature very little in the way of red meat. He picked up the dietary habits about 35 years ago, while serving a medical residency in Japan with the U.S. Army.

Heavy on the veggies Fresh vegetables are so important to Stephen Ryan of the Rochester General Health System’s Independent Living for Seniors program that he once had his own garden. “I would pick my own vegetables right before dinner,” he says. These days, the 49-year-old’s

Delay Alzheimer’s: Learn a New Language

Mittereder

Ryan

diet features the freshest vegetables possible and red meat once or twice a week. Diet is just one part of Ryan’s healthy regimen. At least once every two days, the Pittsford resident walks the nearby canal path or works out at a gym or at home. He has weights, a NordicTrack machine, and a treadmill. On occasion, he makes use of a trainer — the service is a gift from his wife. “I’m a recent convert to the use of a trainer and the use of weights, because the trainer helps you push yourself,” Ryan says. You might say Richard Mittereder’s trainer is never quite off the clock — it’s his wife. The two regularly exercise together. “She helps motivate me,” the 60year-old says. “I motivate her in turn, because I enjoy it.” The combination seems to be working for Mittereder, chief of geriatrics for the Unity Health System’s Unity Geriatric Associates Group. Working out with his wife three times a week, he splits his sessions in half between aerobics and weight training. Mittereder also plays tennis, and dons his cross-country skis when the snow ﬂies. “Getting out and seeing beautiful nature is part of the balance that one seeks whenever one is exercising,” Mittereder says.

Matter of balance Gillespie says she helps keep her busy work life and personal life in balance by making sure she spends time on healthy activities. Three times a week, she works out with friends. “It accomplishes exercise, which can be conducive to mental and

Gillespie

Hall

physical well-being, but also allows me to continue social networks that are important to me,” she explains. She also lays out time for her family each week, especially her two young daughters. “We do things together, like go to a museum or take in a show,” Gillespie says. Though self-care has a strong physical component, good health requires tending to mental and spiritual needs as well. Mittereder enjoys writing poetry, playing classical guitar, and working in his garden with his wife. “Those little added pieces bring me the pleasure, which adds to the overall well-being of the person,” he explains. He also combats workday stress with humor whenever possible and his co-workers join him in the jokes. Last Halloween, one of his staff members donned a special kind of costume. Mittereder likes to wear vests, commonly has his glasses halfway down my nose and is often seen holding a coffee cup. “I turn around and one of my nurses is dressed like me. It was just hilarious,” he said. Mittereder’s desire to draw humor into his practice also appears in the way he starts his workday. “I begin each day with a prayer to dedicate myself to what I’m about to do as a doctor, and to not take myself too seriously in that,” he explains. Spirituality also plays a part in helping other physicians maintain their health. Ryan regularly attends church services and says daily prayer is an important part of his life. Gillespie and her family have made their faith a “speciﬁc part of our lives,” she says.

n the largest study on the topic to date, research shows that speaking a second language may delay the onset of three types of dementias. The research was published in the Nov. 6, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study found that people who spoke two languages developed dementia four and a half years later than people who only spoke one language. “Our study is the first to report an advantage of speaking two languages in people who are unable to read, suggesting that a person’s level of education is not a sufficient explanation for this difference,” said study author Suvarna Alladi, with Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad, India. “Speaking more than one language is thought to lead to better development of the areas of the brain that handle executive functions and attention tasks, which may help protect from the onset of dementia.” For the study, 648 people from India with an average age of 66 who were diagnosed with dementia were evaluated. Of those, 391 spoke two or more languages. A total of 240 had Alzheimer’s disease, 189 had vascular dementia and 116 had frontotemporal dementia, with the remainder having dementia with Lewy bodies and mixed dementia. Fourteen percent were illiterate. People who spoke two languages had a later onset of Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia and vascular dementia than people who spoke only one language. The difference was also found in those who could not read. There was no additional benefit in speaking more than two languages. The two-language effect on age of dementia onset was shown separately of other factors such as education, gender, occupation and whether participants lived in the city or country. January / February 2014 - 55 PLUS

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giving

Working With Children Delights Retirees

Generation Two volunteer Christy Wopperer of Scottsville and her friend kindergartener Carmello Miranda enjoy a moment together. Courtesy Generation Two.

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

any retirees miss the daily interaction they had with their own children who have long since left the nest. If they have no grandchildren or the grandkids live too far away to visit often, volunteering with children can help ﬁll the void. Especially for older seniors, volunteering with children can provide a means of contributing to the community. “Everybody can do something,” s a i d M a r y B e t h G u e l d n e r, representative of RSVP of Monroe County at LIFESPAN in Rochester. “It doesn’t matter their age, but just ﬁnding something that speaks to them and meets what’s in their heart’s need to do. “They feel they’re still needed and they’re contributing to their community creating a sense of well 36

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being. A person gets a ‘volunteer high’ because they feel good having a positive inﬂuence.” Ann Bayley, 73, of East Irondequoit, volunteers with children through First Unitarian Church School Partnership and co-leads its planning committee. A retired teacher since 2001, Bayley missed the classroom. She also misses her grandchild who lives in Massachusetts and relishes the opportunity to “play grandma” to the kindergarten and Hispanic classes. “For me, the volunteering is nice because it gives me structure,” Bayley said. “I get up and going, put on makeup and look a little professional. It’s very satisfying to have some work that’s beneﬁcial. “These children in the City of Rochester are so needy and come from all different kinds of family structures that are not traditional. They need the

attention of a caring adult. This is a wonderful, wonderful way to spend some time.” About 100 volunteer through the program. Volunteers may spend just an hour or two a week, or spend all day if they wish. Some volunteers in the program work one on one and others in small groups. They follow the lead of the teacher to assist in any way they can. Academic prowess isn’t needed. “Just the presence of a caring adult and reading to a child helps,” Bayley said. “You’re not a teacher. You’re reinforcing what the teacher has taught already. For many of these children, literacy is a big, big issue. How smart do you have to be to play a word game with a kindergartener? Being a special adult to that child is beyond price. A lot of them don’t have that because their parents are doing their best but many are stretched very, very thin.”

Sister Evelyne Breslin, director at Notre Dame Learning Center in Rochester, oversees a year-round and after-school tutoring program that supports 30 children in their reading and math skills. While volunteers of all ages are welcome, they also have retired teachers and parents and grandparents “spreading their good cheer and knowledge to our children,” Breslin said. “Our volunteers tell me they are grateful for the opportunity to teach the children, but, in fact, we are grateful to the volunteers. “No great qualifications [are] needed,” she added. “[Just] a love of learning and sharing. We plan the lessons for you.” Generation Two is a program that pairs a volunteer with three first graders to enjoy educational toys, games and crafts at area schools for thirty minutes a week during the school year. “It gives children the ability to make friends with people they might not otherwise make friends with,” said Melanie Mroz, program director. Volunteers receive a brief training session and in-services throughout the year. A Generation Two coordinator is present during the interaction. “For some, the clear benefit is they feel really good about helping the kids,” Mroz said. “These friendships are important with the children. The kids rush into the room and hug them. They love playing with them and becoming their friends. A lot of the adults working with the kids form supportive friendships among themselves.” Since Generation Two isn’t academically based, anyone who enjoys children would qualify to volunteer with them. “Years ago, we had one lady who volunteered with us and when we went around the room asking why they’re here, she said, ‘My youngest is 14 and I don’t have anyone to play Candy Land with anymore,’” Mroz said. If you want to find a good opportunity to volunteer with children, contact any of these organizations, your school district, your house of worship, or civic organizations that serve children. Not every opportunity demands regular hours or long commitments. As long as you ask enough questions upfront, you should be able to find an opportunity that will work out for you.

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power

The Right Energy Choice Rochester residents need to understand particulars involved in switching suppliers By Avery Galek

any citizens are often misinformed or unaware of their alternative energy options. So, for all the savvy people out there, the biggest piece of advice usually given is to stay educated. To put it simply, watch your back. The American Coalition of Competitive Energy Suppliers works to educate the public that it has a choice as to who supplies their energy, such as natural gas and electric. The coalition takes no part in promoting any one company, but strives to inform the consumer. What many customers overlook is the fact that the utility company merely delivers the energy, along with maintaining and repairing infrastructure. Aside from that, the energy suppliers themselves compete in an open marketplace by offering a variety of services and incentives. There are opportunities for people who are considering switching from their traditional utility supplier, which is considered reliable and has been there all along. However, “utilities are not necessarily in the business to save money for people,” said ACCES spokesperson Michael Meath. Some competitive energy suppliers will guarantee savings or even a senior discount, he noted. But ACCES does not sugar coat the common myth that switching to any competitive energy supplier can help

save a lot of money. So if it does not necessarily offer a lower cost, what are some incentives for switching?

Incentives for seniors An important factor is that seniors may get a fixed price to match a fixed income, according to Meath. That price might include something else along with it, such as added points toward airline miles or equipment repair programs and warranties. This all contributes to peace of mind, he said. For some seniors, it is simply an interest in something different. There are numerous energy companies that steer toward environmentally friendly practices. Other companies might support an important cause in various communities that provide an incentive for switching. Many offer peace of mind by speedy repairs if something goes wrong. “Sometimes we get a phone call from an individual looking for heating alternatives,” said Julie Allen Aldrich, director of the Monroe County Office for the Aging. If an individual in the Rochester area is not receiving food stamps, he January / February 2014 - 55 PLUS

or she is referred to the contracted agency Life Span. If an individual is receiving food stamps, he or she is referred to a food stamp caseworker at the Department of Social Services. That caseworker automatically applies for the Home Energy Assistance Program for those individuals, according to Aldrich. If HEAP is not an available option to them, the caseworker can also assist in completing an application for EmPower New York through NYSERDA. The ﬁnal source is a weatherization program through Action for a Better Community. “What might be helpful is that you can get your supply and delivery charges on the same bill,” said ACCES spokesperson Crystal Smith. “So it’s not adding an additional bill or an additional way to pay.”

‘Get educated’ Payment methods are offered online as well as through traditional paper bills mailed directly to the c u s t o m e r. U t i l i t i e s o f t e n o ff e r programs such as deferred payment

agreements. “Get educated,” Meath said. “Understand what the offers are that might be out there. And just be careful. Don’t just jump at something. Make sure it’s something right for you.” A few key points ACCES emphasizes for seniors considering switching their energy supplier include: • Understand how long you are signing up for • Understand what is involved in the contract • Know what the terms and conditions are • Know what is required up front • Know what is required to break the deal ACCES works with the Public Service Commission, Consumer Protection Board and Better Business Bureau in spreading the word and getting the message out to the public on various alternative energy options. These partnerships also help keep an eye out for possible scams circulating.

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Life Span has a fraud prevention program in the Rochester area. “If we hear of a particular scam in an area, we have worked with our communications department and send an alert through public information,” Aldrich said. ACCES has been communicating with realtor organizations and policy regulators, creating mailing lists and public service announcements. “Don’t do anything rash,” Meath said. “Get educated ﬁrst. Know what you’re getting into. Know what your rights are. It’s not anything to be afraid of. Just be cautious.” To learn more about the power of choice and available resources, visit the ACCES website at www. CompetitiveEnergy.org. It provides customer rights and what to look for in an offer, along with common facts versus myths. Additional information can be found through the New York State Public Service Commission. For a list of all the competitive energy suppliers in New York, go to www. newyorkpowertochoose.com.

long-term care By Susan Suben

LTCI: Balancing Value And Affordability Long term care insurance for women may increase by 25-50 percent

hen purchasing long term care insurance (LTC), the primary goal is finding a balance between an affordable premium and a valuable plan. There is no point in purchasing LTC insurance if the policy does not retain its value when you need it years from now or if you can’t afford the premium during your lifetime or until you go on claim. You do not want to forfeit a vacation, new roof over your head or a new set of wheels to pay your premium. This may be more difficult but not impossible to accomplish as genderbased pricing goes into effect. It’s rumored to happen this quarter in New York state. It has already occurred in 40 other states. Women will be paying approximately 25-50 percent more for coverage because they live longer and are on claim longer. After reading this article, every woman contemplating purchasing LTC insurance should meet with an agent. The policy features that will help you balance affordability and value are the daily benefit and inflation. Let’s look at some statistics. According to Genworth’s 2013 Cost of Care Survey, it’s estimated that the annual growth of home care costs is .84 percent; assisted living 4.26 percent; and nursing home care 4.22 percent to 4.65 percent. According to the NYS Partnership Press, 32 percent of policy days are used for nursing home care and 68 percent for home care. This confirms the fact that individuals want to stay at home for as long as possible. Lastly, according to John Hancock, the average claim paid per month is $5,000 and the average length of a

claim is 36 to 39 months. In order to determine the daily benefit and inflation factor, take into consideration your disposable income, now and in the future, and the cost of care in your area. The cost of care varies from state to state and region to region. In Rochester the average cost of nursing home care is $342 per day. Preferably, you should be able to pay for your premium either with your income, interest generated by your assets or a very small portion of your asset base, approximately 1 percent of the whole. Ask yourself this question when designing a plan: Is some coverage better than no coverage? I’ve never heard anyone complain when they received a check from their insurance carrier to pay for their LTC expenses! Having no coverage will cost you from day one. In the past, daily benefits were designed to cover nursing home costs and many agents sold unlimited coverage. Remember the statistics cited above. Most individuals stay at home for their care and the average length of care is three years. Knowing this, you can more confidently design a policy that has a daily benefit geared towards home care and assisted living as opposed to nursing home care for a shorter period of time. This helps with the affordability factor! A daily benefit of $150 will pay for room and board at most assisted living facilities and approximately 225 hours of home care per month. How can the policy maintain its value years from now? The answer is inflation protection. It used to be that 5 percent compound was the norm. Now there are many different inflation

choices with 3 percent or 3.5 percent being the new gold standard. There are also combined or tailored inflation options that may provide 5 percent compound inflation to age 60, then 3 percent compound from ages 61 to 74 and no inflation after age 75. These options are better for younger individuals who will have a longer period of time for their daily to benefit grow at 5 percent compound. In order to make sure that you have adequate coverage when you need it, adjust the daily benefit at time of application to take into consideration how each inflation factor grows. 5 percent compound doubles in 14 years; 3 percent compound in 24 years; and 3.5 percent compound in 22 years. You may want to start out with a higher daily benefit and shorter benefit period if you select lower inflation. There is no doubt that long-term care planning options are becoming more diverse and sometimes less easy to understand. However, each company is striving to help you purchase the coverage by being innovative in spite of the current economic climate, low interest rates and high claims. Do not forgo the coverage. It’s too important. A plan can be designed for you that is both affordable and valuable. Work with a LTC insurance specialist who understands your needs and matches them to the appropriate policy. Susan Suben, MS, CSA, is president of Long Term Care Associates, Inc. and a consultant for Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. She can be reached at 800422-2655 or at susansuben@31greenbush. com. Ideas for this article were excerpted from ICB’s webinar “Creative Plan Design: Building Affordable Plans.” January / February 2014 - 55 PLUS

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visits

10 Things to do in Ottawa

View of Ottawa from Peace Tower with the library dome in foreground.

By Sandra Scott

ttawa, Canada’s vibrant capital, is a world-class city closer to our area than New York City. It has the look of a European city where the Gothic Revival Parliament building and the colorful changing of the guard brings London to mind. Ottawa was picked as the capital because it was nearly midpoint between Toronto and Quebec City and its location in what was then the back country made it more defensible should their neighbors to the south decide to attack. In addition, it offered easy access to major waterways. Here are 10 places you must visit if you travel to Ottawa. Parliament Hill: The current building was built in the 1920s after a devastating ﬁre destroyed the original building. Only the library was saved due the metal doors. During the summer the colorful changing of the guard takes place each morning,

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and in the evening there is an aweinspiring Mosaika sound and light show. During the day there are carillon concerts and tours of the building. Do not miss the view from the 302-foot Peace Tower. Pick up the “Discover the Hill” book, for a self-guided tour of the grounds. The best part — everything is free. Rideau Canal: The Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, opened in 1832 connecting Ottawa and Kingston with the St. Lawrence River. It was constructed because of the military threat posed by the United States. Lieutenant Colonel John By supervised the construction that — like the Erie Canal — brought workers from around the world. Between Parliament Hill and the Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel there is a ﬂight of eight locks, the largest set of locks in the Rideau system. Rideau still has hand-operated locks which raise

boats from the Ottawa River 79 feet to the canal. Next to the locks is Bytown Museum housed in Ottawa’s oldest stone building. Paul’s Boat Tours offers a variety of tours on the canal. Tours: The best way to get acquainted with a new location is to take a hop-on-hop-off bus tour. There are two tour companies, Lady Dive and Gray Line, but they offer the same tour, with Lady Dive offering an amphibious tour. Once around on the bilingual fun, historical, educational tour takes about 75 minutes. The tour stops at the museums, ByWard Market and other places of interest. A two-day ticket is best in order to spend time at the places of interest. Museums: The Canadian Museum of Civilization is Canada’s largest and most popular museum chronicling a thousand years of Canadian history. Not to miss is the First Peoples Hall that highlights

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the culture of Canada’s aborigines with the Grand Hall featuring the world’s largest collection of totem poles. The Canada Aviation Museum has a collection that focuses on the development of the flying machine along with its use in peace and war. Other popular museums deal with nature, science, and currency. Art: The National Gallery of Canada has a comprehensive collection of Canadian art including Inuit art. Do not miss the amazing reconstruction of the Rideau Chapel in one of the galleries. The museum saved the beautiful 1887 chapel of the Convent of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart from destruction. While walking about take time to check out the historic bronze statues. Sit on the piano bench next to Oscar Peterson’s statue outside the National Arts Center and listen to the music. There is fascinating art and architecture everywhere — keep your eyes open. Gardens: There are several historic destinations with pretty gardens but the most unique has to be the Mackenzie King Estate that features heritage gardens, walking trails, and the cottage of Canada’s 10th prime minister. A unique aspect is the picturesque ruins Mackenzie rescued from destruction by placing them throughout the property. Rideau Hall, the ofﬁcial residence of Canada’s governor general, is surrounded by a wonderful heritage garden including an Inuit stone marker and commemorative trees. ByWard Market: There is always something happening in ByWard. It was established in 1826 by John

Colorful changing of the guard in Ottawa brings London to mind

The Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, opened in 1832 connecting Ottawa and Kingston with the St. Lawrence River.

By, the father of the Rideau Canal, making it Canada’s oldest and largest public markets. It is the place to shop, eat and more. There is something in every price category. Make sure you try Ottawa’s favorite treat — beaver tails, whole-wheat pastries drizzled with butter and topped with apples, cinnamon, bananas, M&Ms or any of their many choices. Biking and more: Miles of pathways link historical sites, parks, and gardens, including trails along the Rideau Canal and Ottawa River. From May to October on Sunday Bikedays some streets are closed to motor trafﬁc. Gatineau Park offers great mountain biking and hiking. Don’t have a bike? No worries.

There are a plethora of places to rent them. During the winter the Ottawa Skateway offers over four miles of skating on the frozen Rideau Canal. Festivals: Ottawa has a festival for every season starting with their Spring Tulip Festival that celebrates the return of spring; to Canada Day, the largest Canadian birthday celebration; to their threeweek fun-ﬁlled Winterlude. There are also events that feature food, balloons, music and fund-raising races. Unique: Don’t miss Remic Rapids balanced rock sculptures but don’t touch. John Ceprano’s sculptures line the river and seem to defy gravity. There are accommodations to suit every taste. Spend the night in a jail. The historic Carleton County Gaol is now a hostel located within walking distance to Parliament Hill and other sites. If staying in a jail is not to your liking then you can stay at the Fairmont Chateau Laurie, fondly referred to by locals as “The Castle.” For lovers of the paranormal there are several haunted walks where visitors can learn about the city’s ghosts, goblins and other unsavory citizens.

If you go: Americans must have a valid U.S. passport when returning to the United States by air and if returning from by land or sea Americans must have a passport card, NEXUS card or an enhanced driver’s license. January / February 2014 - 55 PLUS

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By Ernst Lamothe, Jr.

Gill Petri, 72 Lifelong environmentalist and former teacher for the Pittsford Central School District now has an observation deck dedicated to him in the town of Pittsford Q. Why should people care about the environment? A. Just like all living organisms, like bacteria to blue whales, we depend upon the environment for our survival, food, clothing, shelter and for many, emotional and mental health and well-being needs. If we abuse the environment, sooner or later, we will lose it. We as intelligent animals have the ability to protect and preserve the environment, not only for our present generations but for all future generations. Of course, it’s critical that we care deeply about the health of our environment. Q. How did you get into teaching? A. Most of what I got into in life was by accident. After college, I was considering the medical field. Then with the urging of my wife, I decided to enroll in the College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University. I had always loved the outdoors and fishing and figured I might as well have a career in something I loved. After graduation, I needed a job because I was expecting my first child. I applied to Greece and Pittsford central school districts and got into Pittsford. After that, I got accepted to Penn State University for a Ph.D program but I liked teaching so much I turned it down. When I started back in 1965, I was a 24-yearold teacher and my students were 16. Now those same students are turning 65 years old themselves. It makes me laugh. Q. How do you think teaching about the environment has changed over the years in the classroom? 42

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A. Back in the mid 1960s, my father impressed his associates saying that his son is going to be an ecologist. Shortly after the ﬁrst Earth Day, April 22, 1970, I envisioned a course in ecology/environmental science, which began as a one-emester elective in 1972. At that time, Pittsford was very much into electives and giving kids as many choices as possible, We had a greenhouse and planted vegetable gardens right on campus. Since that early beginning, greater emphasis is placed on teaching ecology, the study of the house or home environment. As an example, one of my former students is teaching three environmental science classes in my former classroom. These are advanced placement courses whereas my course was a one-semester elective. From what I have read in many journals, this is true in school systems in the U. S. and throughout the world, with much greater emphasis on the environment in some and less in others. Q. How did you love of the environment start? A. As a young boy, I grew up between the Brighton and Penfield border, spending much of my youth fishing in Allen’s Creek, going to Corbett’s Glen and other Upstate New York nature areas. That got me started. I saw the beautiful trout-ﬁlled streams and felt an immediate connection to nature. Q. How did naming a deck after you come about? A. One of my former students, Jeff Skuse, and his family brought the wood for the deck and a plaque. The

Pittsford Parks Department built a new observation deck at Isaac Gordon Nature Center, a small park off of Clover Road. The plaque on the new deck says, ‘This plaque is dedicated to Gill Petri for advancing an appreciation of our natural world and enriching the lives of his students at Pittsford Sutherland H.S. and our community.” The old deck had sentimental value to Jeff because he would visit it during family walks since he was very young. Jeff said that I was one of the teachers who had a significant effect on his life and his appreciation of science. You can never tell what is going to happen with life. I never imagined I would be teaching, let alone fall in love with it. And you never know what kind of impact you are going to have on your students until later. Q. How does it feel to have such an impact on students? A. It’s a wonderful feeling to have so many of my students eventually go into environmental fields. And even the ones that didn’t go still really care about the environment and it is nice to hear that they got that from me. It is a shocker to me that my former student dedicated a deck to me.” Q. What do you do in your spare time? A. I enjoy fishing, hunting, golf, running and gardening. I am also a photography enthusiasts and often use my Nikon camera to take pictures of nature.

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