55 Plus of Rochester, #36: November – December 2015

Learn More About Social Security’s ‘Viagra Benefit’ for Kids

55

Highland Geriatrician: 10 Tips to Live a Longer, Healthier Life

free

PLUS Issue 36 November / December 2015

For Active Adults in the Rochester Area

See You in the Spring Thousands in Upstate getting ready to head to warmer places.

We interview one of them

Key Financial Resolutions for 2016.

Four Experts Weigh In Christmas on a Budget: Don’t Break the Bank

20 YEARS WITH WXXI WXXI CEO Norm Silverstein has shaped public broadcasting in the Rochester region for two decades. He talks about career, challenges

John Addyman: Key To Marital Bliss? Not What You Think…

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November / December 2015 - 55 PLUS

3

CONTENTS 55 PLUS

Learn More About Social Security’s ‘Viagra Benefit’ for Kids

55

Highland Geriatrician: 10 Tips to Live a Longer, Healthier Life

free

55 PLUS

November / December 2015

PLUS Issue 36 November / December 2015

For Active Adults in the Rochester Area

See You in the Spring Thousands in Upstate getting ready to head to warmer places.

We interview one of them

Key Financial Resolutions for 2016.

Four Experts Weigh In Christmas on a Budget: Don’t Break the Bank

20 YEARS WITH WXXI WXXI CEO Norm Silverstein has shaped public broadcasting in the Rocheter region for two decades. He talks about career, challenges

roc55.com

John Addyman: Key To Marital Bliss? Not What You Think…

33 38

14 24 Savvy Senior 6 Financial Health 8 Estate Planning 10 My Turn 16 Addyman’s Corner 30 Aging In Place 42 Long-term Care 46 Visits 48

Last Page Q&A Barbara Years, 66, of Farmington making a difference as a volunteer. She talks about what keeps her going 4

55 PLUS - November / December 2015

12 GRANDKIDS • Learn some bonding techniques

14 SNOWBIRDS

• Thousands leaving Upstate

18 DINING

• New York Wine & Culinary Center, a palate-pleasing experience

22 AGING • Tips to live longer, healthier

24 LIFESTYLE

• Tiny houses: are they for you?

26 COVER STORY

• WXXI chief is celebrating 20 years at the helm

33 PROFILE

• Kathy Carcaci’s milestone: working at RIT for 50 years

36 MONEY

• Four experts suggest top financial resolutions for 2016

38 RELATIONSHIPS

• Two women discover themselves, their passions

41 HOLIDAYS

• Giving to your grandchildren without breaking the bank Also in this issue: Documentary Age of Love, Brockport resident making the best of retirement

Estate Planning: It Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated Don’t miss this FREE one-hour workshop designed to: • Update you on current estate tax laws (federal and NY State — you may be surprised!)

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savvy senior

By Jim Miller

Medicare Options for Retirees Who Travel

T

he best Medicare options for retirees who travel extensively depends on your destination.

Let’s start with a review of the different coverage choices Medicare offers beneficiaries today.

One option is Original Medicare, which has been around since 1966, and covers (Part A) hospital services and (Part B) doctor’s visits and other medical services.

If you choose Original Medicare, you may also want to get a Medicare (Part D) prescription drug plan (if you don’t already have coverage) to cover your medication costs, and a Medicare supplemental (Medigap) policy to help pay for things that aren’t covered by Medicare like copayments, coinsurance and deductibles.

Or, you could get Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan, which is sold through private insurance companies, that covers everything Original Medicare covers, plus many plans also offer prescription drug coverage and extra services like vision, hearing and dental care all in one plan.

To help you evaluate your options, the National Council on Aging offers an online tool at MyMedicareMatters. org, and your State Heath Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) provides free Medicare counseling — call 800677-1116 for contact information.

You can also shop and compare Medicare health and drug plans and Medigap policies at Medicare.gov/ find-a-plan, or call 800-633-4227.

U.S. Travel

If you and your spouse are planning to travel domestically, Original Medicare provides coverage everywhere in the U.S. and its territories (this includes all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa) as long as the doctor or hospital accepts Medicare.

6

55 PLUS - November / December 2015

55PLUS roc55.com

Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto

But if you have a Medicare Advantage plan, your coverage may be restricted. This is because most Medicare Advantage plans (which are usually HMOs or PPOs) require you to use doctors, hospitals and pharmacies that are in the plan’s network within a service area or geographic region. So if you’re traveling outside that area, you may need to pay a higher fee, or your services may not be covered at all.

Before enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan, check the benefit details to see what costs and rules apply when traveling.

Traveling Abroad

If you’re planning to travel abroad, Original Medicare does not provide coverage outside the U.S. including cruising, except in rare cases, and Medicare drug plans will not cover prescription drugs purchased outside the U.S. either.

But, there are some Medigap policies that do provide limited coverage abroad. Medigap C, D, F, G, M, and N plans will pay for 80 percent of medically necessary emergency care outside the U.S., but only for the first 60 days of the trip, and you have to meet an annual $250 deductible first. There’s also a lifetime maximum benefit of $50,000, so you’d need to cover any costs above that amount.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, your coverage outside the U.S. will depend on the plan. Some plans offer emergency care coverage while others don’t. You’ll need to check your plan for details.

If you want additional emergency medical coverage when traveling abroad, some good shopping sites are squaremouth. com and insuremytrip.com. Prices vary considerably, ranging from under $100 to several hundred dollars depending on your age, what they cover and how long you’ll be away.

Associate Editor Lou Sorendo

Contributing Writers

Deborah J. Sergeant Ernst Lamothe Jr. Deborah Blackwell, Mike Costanza Jessica Gaspar, Kristina Gabalski

Columnists

Jim Terwilliger, Susan Suben Jim Miller, Bruce Frassinelli Michael Robinson, John Addyman Camen Santora

Advertising

Donna Kimbrell, Anne Westcott H. Mat Adams, Suzzanne Strocko

Office Manager Alice Davis

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 © 2015 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

Social Security’s Viagra Benefit for Kids

W i n t e r Wonderland

By Jim Miller

A

reader has been told that his children, who are 13 and 16 years old, may be eligible for Social Security when he files for retirement benefits next this year.

Is that correct?

Yes, it’s true. If you’re retired and are still raising young children, there’s a little-known Social Security benefit dubbed the “Viagra benefit,” that can put some extra money in your family coffers.

Here’s how it works. When you file for Social Security retirement benefits, each of your minor children can get money on your work record equaling half of what you would receive at full retirement age, which is currently 66. Even if you were to take a smaller benefit by claiming earlier, your kids will still get half of your full retirement age amount.

To qualify, your kids — whether they’re biological, adopted or step children — must be unmarried and under age 18. Kids that are over 18 but still in high school can collect too, until they graduate or turn 19, whichever comes first. (Other rules apply to kids that are disabled.)

But that’s not all.

Because you have one child that’s only 13, your spouse (if you’re married) can collect Social Security benefits on your work record too. And it doesn’t matter if he or she’s just 40 years old. The minimum age requirements to collect retirement benefits (62) or survivor benefits (60) do not apply when it comes to collecting benefits as the caregiver of a young child. The spouse’s benefit, which is also worth up to half of your benefit, will stop when your child turns 16.

But be aware that there are limits to the amount of money that can be paid to a family. The Social Security “family maximum payment” is determined by a complex formula (see ssa. gov/oact/cola/familymax.html) and can range from 150 to 180 percent of your full retirement benefit amount.

If the total exceeds that, each person’s benefit, except yours, is cut propor-

tionately until it equals the maximum.

Here’s an example of how that’s figured. Let’s say, for example, that your full retirement age benefit is $2,000. After doing the Social Security math computations that would make your family maximum benefit $3,500.

Subtract your $2,000 benefit from the $3,500 family maximum benefit, which leaves $1,500. That’s the monthly amount that can be split between your two children — $750 each. If your spouse wants in on it too, the individual checks are smaller, at $500 apiece, but the family amount is the same.

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File and Suspend

One other benefit boosting strategy you should know about that’s relevant here is “file and suspend.” If you’re still working and would like to wait, say to age 67 or even 70 to start claiming your own benefits, you can file and suspend starting at full retirement age 66.

This option gives you the ability to start monthly payments for your minor children and spouse, but suspend your own benefit so you can collect a larger amount later. Your benefit will increase by 8 percent per year for every year you delay collecting your retirement benefit up until age 70.

That means your retirement benefit at age 70 will be 132 percent of what it would have been if he had collected at age 66.

You should also know that minor children can collect Social Security benefits based on the earnings of a parent who is disabled or dead too.

To learn more, see the SSA publication (No. 05-10085) “Benefits For Children” at ssa.gov/pubs/EN-0510085.pdf.

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November / December 2015 - 55 PLUS

7

financial health

By Jim Terwilliger

Inheriting Retirement Plan Assets

A

s I often like to say, “How can something that should be so simple be so complicated?” But, it’s true when it comes to inheriting retirement plans.

The rules are many and confusing when managing the associated Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). The penalty for violating such rules is severe — equal to 50 percent of the RMD amount.

Recently, Congress simplified part of the process by allowing employer retirement plans — 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and 457 plans — to be treated like IRAs when inherited. That is, all can be rolled over to inherited IRAs, spouses’ IRAs or non-person entities.

The distribution options available to beneficiaries of retirement accounts depend on the age of the account owner at the time of death, the relationship (spouse or non-spouse) between the beneficiary and decedent and whether the beneficiary is a person.

Age of the account owner.

If the decedent dies prior to his/ her required beginning date (RBD), the (living) beneficiary has two options for the newly-created inherited IRA: 1) start annual RMDs by Dec. 31 in the year following death based on the beneficiary’s life expectancy as specified in the IRA Single Life Table, or 2) empty the inherited IRA by the end of the fifth year following the year of death. Two beneficiary exceptions will be described later — spouses and non-persons.

Recall that the RBD is April 1 of the year following the year in which the account owner reaches the age of 70-1/2. Most folks start RMDs the previous year in order to avoid two required distributions in the year of the RBD. 8

55 PLUS - November / December 2015

Note also that for someone working beyond age 70-1/2, if the worker is an active participant in the employer plan and the plan allows, the RBD is delayed and becomes April 1 in the year following retirement. So, it is possible for an employee considerably older than 70-1/2 to die before reaching his/her RBD for the employer plan. That does not hold for IRAs. Age 70-1/2 is the magic RBD age for traditional IRAs. If the decedent dies after his/ her RBD, the life-expectancy option is a bit different. Here the (living) beneficiary’s RMD payout period is the longer of the beneficiary’s or the decedent’s remaining life expectancy using the IRS Single Life Table.

Additionally, the decedent’s RMD must be distributed in the year of death. If it was distributed prior to death, fine. If not, the RMD must be taken and paid to the beneficiaries before the account can be rolled over to an inherited IRA. It is critical that this be accomplished by the end of that year. If not, an IRS penalty can be assessed. If the decedent died before reaching his/her RBD, no year-ofdeath distribution is required.

Relationship (spouse or non-spouse).

Spouse beneficiaries are allowed some additional flexibility.

First, a spouse may roll the plan over to his/her own IRA. Non-spouses do not have this option. The spouse’s age then determines the RBD for required minimum distributions. Of course, the spouse is then bound by the age 59-1/2 restriction regarding the ability to take distributions with or without penalty.

Second, a surviving spouse may roll the plan over to an inherited IRA. In this instance, the beneficiary

spouse can delay taking RMDs until the decedent’s RBD if the decedent died prior to his/her RBD. This is an attractive option for young surviving spouses who want the flexibility to take distributions without penalty prior to age 59-1/2. Then at age 591/2, the spouse can simplify and consolidate by rolling the inherited IRA over to his/her own IRA.

Non-person beneficiary.

Such a beneficiary might be an estate, a charity or non-qualified trust.

(In this article, we will not consider a qualified or see-through trust for which there are clear beneficiaries who ultimately receive the inherited IRA RMDs).

If the decedent died prior to his/ her RBD, the non-person beneficiary can only use the five-year rule. If death occurred after the decedent’s RBD, RMDs follow the life-expectancy method, based on the decedent’s life expectancy, using the IRS Single Life Table. RMDs must begin no later than Dec. 31 of the year following the decedent’s death.

Note that distributions exceeding the RMD are allowed at any time. The RMD is only a minimum. Inherited IRAs can be emptied at any time at any age without penalty.

Complicated, isn’t it?

The take-away message, however, is simple. If you are a beneficiary or an executor for an estate, be sure to work with a trusted, knowledgeable financial professional when managing RMDs for inherited IRAs. 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: I applied for my child’s Social Security card in the hospital but have not received it. How long does it take?

A: In most states it takes an average of three weeks to get the card, but in some states it can take longer.

If you have not received your child’s card in a timely manner, please visit your local Social Security office.

Q: Is it illegal to laminate your Social Security card?

A: No, it is not illegal, but we discourage it. It’s best not to laminate your card. Laminated cards make it difficult — sometimes even impossible — to detect important security features and an employer may refuse to accept them. The Social Security Act requires the Commissioner of Social Security to issue cards that cannot be counterfeited. We incorporate many features that protect the card’s integrity. They include highly specialized paper and printing techniques, some of which are visible to the naked eye.

Keep your card in a safe place with your other important papers.

Q: I have two minor children at home and I plan to retire this fall. Will my children be eligible for monthly Social Security benefits after I retire?

A: Monthly Social Security payments may be made to your children if: • They are unmarried and under age 18; • Age 18 or 19 and still in high school; or • Age 18 or older, became disabled before age 22, and continue to be disabled.

Children who may qualify include a biological child, adopted child or dependent stepchild. (In some cases, your grandchild also could be eligible for benefits on your record if you are supporting them.) For more information, see our online publication, “Benefits For Children,” at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.

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estate planning

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55 PLUS - November / December 2015

A

Common Reasons to Create an Estate Plan

s we discussed in the last issue of 55 PLUS, you don’t have to be a millionaire to benefit from an estate plan.

Reasons to create an estate plan are as unique as the individuals who create them. If you own a home, have minor children or grandchildren, grown children in their own marriages, have been divorced, own a business or expect to receive an inheritance of your own, you need to take action now.

Procrastination is one of the biggest stumbling blocks when it comes to estate planning, and we see all too often the unnecessary expense and heartache that families experience because their deceased love one planned on doing their planning “tomorrow.” As Pablo Picasso said, “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.”

Here are some more of the common reasons you need to not only build and protect your hard-earned money, but transfer it with as little depletion and expense as possible: 1. Ensure that a specific portion of your estate actually gets to grandchildren, charities, etc., and with the rules you want in place. Without planning, the state will decide who inherits your assets and how… not you!

2. Protect a portion of your estate if you pass away first and your surviving spouse remarries. Special trusts can be set up to protect your current surviving spouse and ensure that your assets don’t end up in the wrong hands.

3. Address different needs of different children. No two children are alike. Customized estate planning can assure that each child’s personal needs are addressed in the manner you deem best.

4. Prevent or discourage challenges to your estate plan. Establishing a revocable living trust now makes it more difficult for objections when you are no longer around to

speak for yourself.

5. Encourage and reward heirs who make smart life decisions, and prevent the depletion of your estate from those who do not. There can be a point at which giving a child more money can make them less productive and less happy. A family incentive trust can be tailored with financial incentives, which encompass your family values and goals to encourage and motivate your children. Such a trust can be a loving way to support your children while inspiring them to be productive members of society and fostering their sense of self-worth.

6. Assure an education for children or grandchildren, despite what they (or their parents) dream of doing with the inheritance. Establishing an educational trust can assure that your children and/or grandchildren use their inheritance for education and not fund a vacation in Las Vegas.

7. Plan for a “Brady-Bunch” family estate plan and assure the step-parent doesn’t spend your children’s inheritance or provide for a spouse without sacrificing the intended legacy for children of a prior marriage.

Divorce and second marriages can have devastating effects on the inheritance you intend for your children, if your estate plan is not reviewed and updated. Oftentimes, the original “traditional” estate plan will not meet the needs or provide the protection needed for your new blended family, so proper planning is imperative.

For over 29 years, The Law Office of Michael Robinson, P.C. has helped thousands of families in the region protect their legacies. The firm is recognized nationally and locally as an expert resource for estate planning and elder law. Visit mrobinsonlaw.com or send an email to info@mrobinsonlaw. com. Phone: 585-374-5210

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55+

grandkids

Better Bonding with Grandchildren

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

M

arty Kaufman, a therapist practicing in the Rochester area, follows his own advice: he spends time babysitting his 2-year-old grandchild to help build a close bond with the child.

“Spending time together is the bottom line,” he said. “The bonding will only occur if you spend time together. Getting down on the floor with little ones helps them build skills and build a bond with you.”

Today’s busy schedules challenge many families to make time to get together. But staying close requires face time — and meaningful face time, at that.

“Understand the child’s developmental stages and the things that pique their interest,” Kaufman said.

Discussing and doing things that only interest you shuts out their thoughts and feelings. Their interests can change quickly; however, frequent communication can help you stay in touch with their hobbies easier. In addition to talking about

12

55 PLUS - November / December 2015

their interests, Kaufman encourages grandparents to attend their games and performances. Or, “create special events at your home,” he said.

Movie night (they pick the title), for example, gives you something to talk about.

“Asking them what they want to do might be a good place to start, but a lot of kids have trouble answering open-ended questions,” said Keith R. Wilson, licensed mental health counselor practicing in Rochester.

“If you want to get a conversation going, get more specific. Instead of saying, ‘What would you like to do this weekend?’ say something like, ‘I heard about some races going on Saturday. Do you want to come with us?’

Or, ‘There’s this festival going on.’

Get more specific.”

However, introducing them to your world can help them get to know you better, too, especially if you haven’t been as close in the past. Keep

in mind their developmental stage, however. A 4-year-old won’t care much for an antique show; however, taking him to see a model train exhibition you would like to see could really punch his ticket.

You could also take the grandchildren to a place where there are many different things to do such as a recreation center or shopping mall. It won’t hurt to broaden your horizons, too “If it’s new for them and the grandparents as well, it can be a really bonding experience,” Wilson said.

If you live too far away to do things together often, try to at least see each other regularly at reunions, take a trip together, offer to host the children for a weekend and keep in touch electronically. Speaking on Skype, texting, emailing and old-fashioned phone calls and letters can help you feel better connected, as well as through social media.

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55+

snowbirds

See You in the Spring!

It’s estimated that about 150,000 Upstate residents head south during cold months

By Jessica Gaspar

M

Becky and Harry Hilbert 14

55 PLUS - November / December 2015

ost Upstate New Yorkers probably know at least one person who flies south in search of warmer weather during New York’s long, brutally cold winter months. It’s estimated that nearly 1 million Northerners call Florida their home during that time.

According to a study conducted by the University of Florida, about 15 percent of those temporary residents come down from the Empire State — more than any other state. Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and even Canada rounded out the top five places whose residents sought the Florida warmth in the winter.

One local couple, Becky and Harry Hilbert of Webster, spend a few months out of the year at their condominium in Nokomis, Fla., from January until April or May. Nokomis is about an hour south of Tampa along the state’s west coast.

The Hilberts leave a few days after Christmas, usually on or around Dec. 29.

“We take two nights to get down there,” Becky said, adding that they usually arrive on New Year’s Eve. “Then we go on the beach and watch the fireworks and send [pictures] to

our friends up here.”

They aren’t your typical snow birds, though. Unlike 77-year-old Harry, an engineer who retired from Xerox about 20 years ago, 64-year-old Becky still works full-time for Xerox where she oversees medical benefits and information for retired workers.

This will be her eighth winter where the document services giant has allowed her to telecommute.

“I still work, but I get to work virtual,” she said. “I deal mostly with retiree medical stuff, so I don’t have to be onsite to do this.”

Even when she’s in Webster, she can work a day or two from home.

As long as she’s doing her job and available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on her normally scheduled workdays, she doesn’t have to worry.

“Why do I need to sit in an office?

Technology can be really beneficial,” she said, adding that her own boss who was once located in Connecticut now works mostly from her home in Texas.

Like the majority of snow birds, one of the main reasons the couple travels south for the winter is the warmer weather.

“My husband loves the heat,” Becky said. “He’s one of those guys that loves it to be 100 degrees.”

The University of Florida study also found about 25 percent of Floridians who had moved there between 2000 and 2003 lived there part of the year prior to moving in full-time.

While the Hilberts own their Florida condo, Becky doesn’t have any plans on moving permanently to the Sunshine State.

“I might stay two months longer, but not year-round,” she said. “We have too much family up here, and I love Upstate New York. The fall up here is so absolutely gorgeous.”

Through their years living in Florida in the winter, the Hilberts have met many friends, most of whom are retired. Becky’s sister also lives close by.

While Florida has done an extensive amount of research regarding snow birds and their effect on the Floridian economy, there aren’t a lot of numbers that track the number of New Yorkers who leave during the winter. According to Julie Aldrich, director of the Monroe County Office for the Aging, her office does not track any numbers.

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15

10/8/15 5:33 PM

my turn

By Bruce Frassinelli Email: bruce@cny55.com

What Else is There?

A columnist contemplates what’s beyond retirement

A

s I tiptoe through my golden years, I increasingly realize I am no longer on the fast track. Actually, like it or not, I am on the periphery of life’s action.

With few exceptions, our youthful culture sees me as a fossil who has had my time in the sun and expects me to step back graciously into the shadows.

I had an incredibly successful and satisfying career as a journalist, rising to the top of my profession as a newspaper publisher, but I retired 17 years ago. Past glories are played out in my mind and through plaques on the Wall of Fame in my office. I am grateful to be able to continue writing columns, which keeps me connected and, hopefully, relevant.

I also continue to teach four college-level courses a year — two in the classroom and two online.

One of my students paid me the ultimate compliment at the end of the spring semester this year: “You know, Mr. Frassinelli, for an old dude, you’re pretty cool.”

Family members and friends ask me how long I plan to teach. The answer is simple: “As long as I feel I am making contributions to my students.”

I find myself hopelessly trying to slow down the hands of time, because I know that one day my mind and body will whisper to me, “That’s all she wrote, my friend.”

It is amazing to still feel relevant so deep into retirement, that I am helping young people gain knowledge

16

55 PLUS - November / December 2015

and understanding of complex subjects. I am helping them learn ethical behavior in a world which is becoming shockingly less ethical. In the other course I teach, I encourage involvement in their communities as they learn about state and local government.

A student in the state and local government course told me earlier this year that she had zero interest in the subject when the course started.

When it ended, she says she is now considering running for public office in a few years. “I was turned on to the importance of voting, making my voice heard and getting off the sidelines and into the game,” she told me.

When I hear testimonials such as these, I know that I am still making a difference. Realistically, however, I must prepare myself for life after teaching, life after writing, just as I had prepared myself for life after being a newspaper publisher.

So, what else is there?

I do enjoy my leisure time now, but only as a counterpoint to the teaching and writing. The leisure time serves as a reward of sorts for having worked hard during the college semesters and writing columns such as these.

I can’t even imagine what a life of total leisure might be like, even if I am healthy enough to enjoy it.

A close boyhood friend, who lives in Delaware, and I got together recently and were discussing our mortality the night before he went on a skiing trip.

We were speculating about how many “good years” we might have left. He and I are both in pretty good shape, the same age, 76, and comfortably well off.

We a g r e e d t h a t making it to 85 without any major infirmities or life-threatening illnesses would be a reasonable goal, and anything beyond that would put us into bonus land.

Aside from my students, I find I have a strange relationship with the young people whom I encounter. Some are deferential, holding open the door for me and saying, “After you, sir.” Others border on the disrespectful. When I had breakfast the other day at McDonald’s, the server alternately called me “pops” and “bub.” I seethed,

“I find myself hopelessly trying to slow down the hands of time, because I know that one day my mind and body will whisper to me, ‘That’s all she wrote, my friend.’” considered talking to his manager, then decided that I shouldn’t be so thin-skinned.

Then there is the issue of solitude and loneliness. Marie, my wife of 23 years died earlier this year, a victim of ovarian cancer, so I expect to make the latter part of my journey through life as a widower. (I found that some forms that I fill out now do not give “widower” as an option for “marital status.” In those cases, I must check the “single” box, which really feels odd and creepy.)

By having kept busy with the college and writing tasks, I have for the most part fended off loneliness.

I do enjoy solitude, which allows me the pleasures of reading, listening to music and contemplating content for my courses and my columns.

See, this is my point. My life still revolves around my work, just as it did when I was working my way up the corporate ladder, first as a reporter, then various editor positions, general manager, and, finally, publisher.

Now, however, work is no longer mandatory for supporting my family or me, but I find that work is still mandatory in my life, for my mental health and well-being.

I find my relationship with my grown children so much more rewarding now, and I enjoy my time with them, but they have their families and their careers, and I don’t ever want to overstay my welcome to where my kids wonder, “When the heck is Dad going home?”

When the time comes to leave the classroom for that final time; when the time comes to write that last column, will I stare into the abyss and wonder, “What else is there?”

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dining

Culinary Classic

New York Wine & Culinary Center a palatepleasing experience

By Deborah Blackwell

I

f the finest of New York agriculture, wine and food can be captured in one location, the New York Wine & Culinary Center does it with exceptional taste.

This destination spot in the Finger Lakes offers visitors a chance to discover the region’s remarkable farm-to-table food, wine and craft beer industries. Set along the shores of Canandaigua Lake at 800 S. Main St., Canandaigua, the center also showcases the area’s scenic beauty 18

55 PLUS - November / December 2015

and rich history. Culinary classes, tastings, events and a culinary gift boutique invite visitors to explore this thriving culture.

“Since the center opened in 2006, it has been a local resource for promoting the bounty that’s right in New Yorker’s back yards,” says Peter Rogers, general manager. “Beyond educating visitors about New York’s incredible agriculture and tourism industries, we also have the opportunity to excite and engage them to really

The New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua is a respected venue for culinary and sommelier instruction and hosts a diverse group of visitors from college students to trade experts. Classes are taught in the hands-on kitchen at the Center by both in-house and local instructors. There are a wide variety of classes for all interests.

support the farmers, wineries, breweries and more in their own state.”

After a decade of successfully fulfilling its mission — to represent the fresh and diverse culture of the area — the nonprofit center is expanding its objective by going on the road.

The recently launched Upstairs Bistro Food Truck brings the best of the Finger Lakes to people throughout New York, offering a seasonal menu of locally sourced culinary fare.

“The food truck has reenergized a collective team effort throughout the New York Wine & Culinary Center that has really created a buzz on and off the truck,” says Ted Rogers, Upstairs Bistro Food Truck manager.

“The team is excited to share our mission, great service and incredible food across the state.”

Reflective of the menu from the

center’s casual-chic restaurant Upstairs Bistro, the offerings are based on the availability of local, farm-fresh ingredients, according to Ted. Upstairs Bistro offers innovative selections including house smoked barbecue pulled pork, beef brisket on ciabatta, marinated veggie pita, grilled chicken salad and even a taco of the day.

“Because of our culinary staff talent, we have the flexibility and resources to really provide something for everyone, which is important on a food truck when you’re serving such large and diverse crowds,” says Ted. Both Peter and Ted are excited about the center’s new moveable venue. Brothers from Branchport, Peter joined the New York Wine & Culinary Center in 2013, and Ted came on board last April, specifically to manage the food truck.

Having grown up in the Finger Lakes area and enjoying its cornucopia, they are both excited to share their culinary passion on the road.

The truck can be found at various summer events, wineries, breweries and concerts.

“The response from our community about the food truck has been extremely positive,” says Ted. “People are excited to see what’s coming and we’ve received numerous questions about where we’ll be serving and also inquiries about private catering, such as graduation parties.”

Some of the activities at the New York Wine & Culinary Center include educational training and instruction in wine pairing on site, along with many other classes, tastings, cooking, and special programs for beginners or professionals. The center keeps the content current, with various instructors who specialize in their fields.

The New York Wine & Culinary Center is a well-sought-after venue for cooking and sommelier instruction for food and wine enthusiasts from college students to tourists to trade experts. Offering a variety of classes from healthy meal preparation to holiday menu planning, corporate team building or wine certification, the center’s educational theater and hands-on kitchen welcome attendees of all interests.

Façade of the the New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canadaigua, the gateway to New York’s finest and freshest locally-sourced agriculture. Visitors can enjoy freshly prepared, elegant meals in the Upstairs Bistro, wine tastings, culinary instruction and shopping in the gift boutique.

Chef Jeffory McLean is the administrator and lead chef instructor at the New York Wine & Culinary Center, and his passion for food, its nutritional importance, and the love of preparing it with fun and simplicity at home is evident. His “New American” style of cooking focuses on the use of fresh, seasonal ingredients, and supports his mission to utilize and share the region’s abundant resources.

New York’s agriculture industry is diverse, spanning fruit and vegetables, dairy and cheese, and more.

But the state is also known for its vineyards. It ranks third in the United States for grape and wine production, according to a 2014 report by Wines and Vines.

Wine is a centerpiece at the New York Wine & Culinary Center where visitors can learn about the wine industry and local vineyards, enjoy tastings, and try pairings with a delicious meal on site. The tasting room at the center is unique, offering wine, beer, and spirits for tastings all in one setting.

The center welcomes over 140,000 visitors each year and prides itself on being a leader in the hospitality industry. Its elegant setting is a perfect backdrop for events. The Sands Gallery overlooks Canandaigua Lake and the center’s gardens. The private dining room is a setting like out of a November / December 2015 - 55 PLUS

19

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55 PLUS - November / December 2015

The Upstairs Bistro Food Truck is a new venture at the New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandiagua, showcasing farm-to-table locally-sourced menu items. The food truck’s mission is to share meals made with the freshest and best ingredients produced by local farmers to audiences across New York. The truck appears at wineries, breweries, concerts, and other venues throughout the season. medieval castle’s grand dining room, complete with a view of the lake. The garden tent outside is surrounded by some of the beautiful seasonal agriculture of New York — grape vines, vegetables, apple blossoms and herbs — and is only steps from Canandaigua Pier.

The educational theater, where chefs create masterpiece culinary fare, includes state-of-the-art technology and amphitheater seating. The Upstairs Bistro is a tavern-style gathering spot where patrons can sit at the bar in the heart of the center, or enjoy the view of the lake inside at a table or from the second floor wrap-around deck outside.

“We go to the New York Wine & Culinary Center all the time, and each time we go there is something new to experience,” says Tatjana Bevel of Victor. “They have so much going on, and the food is amazing.”

Summer season recently wound down with classes, events and outdoor dining. Now with the center’s offerings can reach an even broader spectrum of food and wine enthusiasts willing to celebrate the freshest and best of Upstate New York’s har-

vests.

For information on classes, events, locations of the food truck, and hours, visit www.nywcc.com.

The New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua has a unique tasting room for wine, beer, and spirits, a one-of-a kind in the area.

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aging

10

A

By Susan Friedman, MD

s a geriatrician, I specialize in helping seniors cope with illness, frailty and the complications of aging. Our field has seen significant advances over the past two decades, so that we are better equipped to care for older adults, and the complexities and nuances of their care. Unfortunately, there are only about 7,000 geriatricians practicing in the United States.

What this means is that our care is focused on frail older adults with multiple chronic diseases. Fortunately, only a minority of older adults are frail.

What about the rest?

For those who are not frail, a focus on healthy aging is likely to delay or prevent frailty. And, as a society, we are aging as never before. Beginning in 2011, the first of the baby boomers turned 65, and 10,000 turn 65 every day in the United States. In 2010, one in seven people in Monroe County was over age 65, and in 2035 it is projected to be one in five.

Until recently, the rates of disabil-

Tips to Live a Longer, Healthier Life ity in later life appear to have been declining. However, those trends may be plateauing or even reversing.

There is evidence that the rate of disability in adults who are approaching old age has increased in the recent past. This rise in disability is felt to be due in part to declining activity levels and growing rates of obesity, which raises the risk of multiple chronic diseases, including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. An article that I co-authored with geriatricians William Hall and Krupa Shah is available in the “Journal of the American Geriatrics Society,” and discusses some of the implications of these changes, including the need to focus more on encouraging healthy aging.

So how do we “age healthy?”

Isn’t it all a matter of our genes? How much can we really impact?

Surprisingly, a lot more is in your hands than you may think. The best estimates are that only about a third of longevity is determined by our

genes. There are certain diseases that have a strong genetic component. But many of the most common chronic conditions can be significantly impacted by lifestyle. I will discuss my top 10 items for living a long, healthy and happy life.

Stay or become active — Sedentary behavior increases both the risk of chronic disease and death. On the other hand, activity and exercise have many benefits, including improving your strength, improving your mood and counteracting other risk factors for chronic illness. Many chronic diseases can be controlled by exercising. What kind?

How much? That could easily be the topic of several other articles, but you can learn more at www.health.gov/ paguidelines/guidelines/. And it’s not too late to start. One longitudinal study that looked at people who were in their 60s and did not have chronic disease at the beginning of the study looked at outcomes eight years later.

They found that those who became active were three times as likely to avoid chronic disease, functional decline and depression than those who remained inactive. And even studies on much older and frailer individuals have found a significant impact on function with exercise.

1

Don’t smoke — The connections between tobacco use and poor health are well known. Smoking is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, lung disease and many cancers. Smoking not only impacts the individual,

2

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55 PLUS - November / December 2015

but those around him or her, with an increase in risk of heart disease and lung cancer, and other chronic diseases, among those exposed to second-hand smoke. A paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2004 listed tobacco use as the leading “actual cause” of mortality in the United States.

Avoid stress — As George Burns once said, “If you ask what is the single most important key to longevity, I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress and tension.

And if you didn’t ask me, I’d still have to say it.” People who are faced with multiple stressors are at higher risk of developing illness. Often, these stresses cannot be avoided, but you can adjust how you respond to them. Some things to consider are, first, recognizing when you are stressed, and then limiting other, more avoidable stressors, talking with friends or family or meditating.

3

4

Eat more vegetables! — Your grandmother was right. Many studies have found that eating a diet that focuses on plant sources and avoids processed foods, reduces your risk o f heart disease, certain cancers and dementia. Adding more vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains and nuts to your diet can open up many possibilities for a culinary adventure.

Why not try out a new recipe — and invite some friends to try it with you!

5

Belong to a community — In good times and in bad, we tend to do better when we have support from friends, family and community. According to an analysis of the Established Populations for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly, fewer ties with spouse, close friends and relatives, church and other types of groups was associated with increased mortality. The five-year mortality was two to three times higher in those with no ties when compared to those with all four types of ties.

Get a good night’s sleep — Many things can impact getting a restful night’s sleep, including demands of work, social and family responsibilities, medical conditions and sleep disorders.

Sleep requirements vary and sleep patterns change with age, but most people need at least six or seven hours of sleep a night. Unfortunately, many people do not get this and, according to a recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, more than one-third of individuals reported sleeping less than seven hours per night on weekdays or workday nights. Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to cognitive deficits, increased risk for accidents, poor immune defenses, and chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and heart disease.

6

7

Keep learning — Both formal and informal education play a role in healthy aging. It has been estimated that a college education can delay the impact of aging by nearly a decade, so that individuals with a college education reach levels of disability and death about 10 years after those with less education. Cognitively stimulating occupations can help preserve cognition. Some studies have shown an association between cognitively stimulating leisure activities, like chess, bridge and doing crossword puzzles, with maintaining cognitive function, but results are mixed, and more work needs to be done to establish causal relationships.

8

Maintain a healthy weight — Being either overweight or underweight is associated with higher risk of mortality. The rate of obesity has increased substantially over the past t w o decades in this country. The 2014 edition of the American Health Rankings reported that 29.5 percent of US adults were obese, a 7 percent increase from 2013. Obesity increases the risk of many chronic illnesses as well as disability.

9

Embrace change — There is a saying that “change is the only constant in life.” If you think about the changes that a person who is 100 years old today has seen, they are nothing short of phenomenal. Two world wars, the introduction of antibiotics, the first moon landing, cell phones and the Internet, and that is just scratching the surface. People who age well are people who can adapt to changes as they occur.

10

See your primary care provider regularly — Your primary care provider can help you maintain health in several ways. First, they can provide guidance for prevention of disease, through interventions like vaccines and falls prevention. Second, they can detect disease early, to provide curative treatment. Third, they can guide management of chronic disease, both to decrease its progression as well as to limit loss of function that may develop as a consequence.

And finally, they can provide education on health promotion, so that a healthy lifestyle can limit risk in the first place.

By following some or all of these suggestions, there is a good chance that older adults can live longer, healthier, and more enjoyable lives, and delay the onset of frailty. So grab a friend, and plan to make a change today!

Physician Susan Friedman is an associate professor of medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. She is a geriatrics hospitalist at Highland Hospital.

November / December 2015 - 55 PLUS

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lifestyle

Tiny Houses

Downsizing Solution?

Why some people are opting for very small homes

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

K

ids already out of the house?

Property and school taxes too high? Who needs all that extra space and expense?

Tiny houses — ones around 400 square feet or less — provide diminutive option that’s starting to catch on.

Various websites, meet-up groups, construction companies and even a cable TV program — Tiny House Nation — now focus on tiny houses. Chris Wegener, owner of Lake Construction, in Lakeville, oversaw his crew in constructing a 210-sq.-ft. home for the program in August 2014.

While cynics might dismiss tiny houses as fancy RVs or over-priced mobile homes, Wegener said that the construction methods and materials aren’t the same.

“With the condensed version of an actual home, it’s the feeling of a home,” he said. “The materials in it

24

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are different. The motor home has a lot of laminate.”

Tiny homes can incorporate lightweight versions of standard building materials and remain movable. Although RVs tend to depreciate in value, tiny homes retain value like larger homes. Tiny homes are also built in the standard frame style of larger homes of the same, long-lasting components and can accommodate additions and customizations more readily than RVs or mobile homes. In fact, many people draw up their own tiny home plans.

“It’s great people are utilizing the benefits they want anywhere and putting into a condensed version,” Wegener said.

Some incorporate the sink, toilet and shower into one waterproof room. Or employ fold-out or slide-under beds.

Though a scheduling conflict prevented Wegener from building more tiny houses in Michigan for the television show, he’s open to the possibility of building them locally as interest rises.

“It’s funny how it’s growing,” he said. “Everyone has ideas and wants to get together in a tiny house park.

It’s a different viewpoint.”

He estimates that it cost about $50,000 to build a tiny house like the one he constructed for the program.

Shawn Orlowski, a tiny house enthusiast and photographer and owner of Shawn O Photo in Rochester, dreams of the day he can build his own tiny house. He connects with others on the Tiny House Upstate New York Facebook group, which he says attracts people of all ages.

He’s so serious about it that he took in a roommate to help him cut

expenses and save up toward a new, diminutive dwelling.

“I see it as freedom from material possessions that are no longer needed, that over burden people,” Orlowski said. “De-cluttering possessions equals de-cluttering emotions.

It’s about freedom from debt. And freedom from cleaning 2,000 sq. feet.

That takes a few hours. A tiny house takes 20 minutes, tops.”

If you relish the thoughts of less home maintenance, a tiny house might be for you. Many tiny house owners like the thought of lower utility bills and greater environmental stewardship.

“A lot of tiny houses are sustainable and environmentally friendly,” Orlowski said. “That’s a huge kick for renewable energy and solar energy. It ties right into tiny house living.”

As for disadvantages, tiny house dwellers may lack the privacy they crave. Especially once you’re retired and spending more time at home, too much “us time” can lead to friction.

“Some obstacles facing us are the coding and zoning ordinances,” Orlowski said. “Cities vary with their codes and regulations, and many are amending them to fit the needs of the trending voice, to live tiny if one chooses to do so.”

Some tiny house bedrooms are a sleeping loft, which may be problematic to impossible to use if you have mobility issues (although single-story designs could solve that problem).

Though in his 30s, Orlowski plans to live in his future 300-sq.-foot house indefinitely after he moves out of his current 900-sq.-foot home in two years. He’s considering, along with other tiny house enthusiasts, developing a tiny house community.

A single father of a son, age 4, Orlowski doesn’t foresee space difficulties in his new home, though “a tiny house wouldn’t be for someone with a family of five or six kids,” he said.

“Once the kids are all gone, a tiny house could really work well.”

But for retirees who want a streamlined life, he sees tiny home living as a good way to simplify.

“I’m not against owning stuff entirely,” Orlowski said. “I like nice things, but I haven’t even used the stuff in my basement in the past eight years. Besides a few keepsakes, it’s just cluttered storage that’s not being

If you relish the thought of less home maintenance, a tiny house might be for you, according to experts.

This tiny house sports a kitchenette, closets, a bathroom and a bedroom for two.

used. Stuff you own can end up owning you.”

His strategy makes sense to Kim DePrez, who represents Rochester Greenovation, a store that sells materials people can use to build a tiny house.

“Many things are fold-out so they’re handy by you,” she said.

“There are fewer things to trip on in a minimalistic environment. It can be a cozier environment so if you live alone, it doesn’t feel as lonesome.”

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In the Public Eye Norm Silverstein, WXXI chief, is celebrating 20 years at the helm

By Mike Costanza

N

orm Silverstein speaks of his time as CEO and president of the WXXI Public Broadcasting Council as a learning experience.

“It’s been a wonderful opportunity to get to know what makes this community tick, and to help mold an already valued cultural gem into an indispensible part of the community,” says Silverstein, who will celebrate his 20th anniversary at WXXI’s helm in December.

Those years have been fruitful for WXXI. When Silverstein came on board in 1995, the Rochester nonprofit was sending its television programs out over one broadcast channel, WXXI-TV, and via the city of Rochester’s limited cable-only channel, City 12. Radio listeners could turn to WXXI-FM 91.5 for classical music and WXXI-AM 1370 for news and public affairs programming.

“We might have had four hours of local talk [radio]” Silverstein says.

“That was it on the AM station.”

Nowadays, three television channels reach out from WXXI’s State Street home to viewers around the Rochester region, and the nonprofit continues to program on City 12. An average 199,200 viewers tuned in to

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WXXI each week for award-winning news, cultural and educational programming each week in 2014.

“We have one of the most robust children’s schedules on television in the country — 11 1/2 hours on our main channel and an additional three hours on one of our digital channels,” he says while exuding pride.

You need not be a preschooler to gain from tuning in to WXXI. “Homework Hotline,” a live call-in television show that helps kids with their homework, broadcasts from its studios throughout the school year. In addition, the nonprofit produces online educational programming for use in classroom instruction.

“I’ve always believed that education is at the root of what we do,” Silverstein explains.

Radio listeners have also gained from WXXI’s growth. Those as far away as Ithaca in Tompkins County can tune in to top-notch nationally syndicated or locally produced shows all through the day via the six stations that WXXI owns or operates in the region.

Listeners can also access the station’s radio programming thorough podcasts or live online, and WXXI has a presence on Twitter and Facebook.

The average weekly radio audience alone came to 163,000 in 2014.

Even moviegoers have benefitted from WXXI’s presence in the community in recent years. Back in 2012, WXXI affiliated with The Little Theatre in order to help the nonprofit solve its financial troubles, and continue screening the cinematic works that have made it a linchpin of Rochester’s cultural scene.

WXXI has about 100 full-time employees and The Little “several dozen part-time and casual employees” on their payrolls, according to Silverstein. Their combined annual budgets come to between $12 million and $13 million.

Challenging early times

Silverstein came to WXXI after a stint as senior vice president for Maryland Public Television. It was a difficult time for the station, and public broadcasting in general. Republicans gained control of Congress in 1996 on a pledge to cut the federal deficit and trained their sights on public broadcasting.

“There was a major push on the part of the federal government to defund public television altogether and public radio,” says Gary Walker,

Norm Silverstein in the WXXI headquarters on State Street, Rochester November / December 2015 - 55 PLUS

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WXXI’s former news director.

As a result, federal funding for public broadcasting dropped from $285 million in 1995 to $260 million in 1997, a nearly 9 percent cut. Public television and radio stations around the country were forced to downsize, and many in WXXI’s newsroom wondered how Silverstein might respond to the situation.

“We had to wonder what was going on and what was going to be his intentions,” Walker says. “There was a lot of tension.”

At the same time, the station faced

a federal mandate to switch from analog to digital television broadcasts — a multi-million-dollar change. Walker was part of the search committee that picked WXXI’s new CEO, but he and others on the staff were uncertain of how Silverstein would manage such challenges while meeting the community’s needs.

“We all realized that we were in a very changing dynamic, and really we were looking for someone who could move us into the era coming,” Walker said.

Silverstein set out to tackle

WXXI’s financial challenges as soon as he stepped into the CEO’s office, in part by reaching out to the community.

“I knew that I had some significant fundraising ahead of me,” he said. “I’d have to get to know the community quickly, because people write checks to people, not to buildings.”

WXXI raised about $10.5 million for the successful shift to digital in a campaign that reflected Silverstein’s collaborative approach to fundraising. Instead of trying to elbow other local nonprofits out of the way in a bid for funding, the nonprofit collaborates with them on fundraising efforts.

“We shouldn’t be competing for donors,” Silverstein asserts. “We should be working together, and proving to our donors that we’re efficient and effective in serving the community.”

Silverstein’s style has also helped WXXI develop strong relationships with the Arts & Cultural Council for Greater Rochester, Rochester Museum and Science Center and other local nonprofits.

“We’ve worked with the Museum and Science Center over the years to do science programming for kids that we’ve expanded out to other stations around the country,” Silverstein says.

Jump into theater

WXXI began its most significant recent collaboration in 2012 when it formally affiliated with The Little Theatre, the oldest continuously operating art-house cinema in the country. The movie theater badly needed funding for new digital projectors and renovations.

“The Little needed help in areas where WXXI had a great deal of strength: digital media, fundraising administration and leadership, and the ability to be self-sustaining,” Silverstein said. “We knew we had to put in new digital projectors, digital sound system, new screens, and of course shore up the walls, fix the roof, and put new seats in all the theaters.”

WXXI raised about $1 million for fixing The Little’s ills, according 28

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Lifelines to Silverstein. Parts of the upgrade and renovation have already been completed, and Silverstein expects to raise another $1.5 million for the theater in the future.

That spirit of collaboration has also shaped WXXI’s news programming. Former Democrat and Chronicle publisher David Hunke ran into Silverstein in 1999, just after moving to the area. Instead of treating him as a competitor, Silverstein introduced Hunke to some of the area’s political, educational and business leaders.

“He was very good about bringing the newspaper guy around and saying, ‘I want you to meet Dave,’” Hunke explains.

The two became fast friends, and agreed to pool their journalistic resources for “Voice of the Voter,” an ongoing effort to bring citizens’ concerns regarding political issues to the forefront.

“We were very active at finding ways to work together during the elections, sharing either candidate interviews or debates, and jointly exploring issues around election cycles,” Hunke says. “The idea was to extend the story as far as possible across print readership, digital readership and broadcast audiences.”

Community outreach also led to the creation of “Second Opinion,” an award-winning weekly health series that brings medical specialists together to discuss intriguing, real-life medical cases. Several years ago, Silverstein gave a talk to a local medical organization, and some in attendance asked him why WXXI was not broadcasting more health shows. He responded that most of the shows available were of poor quality, and would cost about $1 million a year to produce. When the doctors replied that the figure did not seem to be much, Silverstein threw them a challenge.

“I said, ‘Really. If you’ll help raise the money, we’ll commit to doing the show,’” he says. “This might have been after too much wine.”

The physicians came up with some of the initial funding for the health show, and WXXI found the rest.

Walker and the station’s news staff set to work, and “Second Opinion” took

to the airwaves in 2004. WXXI partners with the University of Rochester Medical Center on the show, which appears on over 200 public television stations around the country.

“All of us who are affiliated in some way with the show have heard from people that the show saved their lives,” Silverstein says. “We’re really proud that we get to do a show that has that kind of impact.”

Other parts of WXXI more clearly reflect its CEO’s journalistic roots — Silverstein came to public broadcasting after years in commercial broadcast news. For one thing, the newsroom includes top-flight reporters and other staff.

“We’ve invested a lot in bringing on some really good people,” Silverstein said. “Hélène Biandudi Hofer, who hosts ‘Need to Know,’ worked for the executive producer of ‘48 Hours’ before coming here.”

“Need to Know” is WXXI-TV’s award-winning, half-hour weekly news and public affairs program, and “48 Hours” is a documentary news series on CBS. WXXI’s investment has borne fruit. Just in the past two years, a number of its news stories have earned awards, including “Racial Profiling in Rochester Policing,” which the New York State Associated Press Broadcaster’s Association named the best news special/documentary in 2014.

“Something I’m most proud of is how we have become more of a goto place for news in this community,” Silverstein says.

Political science background

You might say that a future Pulitzer Prize winner talked Silverstein into entering journalism. While studying political science at American University in Washington, D.C., he decided to take a writing class from Larry McMurtry.

McMurtry, who was destined to win the Pulitzer for his novel “Lonesome Dove,” took Silverstein aside.

“Larry said, ‘You know your fiction isn’t too good, but your non-fiction writing is very good. Have you ever thought about being a journalist?” Silverstein says.

• Place of birth: Jersey City, New Jersey; 63-years-old • Residence: Pittsford • Marital status: Married father of two grown children • Favorite Restaurants: Richardson’s Canal House, Pittsford; Good Luck, Rochester • Enjoys: Working out at least three times a week, cooking out and the study of American history—particularly that of the Civil War Three things that few people know about him:

1 Met his wife when both were working in radio

2

Used to be uncomfortable in front of television cameras

3

Has a sense of humor “I once pretended to be Richard Nixon calling back a reporter at WTOP. He interviewed me for 20 minutes before he found out it was me, and chased me down the street after that.”

Silverstein retained his major, but also studied broadcast journalism.

After graduating from college, he worked for stations in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. In 1980, Silverstein found himself manning the editor’s desk at WTOP, a Washington all-news station that had just moved into its new building. Nothing in the newsroom worked, and word came that the Shah of Iran had died.

“I had an anchor man cursing live on the air because nothing worked,” Silverstein says. “I got up from the desk and threw my arms up and said, ‘Why me, God?’” Silverstein left broadcasting in 1981 to work as deputy press secretary for Maryland Gov. Harry Hughes.

After Hughes left office, Silverstein headed off to become the director of news and public affairs at Maryland Public Radio.

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addyman’s corner

By John Addyman

The Key To Marital Bliss? Not What You Think…

I

was thinking about God and women the other day.

Really.

Especially about creation.

We know that God knows everything. But I think there are a lot of hints in the Bible that he was learning along the way.

For example, in Genesis, God decided, after making all the animals, that he needed someone in his own image to name them, so he made one man, Adam.

Soon after, God started learning because, let’s face it, if you put a guy in paradise all by himself, things will get weird.

As a guy, I can tell you that, left to my own desserts, I can be really helpless. Ask my wife.

Picture Adam walking around paradise looking for a tool he dropped somewhere a couple of weeks ago.

He doesn’t have anyone to tell him he needs a shower or that the garbage needs to get emptied, so paradise might have been stinky, especially with his socks left all over the place.

He didn’t have anyone to play fantasy football against.

God looked at Adam strolling around pointlessly and said to himself, “I’m going to have to create something that will straighten this guy out.

He needs a buddy, a wing man, somebody to provide some company and an occasional pat on the back…and to tell him to pick up his socks and take a bath — please!

So God created woman, using a piece of Adam for the foundation. She would be just like him — only different (and many would today say, better). Man was the beta model; woman was the production version.

That brings us to today, where many guys seek to have a lasting relationship with a woman, and we chase the girl of our dreams until she decides she’s willing to put up with us 30

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for the rest of her life.

Many guys have redeeming qualities that encourage a woman to make this leap of faith — they’re good-looking, smart, have nice sense of humor, always know where their tools are and don’t have to be told to empty the garbage.

When my wife and I are introduced as a couple, the person or persons we’re meeting for the first time gives us the onceover.

Then they look at me a second time.

Invariably, they are asking, in their minds, “What is she doing with this guy?”

True, I’m not much to look at.

Short. Chubby around the midrift.

Slow of foot, but fairly agile for someone of my advanced age.

Once in a while, we’ll get asked how long we’ve been married. This Christmas, it’ll be 46 years.

Invariably, again, someone will say, “Oh you don’t look that old!” But what they really mean and that they’re really thinking — looking at my poor wife — is, “How could you have stayed with that yahoo that long?”

Too true.

But I have a secret to our marriage’s longevity, and I’m pleased to share it with you, so pay close attention: my feet and hands are always warm.

Yes, fellow males, you can be a great kisser and a wonderful romantic and have all kinds of talents, but on a

long winter’s night, and in many nights before and after that, the things that I have prove to be very valuable.

I found I was blessed with this attribute quite by accident.

My wife has popsicle toes and popsicle fingers.

Always cold.

When we got our first queensized bed 35 years ago, she had a reaction to all that extra space that taught me the true reason why she married me in the first place.

Some of you reading this will know what I mean by “extra space” because early in our marriages, there was only one size of bed for a married couple — a double. Then someone introduced the “queen” bed, which was, I guess, big enough for a queen.

Later, the mattress people put two doubles together and made a “king” bed, which, you have to figure, was big enough for a king, or a king who was having a party.

It was in our first queen bed that I discovered how important my toasty toes and flaming fingers are.

My wife and I got into our brandnew queen-sized bed, which had been delivered that noontime from Montgomery Ward. The mattress had all kinds of blue flowers on it and we thought it was pretty swank.

It was wintertime, and we climbed up onto the bed (even then the queensized mattresses were higher than the doubles), and settled in for our long winter’s nap, each of us occupying

our normal portion of the bed. And when you think about it, the normal portion of a double bed was pretty much in the center-half of the bed, with enough room to roll over on your side.

But in the queen-sized bed, I was on one side of the bed and my wife was on the other, and there was room for three dogs or three children between us. Since I am the nuclear furnace in the bed on cold night, I was duly heating up my portion of the bed — but my wife was so far away, she wasn’t enjoying any of the BTUs I was throwing off.

And then something happened that I’ve never forgotten…the bedclothes started to move, like a wave, or even more precisely, like a gopher burrowing under your lawn. Next thing I knew, my wife had made the trip from her side of the queensized bed to my side, and two popsicle-toed feet were clamping down on my toasty toes, and two very cold hands were searching for mine — or anything else warm.

My wife made a little noise of satisfaction once she made contact and the convection currents started to flow. This ritual has been repeated on many, many nights over many, many years.

You see all these surveys about what women look for in a man — good sense of humor, honesty, able to hold a conversation, sharing, making enough money, and comfortable within himself.

Nowhere do you ever read anything about warm hands and feet.

But if I’m talking to a woman of a certain age about why my wife has been with me so long and I mention my hands and feet are always warm, the woman gets a wistful look in her eye that sure appears to be, “Yeah… that would be nice.”

It’s clear to me that marriage counselors should ask, “Are your husband’s hands and feet warm?” in one of their first intake questions.

Better yet, moms should counsel their about-to-be engaged daughters about the importance of being warm and comfortable in bed.

It may not be exciting in the early years of marriage, but in the later years, what’s not to like about that?

But I still don’t know where my socks are…

Retiring Abroad?

Find the Best Countries to Live in If You’re Over 60

T

he sunny skies of Florida and Arizona may be a draw for older Americans, but Switzerland is the best place to be if you’re 60 and over, according to a new report.

According to the Global AgeWatch Index 2015, which measures the social and economic wellbeing of older people across the globe, Switzerland ranks as the No. 1 country in the world to live for older people.

Norway and Sweden came in second and third, respectively. The U.S. managed to snag a spot in the top 10, coming in at No. 9, according to the report.

The new report included 96 countries and represented 91 percent of the world’s people who are ages 60 and over.

Currently, there are approximately 901 million people worldwide who are 60 and over, according to the report. By the 2050, this number will reach 2.1 billion people, or 21.5 percent of the world’s population.

The rankings were based on how

well countries scored in four domains: older adults’ income security, health status, capability (which included employment and educational status) and enabling environment (which included people’s physical safety, civic freedoms and access to public transportation). The scores were calculated from a number of international data sources, including the World Bank, the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization.

“This index is vital in representing the lives of older people in countries around the world as it enables us to compare not just their pension income and health but also the age-friendly environments in which they live,” Ashar Zaidi, a professor at the Center for Research on Aging at the University of Southampton in England and developer of the index, said in a statement.

The authors of the report attributed Switzerland’s high score in part to the country’s policies and programs that promote older adults’ health and an enabling environment.

The Golden Years Don’t Glitter for All

P

eople in high-income English-speaking countries tend to grow more satisfied with their lives as they age, but that’s not the case in many other nations, a new study finds.

Researchers analyzed data gathered from people around the world and found that life satisfaction tends to fall during middle age and rise in older age among people in the United States and other high-income English-speaking countries.

However, people in areas such as the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa become increasingly less satisfied as they age.

In Eastern Europe and the for-

mer Soviet Union, older people have much lower life satisfaction levels than younger people. The same thing happens in Latin America and Caribbean countries, but life satisfaction does not fall as sharply as in Eastern Europe, the study found.

In sub-Saharan Africa, life satisfaction is very low at all ages, according to the study published Nov. 6 in “The Lancet” as part of a special series on aging.

“Economic theory can predict a dip in well-being among the middle age in high-income, English-speaking countries,” study co-author Angus Deaton, a professor of economics and international affairs at Princeton University, said in a news release.

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500 East Avenue Rochester, NY 14607

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Celebrating RIT’s ‘Golden Girl’ Kathy Carcaci is celebrating her 50th anniversary at the university

By Jessica Gaspar

A

determined kid just out of high school went knocking on the doors of the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1965 — not looking for a college degree, but rather for a job.

Kathy Carcaci, now 68, graduated from Gates-Chili High School on June 27, 1965. Three days later, she was hired at RIT, which then occupied space in downtown Rochester.

Half a century later, she is now RIT’s longest-serving staff member.

She was hired as the secretary to the personnel director in the newly formed human resources department.

While in high school, Carcaci was a business major. She doesn’t recall exactly how she heard about the job, but

she said, “RIT must have done some kind of posting.”

Some of her duties consisted of producing memos on ditto paper and photographing and laminating staff ID cards. She was also responsible for typing faculty contracts and delivering them to then-president Mark Ellingson. Now, she is the human resources manager and manager of staff recruitment under president William Destler.

Carcaci’s eyes widen with excitement as she discusses all the changes RIT has undergone in those 50 short years.

“People ask me, ‘How could you stay at the same employer for 50 years’? I say, ‘I’m the same person,

but RIT is by far not the same company’,” she said.

When Carcaci started, the college occupied a small downtown campus.

The student union and counseling center occupied many homes and other buildings in and around Rochester’s historic Corn Hill neighborhood.

She recalls being able to walk over to the indoor mall at Midtown Plaza on her lunch breaks, where she and coworkers would eat and shop.

Sometimes, they’d walk across East Main Street to Sibley’s department store. Then, in 1968, she and the rest of RIT’s campus were in for a culture shock when the new campus opened off Jefferson Road in the town of November / December 2015 - 55 PLUS

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orange and brown.

After 50 years, Carcaci is a tiger in her own right, and she is neither bored nor tired with her job.

“It’s coming in and every day is different.

Believe it or not, it is,” she said. “It’s the product. The products are our students. Every year, a young fresh class comes in with these unbelievable minds. You see the face of the parents who have invested a lot of money for the students to come here. Four or five years later, they are innovated, smart, daring. You can’t ask for anything better than that.”

Carcaci does have some words of advice for the younger generation who may just be starting out at their first jobs: You don’t have to stay there for 50 years.

“I often say to people, probably you won’t stay with your same employer for 50 years, but the best thing you can do is take your core skills and apply them in different arenas,” she said.

Like dad, like daughter “Because if you have Her dad worked for a tool your core skills, you can and die company on Brooks Avgo to business, industry, enue near the Rochester Interhigher education, hospinational Airport before retiring Kathy Carcaci holds her stuffed tiger in her lap. The tiger tals, nonprofits. The more after 45 years of service. Carcaci is a tribute to the Rochester Institute of Technology’s you bring of that diverse still wistfully remembers the mascot, the tiger. She keeps the tiger on her desk. background, I think the anniversary of her own 45th stronger employee you year of employment at RIT, and become in whatever enhow she and her father share many the RIT Athenaeum, in December vironment it is.” commonalities.

Carcaci’s own experience is an 2010. Her father passed away before “I am definitely my father’s the publication went to press. asset to younger employees. Erica daughter,” she said, laughing at the A self-proclaimed “neat freak,” Cymerman, an RIT alumnus, has memory. “My sisters always say that.” Carcaci’s office is clear of clutter. On worked in the human resources deThere was a celebration to com- her tidy desk, Carcaci keeps a plush partment as a compensation analyst memorate Carcaci’s 45th anniversary stuffed tiger as a tribute to her em- since 2010. with RIT, including an article in the ployer. The tiger is RIT’s mascot and “Her length of service is by far campus university news publication, the university’s colors are a matching her most valuable asset in the workHenrietta.

“We were used to this little urban setting in and amongst a neighborhood campus,” Carcaci said. “Then (we) ended up in corn field. At that time, Southtown was really considered a big plaza, but it wasn’t the same feel as downtown shopping.”

She has worked with five college presidents.

Born from a small city campus, RIT now encompasses 1,300 acres in suburban Rochester. The university also has grown to include international campuses in Eastern Europe and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Carcaci recalled her father was originally disappointed with her decision to work for RIT, which had seven colleges and an enrollment of about 8,500 students in 1965. Enrollment has more than doubled in size, and RIT’s student body now consists of about 18,000 combined undergraduate and graduate students.

Carcaci’s father encouraged her to seek employment at Eastman Kodak Co. At the time, the film industry leader was thought to have guaranteed lifetime employment with a healthy benefits package and a fantastic retirement plan.

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place from my perspective,” Cymerman said. “She gives us the historical knowledge that helps us to answer questions like, ‘Why in the world do we do it this way?’”

As a compensation analyst, Cymerman mostly works with Carcaci on compensation-related requests.

Cymerman finds Carcaci’s knowledge and work style a real asset.

“She’s sometimes pretty bold but in a very tactful way and has a good knack of getting to the bottom of the real issue at hand,” Cymerman added. “We see that a lot in compensation, and it’s helpful when she can give us the back story behind a request.”

Outside of her career, Carcaci indulges in several of her own passions.

She is an avid gardener and reader.

She recently read “The Invention of Wings” by Sue Monk Kidd, which tells the story of two sisters living in South Carolina in the 1830s who were so rebellious against their family and religion, they were eventually exiled from their hometown of Charleston.

But, her most favorite thing of all is collecting and refinishing antique furniture.

“It can be anywhere from antiques to mid-century modern stuff. It’s a table; it’s a chair. I just like to look at something and wonder, ‘Whose home were you in? What did you see over the years?’ If there’s a ding in the table, ‘Who did it?’” she said.

She doesn’t just love salvaging or repurposing an old piece. It’s the untold story she doesn’t know that really piques her interest. “The biggest attraction to me is looking at the piece and wondering, ‘What’s your story?’”

As for her own story, Carcaci is still writing that. One thing she knows for certain is she doesn’t have any plans on retiring any time soon.

“I think what’s going to happen is one day I’m just going to say I want to do something else,” she said.

She and her husband, Paul, own a condo in Florida. “The winters are tough up here,” she said. “(I like) the thought of being able to spend three or four months in the warm weather. I do survive the winter, but not as much as I like the warm weather.”

Kathy and Paul live in Canandaigua. They have two daughters, both of whom attended RIT, as well as four grandchildren.

A Gift of Education, Arts, Culture and Citizenship for Today and for Future Generations

Now more than ever, our community needs the vital programs and services WXXI offers. From preparing children for school and informing citizens of issues, to showcasing local arts and preserving the history of the Little Theatre – your gift to WXXI’s Go Public Campaign will help assure a brighter future for generations to come.

Visit WXXI.org/GoPublic or call 585-258-0200

Campaign

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Financial Resolutions for 2016 What four local experts say about them

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

If you’re not far from retirement age, your financial situation differs greatly from when you were in your 20s. Along with eating better and exercising more, why not shape up your finances? Area experts share their ideas for financial resolutions you should make in 2016 Cindy Lapoff, legal and regulatory consultant with Manning & Napier advisers in Fairport.

• “Review your financial plan. If you don’t have a written plan, go get one or hire an adviser. Make financial goals for yourself. It should include your investment portfolio. Make sure your asset allocation looks the way you want it to. Look at your budget Lapoff and make sure 36

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it’s realistic for the life you want to live in 2016.

• “Look at your emergency fund.

So many people have to tap into their retirement fund for unexpected events even like a furnace breaking or something medical not covered by insurance. It’s common for people to be told to have between three to six months’ living expenses for emergency funds. This should be for basic living expenses and bills, not including lattes and trips. Start with something.

Put something away every week. Before you know it, it will be a substantial amount of money.

• “Look at your retirement savings and make sure you’re taking advantage of tax-deferred savings. You can put away $24,000 and $18,000 if

you’re under 50. You will be able to defer an additional $6,000 in 2016.

That can add up in the years before retirement. It’s a great tax shelter.

• “Regardless if retired or still working, review your health insurance and make sure you’re getting what you’re paying for and that it’s something that you need.”

Philip Burke, attorney partner at Woods Oviatt Gilman, LLP in Rochester.

• “From an estate planning perspective, if you have a revocable trust or will, make sure they’re up to date and the provisions are what you want them to be. If you have children who maybe can’t handle money or have credit, marriage or chemical dependency issues, you may want a trust to protect assets for them. Grandchildren who are 18 may be legally adults, but you may want to set up a trust so they Burke

access their money when they’re older.

• “Update your power of attorney, which lets someone else access your money in case you’re infirm or you’re traveling. It’s a blank check so make sure you trust who will handle it. Set up a living will and healthcare proxy. Usually it’s a spouse or a child who makes medical decisions if you can’t consent to procedures or end-oflife decisions.

• “Review your beneficiaries.

You can change the beneficiary by signing a form; you don’t have to redo the will or trust to change or add charities. You don’t have to pay an attorney. Your financial adviser has the form.

Tom Hamilton, president of Hamilton Wealth Management in Pittsford.

• “Review all your beneficiaries for retirement accounts and insurance policies. That’s something people don’t do often enough.

• “Ask your financial adviser how he or she is compensated,

whether they charge commissions or fees so you know how much you’re paying each year for financial advice.

• “Try to not worry about your money but enjoy it. That’s what it’s for.”

Hamilton

Justin Stevens, vice president financial adviser at Sage Rutty & Co., Inc. in Rochester.

• “Have a cash flow plan so all the short-term expenses are covered and not held in long-term investments.

We identify expenses that are going to be one to three years [from now] and keep that in liquid assets, like money market funds, CDs, bank accounts.

They don’t return a lot of money but have low volatility. Those expenses will be protected for the short-term.

That gives the flexibility to have more invested in higher return, longer-term Jim Terwilli

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relationships

The Art of Love

Two women discover themselves, their passions

By Deborah Blackwell

W

hen music meets art meets creativity meets love, what do you have?

A special duo that was born to sing together, dance together and be together. Roz Pullara, 76, and Barb Adams, 68, of Penfield, have a story to tell in hopes that others can overcome doubt and triumph in being who they are meant to be.

“It took us years and years to resolve many things about who we are, where we were going and what we were doing both together and as individuals,” says Pullara. “It was a life transformation for both of us. We had to get down to the nucleus.”

Both are professional musicians, teachers, published authors and artists. Their paths joined after years of mundane strain, living the lives they thought they were supposed to live.

Satisfied but still missing what made them whole, Pullara and Adams silently searched for something they did not realize they were missing until they found each other: true inner peace and deep happiness.

The moral of this story is authenticity, but their journey becoming life partners and outwardly gay took time.

Love of written word

Roz Pullara (left,) 76, and Barb Adams, 68, of Penfield, crossed paths in 1984 and became best friends for years before uniting together as life partners. Both musicians, authors, and artists, their celebration of life and love is apparent in their music and their work. They enjoy caring for the grandchildren and being together with family and friends.

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55 PLUS - November / December 2015

Adams grew up in Long Island then attended SUNY Brockport from 1965 through 1969. The college was small then with about 1,800 students.

Adams loved her time there, a time that helped her understand her professional course — the field of health sciences.

“I was always drawn to the health sciences and wanted to be a doctor,” says Adams. “I was the one who dissected the chicken heart at the table and grossed everyone out explaining about the chambers of the heart.”

Her enjoyment of health education, movement and dance was the right mix for her. Previously a foursport athlete in high school, then a two-sport athlete in college, Adams was thrilled to attend a college with a focus on athletics and the humanities, dance and arts.

“It gave me the background I

needed to really feed my soul,” says Adams.

After college, she taught health and physical education on Long Island, but within two years was drawn back to Upstate New York, where she obtained a master’s degree in physical education at Brockport. She and her husband and two children experienced a roundabout loop from Upstate New York to Arizona to Long Island and finally to Irondequoit.

Adams spent the next 26 years as a junior high school health teacher, administrator and interim director of health and physical education in Irondequoit. She started a consulting business called Teachers Good to Great, based on the book “Good to Great” by Jim Collins. She wanted to help teachers not only do well but do better while honoring their abilities and capabilities.

“Let me help you if you want me to,” says Adams. “Stand on my shoulder of experience and see what you can take from that.”

This is a concept that mirrors Adams’ life today.

She went on to write a book for children titled “The Adventures of the Course Kids: Through Faith and Grace,” based on a Course in Miracles. A Course in Miracles is a selfstudy curriculum of texts, lessons and a workbook to help with spiritual transformation. Adams is developing a children’s learning module and this is the first in the series.

“I was going through my sister’s library and I stumbled upon her Course in Miracles book. It called to me,” says Adams. “I started reading it; it resonated. What really calls to me is the focus on love. Instead of fear there is love. My heart burst open.”

Adams love of writing as a form of expression came early with poetry and then a children’s story published in the New York State Journal of Middle School Associations. Music — playing the guitar, drums and singing — is another huge part of Adams’ creative expression that continues to delight and inspire her. Her passions and purpose were only enhanced when she met Pullara.

Absorbed in the arts

Raised in Upstate New York, Pullara has lived in the Rochester area her entire life. The youngest of eight children in an Italian family, Pullara’s

Roz Pullara (left,) and Barb Adams of Penfield created a musical duo called Paradox, and performed in venues around the greater Rochester area in the early 1990s. They both sing and play instruments. Pullara is a jazz musician, singer, songwriter on piano, and Adams plays guitar and drums, as well as sings. Now both women enjoy their time writing books, spending time with their grandchildren, and each working in various art forms including painting and photography. childhood was much like that of an only child, with 13 years between herself and her next oldest sibling. Her father died when she was 14 years old. She says her childhood without sibling rivalry and with a hard-working mother offered her the opportunity to really explore her environment.

She was drawn to the arts at an early age.

“The first time I sang in public was in kindergarten, and I recall singing a song that my older sister had sung, ‘You Made Me Love You,’” says Pullara. “That was the beginning, and from then on, I decided I was going to be a singer. And as life has it, things changed.”

She majored in performing arts at the SUNY Geneseo and received a degree in education. Eventually, she obtained her master’s degree in education administration from Brockport.

Pullara taught in the Rochester City School District. First, she taught English at Nathaniel Hawthorne School No. 25 then performing arts at Nathaniel Rochester Community School No. 3.

“My school was a magnet school

for the performing arts,” says Pullara.

“I taught there for a good 20 years.

The exciting thing about it was that we were able to secure students from suburbs and we had students bused in from all over Monroe County. It was a wonderful program.”

Her career introducing the performing arts to young children fulfilled her passions. As the only teacher in her department, she was able to create and execute her own curriculum, stage productions and help facilitate performing arts in the city school district.

She found herself overwhelmingly busy for many years, doing her art forms of music, drawing and painting; married at the time; raising two daughters, and pursuing academic degrees. But in the midst of her hectic schedule, she still felt unsatisfied.

“I was lacking time to breathe, undergoing inner battles that took years to resolve,” says Pullara. “I could not push myself anymore and had to be honest with myself.”

There was a pivotal time in her life when she realized it was necessary for her to get real about being a November / December 2015 - 55 PLUS

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relationships

lesbian. And then she met Adams.

Opening the door

Pullara and Adams had their own lives before they came together over a campfire in 1984, when each took their daughter to the same Girl Scout camp. Both singing in the key of G, a rarity Pullara says, they connected immediately. Not realizing they were neighbors until that camp weekend, the two formed a friendship that would last the rest of their lives.

They first got together and sang in Pullara’s home that included a full music studio. Pullara was formerly a professional jazz singer throughout clubs in Rochester and her husband at the time was a well-known jazz bassist.

“Roz had a grand piano and a full music studio, and every time I walked into her home, another part of me totally lit up,” says Adams.

“When we sang our first song together, it was harmony that just filled our souls and filled the room.”

At first the duo performed for friends at home, but in time took their combined talents to the next level. Their debut Cabaret-style concert at the Memorial Art Gallery in 1992 was sold out, despite the winter storm occurring at the time. Pullara’s background of jazz and Adams’ background of folk, pop and rock blended well. They sang familiar tunes, wrote their own music and performed in many venues throughout the Rochester area for the next three years.

But their mutual love of music was only part of it. Although they both embraced their creative selves, Pullara and Adams had been neglecting a more significant piece of their identities. They were both fighting their inner truth about what they were, denying their hearts’ real calling. They fell in love and began their quest to recognize and accept that reality as well as share it with the world.

“Prior to meeting Barb I never faced who I was,” says Pullara. “I was bound and determined to bury any deep feelings I had. I was going to fight this thing and be like everybody else.”

Pullara says growing up in a so40

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ciety where homosexuality is not accepted is difficult.

“Words do not have to be spoken; they can be felt,” she says. Music was a form of creative expression that allowed them and others to see, hear and feel their soulful connection while experiencing it. The name of their singing group was Paradox, a word defining the reality of their inner and outer selves. That in time became the platform for which they could share their authenticity with the world.

“You need to be who you are because that is how you were created,” says Adams. “The need for me to be real and authentic was a matter of claiming my life physically, spiritually and emotionally so I really could be fully present in my life.”

Breaking the barrier

She says there is a silent death that occurs when you try to bury who you truly are, which you can bury, but in time she says it will claw at you until it reaches the surface. It also affected her health in a negative way.

“To stand on a stage and to acknowledge ourselves as gay women is not only peeking out of the closet, but throwing the closet door open and saying we claim our lives. It’s time,” says Adams.

The women faced tremendous pressures from the world around them, but persevered in truth. Acknowledging the need to tell their stories and then doing so saved their lives, the couple says. They opted to choose freedom, agreeing the alternative of living with ongoing anxiety and a sense of guilt is unproductive.

“We need to be brave enough to not just stand face to face with someone, but to stand up and say, ‘I claim my life, I have a right to my life,’” says Adams. “It was not without turbulence on the journey, but the bell was ringing.”

Pullara and Adams celebrated their union in a commitment ceremony in Rochester in 1996. Both women concur their ceremony was life affirming and healing, celebrating the joy and importance of their life’s dedication to each other. Now Adams and Pul-

lara find themselves enjoying their time writing and promoting their books.

Pullara’s first real experience with writing fiction came as a junior in college, but she did not pursue writing again until she retired. Her first book, “Someday You’ll Understand,” was born from the image she retains of her oldest sister in a casket, surrounded by flowers. In her 50s at the time, Pullara remembers being at the wake.

People were visiting, talking and laughing while her sister lay alone in her casket. Her second book in the series, “Rocco,” was expected out this spring.

Pulllara says she’s an organic writer and feels what the character feels. She gets right into the character’s shoes and writes until she finds the words to fully express herself, which is a common theme in her life.

She is also writing a play and says being a playwright is also in her blood.

Hand-in-hand with that are the musicals she has in her head.

“I have about six songs that are ready to go. I can’t help myself,” says Pullara.

Other creative passions for Pullara are painting and drawing. She delights in doing charcoal sketches of people absorbed in activity and paints landscapes with watercolors.

Her environment and nature inspire her, and she will often trace scenes in her mind and then paint them.

Adams, in addition to being a musician and author, enjoys photography and regularly caring for the couple’s three grandchildren along with Pullara. Both women also enjoy gratifying relationships with their former husbands, regularly socializing and participating in co-parenting and grand parenting together.

Their adult children, who reside in the Rochester area, appreciate and understand their mothers choosing to be who they are truly meant to be, in all aspects of their lives.

“Roz and I are both actively involved in helping nurture our grandkids’ intellectual development as well as reinforce the innate goodness within their hearts,” says Adams.

55+

holidays

Christmas on a Budget Giving to your grandkids this holiday without breaking the bank

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

I

f you have many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, shopping for Christmas gifts can clean out your checking account or rack up sizeable credit card debt. Instead, try these tips for budget-conscious gift giving.

Hone in on the pleasure a gift will bring, not its price tag. Most children would derive more enjoyment from a less expensive item that they really want than many costly ones that don’t interest them as much.

As another approach, you could focus on a theme that the child really enjoys instead of a single, expensive, gimmicky item that loses its appeal

quickly. Group together small items such as a box full of dollar store art supplies for your pint-sized Picasso.

Fill up a basket of bubble bath, fancy soap and lotion, bath fizzies and a whimsical bath puff for a little bathing beauty. When grouped together, these inexpensive items make a nice gift.

Shop year round, checking off names on a list you keep in your wallet as you purchase gifts. Snagging items on sale or that are discounted at the end of the season can help you save. Buy for more than one grandchild of the same age to complete your shopping sooner. Be careful about buying clothing items, however, since children grow so quickly.

Look for costlier items from their wish list on eBay from reputable buyers, or check www.woot.com or www.retailmenot.com for deals and discounts. You don’t have to buy everything from the store.

Consider giving a membership or subscription that appeals to their interests. Many children would love receiving a hobby magazine in the mail, or a general interest periodical geared toward their age level. Or movie buffs would appreciate a gift card to the cinema. (For very small children, a related, token item should accompany the gift announcement, such as a stuffed toy with the nature magazine subscription, because receiving a piece of paper won’t seem like much of a gift.)

A family gift may offer the clan a fun experience together, such as a pass to a fun educational center like The Strong National Museum of Play or Genesee Country Village & Museum, or an Empire Passport so the whole family can enjoy the state’s parks all year long.

If you are talented at making gifts, apply your talent and time to make something the child would enjoy. If you’re a good woodworker, creating a baseball bat and glove display and storage shelf would please your ball player. Or if you sew well, a personalized apron and set of kidsized potholders would appeal to your budding chef, especially if you choose a novelty fabric. Simply knitting a sweater because you like knitting may not result in a happy recipient. Instead, fit your skills to their interests. What can you make that they would like using?

Pass down your knowledge. A grandchild who’s learning to bake may be excited to have cards of your perfected recipes with a few simple kitchen accessories. Or older children may like a DVD showcasing your photos augmented by your comments and memories, so if your technical skills are up to it (or you can get help), sharing your history can make a terrific present.

Whatever you decide, if you keep your family’s interests in mind, your gift is sure to please because it comes from the heart.

November / December 2015 - 55 PLUS

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movies

Agelessness of Love

Documentary attempts to capture emotions attached to finding love in later years

By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

F

inding love is never easy. Finding it when you are a senior citizen is much more daunting.

The subject was something Rochester resident Steven Loring continued to think about when he decided to make a film about this aging, yet complex, misunderstood and ignored population.

Yes, he had a personal story to attach to his drive. After his 70-year-old father died, it left his vibrant mother all alone not having a companion to talk with or just someone to hug and kiss good night after 50 years.

That same year, his 83-year-old uncle who had never dated suddenly met a woman and they fell madly in love. They acted like teenagers and kept their bedroom doors locked so nobody would unexpectedly catch them having a good time.

Then one day, he was talking with friends and telling them about a senior citizen speed-dating event. His friend started laughing.

“They said they would go see a movie about that.

It sounded like a joke to them and they thought it was very funny,” said Loring. “That’s when I knew I had a hook. You have people who are living longer and living healthier. They have active lives and want to be with someone.”

With one idea and several conversations with friend, “The Age of Love” was born. With the tagline “Never too late to date,” he explored a first-of-its-kind speed dating event for exclusively 70-to-90-year-olds.

In order to make a film compelling, you need more than a clever idea. You have to access the voices and narratives of people who would make the film flow. Then have them open themselves up and answer questions like does love change over a lifetime and how? You have to make it entertaining, poignant, interesting and thought provoking.

But how was Loring going to convince seniors who attended this speed-dating event to be videotaped, inter42

55 PLUS - November / December 2015

Movie poster for “Age of Love” and director Steven Loring. viewed and have their names attached to a first-time filmmaker who they had never met before. He contemplated how he was going to explain and convince them to trust him.

“I’m thinking these people signed up for a real speed-dating event and didn’t sign up to have their faces on screens all over the world. They will probably be embarrassed and won’t want to do it when I call them,” said Loring. “I got a list of the 30 people who were going to be there and one of the early calls was a woman. I was trying to explain to her my vision and tell her that I was not trying to exploit her and I was stumbling all over my words.

Then she stopped me and said, ‘Even my kids don’t want to hear what I am feeling or thinking so why wouldn’t I want to talk about it? I am still here and I don’t want to just fade into the background.”

Story for the ages

With those words, Loring knew he was on to something. He knew if he just filmed and continued to be both sensitive to the storytellers and push them to talk about their feelings, which had been invisible to the public for so long, he would make “The Age of Love” a story for the ages.

“When you make a film, you are alone in the dark for a year or two getting it to where you want to be,”

Aging in Place

By Carmen Santora

Remodeling Your Home

T Steven Loring at work filming The Age of Love. said Loring. “You’re looking to put together all the right pieces of a film that captures the emotional feelings of people trying to find love and the thought that it is never too late to find love. I wanted to go into their world.”

Loring has been a one-man distribution company over the past year.

He has marketed his films to various North American film festivals, choosing to keep it independent instead of selling it off to larger company to show the film. He realized that his kind of film is not the thing you put in a large multi-plex next to a Marvel Studio’s “Avengers” movie. Carefully crafting where his film is shown, it screened at the AARP national convention in Boston early on, which gave it a lot of attention.

“Documentaries don’t have the same kind of audiences as big studio films,” he said. “Many times you are dealing with a serious social issue.

But I always believe that each movie has an audience in the world and it is up to the filmmaker to find that audience and bring the material to them somehow.”

Also in his vision is the emerging baby boomer population who will soon be seniors themselves.

“Even as I watch older people in the film, I am thinking about myself because that will be me in the future.

I have also shown it in schools to teenagers and 20-year-olds who said to me that they will never look at

their grandparents the same again.”

Experts who have seen the film see it as an essential topic.

“Intimacy in older adults is a topic that people often prefer to avoid,” said Carol Podgorski, associate professor of psychology and co-director of the family therapy training program at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. “This is perhaps especially true of older adults themselves. “The Age of Love” brings to life these feelings of loyalty, fear, search for control amidst uncertainty, and acknowledgement of mortality.”

She said through the lens of speed dating, the film looks clearly through issues older adults face while living in a society that is now only beginning to accept and define norms for intimacy in later life.

Loring hopes people come away from the film learning something new.

“A good documentary film is like a person who takes a journey and learns something and allows other people to take that journey through their eyes,” said Loring. “Love doesn’t change. It gets stripped down to something essential to having a companion in life and essentially, isn’t that what we are all looking for?”

For more information about the movie and what to do to watch it, visit TheAgeofLoveMovie.com.

he main goal for remodeling a home to allow for older people to stay in the home is to find out what their specific needs may be.

To do this the family should hire an occupational therapist (OT) before it hires a contractor.

Why an OT? Well, they can provide a medical perspective and help better understand the needs of the residents. The OT will observe things like handstrength and motor coordination, how residents move around their kitchen.

The counters may be too high in the kitchen or bathroom or there may be a tub that needs to be converted for easier access, or a shower that has a ledge to enter that will have to be removed.

Are the doorway openings too small?

Do cabinets need to be lowered?

If you have a two-story house will you need access to the second floor by way of a stair lift or a possible new half bath on the first floor?

These are the types of things that you will have answered by an OT. Based on that, you’ll be able to present the OT’s findings to a contractor to get an estimate. Get three estimates all based on the findings of the OT and check the contractor’s reputation.

Then you’re ready to go.

To hire an OT, visit the American Occupational Therapy Association website at www.aota.org. To check on contractors, visit www.the-bcb.net.

Carmen Santora is the executive director of the Better Contractors Bureau in Rochester, www. the-bcb.net. To contact the author, email obettercontract@rochester. rr.com or call 585-3383600.

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retirement

Lori Skoog, a 72-year-old Brockport resident, is up at daybreak every morning to begin a long list of chores centering around the care of her beloved horses — 30-year-old Berlin and 15-year-old Abbe. She is shown here with Berlin.

Making the Best Out of Retirement Brockport resident stays young by keeping engaged, active in community

By Kristina Gabalski

L

ori Skoog has spent nearly two hours of her morning unloading a dump truck full of wood chips at the small organic farm near Brockport where she and her husband, Gary, have lived for 35 years.

Such an activity is not unusual for her.

The 72-year old is up at daybreak every morning to begin a long list of chores centering around the care of her beloved horses — 30-year-old

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Berlin and 15-year-old Abbe — as well as caring for her dogs, teaching art classes, writing her farm blog, and participating in community groups and volunteer community service activities.

“I cannot help it,” she says of her need to be up early each day. “I wake up with the sun. I can’t go back to sleep.”

Skoog is one to take advantage of the benefits and opportunities of getting older.

She retired in 1999 after a long career of teaching art in the Brockport Central Schools.

“I had the best job in the building,” she says. “There was not a lot of homework, and the class projects were therapeutic. I had high expectations, but I was fair,” she remembers.

“I loved teaching kids. High school was my favorite.”

For more than a dozen years since her retirement, she has taught art classes to eager students in a studio

at her home. “Most of my students are retired, and the vast majority have never done art,” she says. Skoog calls their work “phenomenal.”

Her students also have the opportunity to show their art. Works have been exhibited at the Seymour Library in Brockport and more recently at A Different Path Art Gallery in the village.

Linking to the community

Each day is an opportunity to live life to the fullest and Skoog’s activities reach beyond her farm and studio to the greater Brockport community and even the world.

She is a member of the art and aesthetics committee of the Walk!

Bike! Brockport! action group and sings with the Sweden Senior Singers based at The Center in Brockport, formerly the Sweden Senior Center.

In 2014, Skoog led a community effort to save the senior center when it became apparent the town of Sweden was investigating the possibility of selling the building located on State Street in the village on the banks of the Erie Canal.

“We were ticked,” Lori says candidly. She headed up a committee consisting of seniors in the community that came up with a proposal for the town to continue funding the center. In the end, town leaders agreed and decided to reinstate funding in the 2015 budget.

In addition to her love of singing, Skoog also has a passion for African drumming. She is an active member of a group called Umoja Drummers, which came together as the result of free drumming sessions offered on Saturdays at the College at Brockport

by Khalid Saleem.

“The sound is like riding a camel in the desert,” Skoog observes. “It makes you feel good. It’s an inspirational thing. It’s an earthy, soulful feeling to be drumming.”

She says many of the people involved are like herself, between the ages of 60 and 76.

The group performs locally, including during the Pink Ribbon Run and Walk and the Flower City Marathon as well as other festivals and events.

For more than seven years, Skoog has faithfully written her blog — The Skoog Farm Journal (http://skoogfarm.blogspot.com) — that includes

Lori Skoog retired in 1999 after a long career of teaching art in the Brockport Central Schools. Now she is as busy as ever helping to improve the Brockport community — and she finds time to write a blog, which draws a readers from abroad. stunning photos of life on her farm, food (she considers herself a “foodie”) and people, architecture, gardens and community events in Brockport.

“I have not missed one day since I started,” she says of the blog. “It got me going on photography. I had a regular camera but when I got into digital, I lost my marbles. I take 40-60 pictures everyday.”

The blog is enjoyed by hundreds of people around the United States and the world, and Skoog is somewhat amused by its worldwide popularity. “Why does anyone care what I’m doing?” she asks. Some of her blog fans have become good friends and even visited Skoog Farm when they’ve traveled to the area.

“It’s like I travel in reverse,” Skoog says. “It’s weird how I hookup with people with the same ideas.”

Global connections

Friends have come from around the U.S. as well as places like England, Sweden, Denmark and New Zealand.

Skoog says despite the demands of her incredibly active lifestyle, she continues to keep pace with all of her tasks and activities.

“I have the same energy levels as when I was younger,” she notes, and says that may make her a little different from most people her age.

Some of her friends, especially those she has come to know through her interest in and care of horses, tend to be younger, even young enough to be her children. She also likes meeting people.

“The older I’ve gotten, I’ve found

it’s fun to work a crowd where you don’t know anybody,” she said.

While she enjoys meeting new people and making new friends, family continues to be a source of inspiration for her. She grew up in the Southern Tier on Chautauqua Lake and enjoyed an “innocent, sweet life” growing up near the water.

Because her brother had to be taken to the Cleveland Clinic when he was young for medical treatment, Skoog spent a period of time in her youth with her grandmother, who was from Albania.

“Living with Nanna made me independent, it had an impact on me,” Skoog says. “It also added a lot of humility.”

Skoog spoke Albanian at home and English in school and learned to appreciate her heritage and traditions. When company would visit, for example, it was Skoog’s task to offer the traditional spoonful of marmalade and a glass of water presented on a tray.

“I consider myself a modern-day peasant, an Earth person,” she says, due in part to her rich, ethnic heritage.

Today, Skoog and her husband have four grandchildren. The youngsters are not allowed to bring their electronic devices when they visit grandma and grandpa.

“Cell phones have changed our whole culture,” Skoog laments.

“Some things about them are good, but they are setting us back in terms of communication.”

Skoog adds she also tries to teach her grandchildren to respect other people and things.

With all of her activities, Skoog says she has no intention of slowing down anytime soon.

“I’m going to keep doing everything I’m doing,” she says. “You’ve got to keep moving. If you don’t, you lock up mentally and physically.”

She is looking to revitalize Art Walks on Water — a program that promotes artwork at ports along the Erie Canal. She is also advocating for the 2016 Global Mural Conference coming to the Erie Canal region to be held in Brockport.

Her work in saving the Sweden Senior Center has also peaked an interest in town government. Skoog says she will seek an open seat on the town board during this fall’s election.

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10 Things to Do in Broome County

The Binghamton area has been dubbed the Carousel Capital of the World because out of only 150 antique carousels remaining in the United States and Canada, six are in the Greater Binghamton area. All six are on the New York State Historic Register and the National Register of Historic Places.

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roome County, named in honor of John Broome, the lieutenant governor in 1806 when the county was established, is located on the Chenango River. At one time the Chenango River was connected to the Erie Canal by the 97mile long Chenango Canal. It spurred growth in population and industry.

The area was known as the “Valley of Opportunity” and was home to IBM and other major corporations.

Today the county is a destination for those interested in art, museums and outdoor fun. The county is part of New York State’s Susquehanna Heritage Area.

Carousels: There is something magical about a carousel or a merry-go-round that appeals to all age groups. The Binghamton area has been dubbed the Carousel Capital of the World because out of

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only 150 antique carousels remaining in the United States and Canada, six are in the Greater Binghamton area. All six are on the New York State Historic Register and the National Register of Historic Places. They are located in C. Fred Johnson Park in Johnson City, the George W. Johnson Park in Endicott, Highland Park in Endwell, Ross Park in Binghamton, West Endicott Park in Endicott, and Recreation Park in Binghamton. Each is unique. The one in Recreation Park has 60 jumping horses, chariots and the original tworoll WurliTzer Military Band Organ with bells. All the carousels were made by the Allan Herschell Company in North Tonawanda in what is called the “country fair” style.

Roberson Museum and Science Center: The Roberson features 19th and 20th century art, history, folk life, science

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and natural history. As part of the 60th anniversary celebration they added a new natural history exhibit, “Journey from our Prehistoric Past’ with the Randolph Mammoth skull as a centerpiece, the most complete mammoth specimen found in NYS. There are a variety of displays to interest visitors, including the model railroad that depicts what Binghamton, Johnson City, Owego and Endicott looked like in the 1950s. Connected to the museum is the historic 1904 Roberson Mansion with a sweeping grand staircase.

Bundy Museum: Learn about the beginnings of IBM at the Bundy Museum. The Bundy brothers opened a time recording clock company. Time recording clocks allowed workers to “clock” in and out. The company flourished and eventually grew into

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IBM. The house is a testament to the elegance and beauty of the Victorian age; however, there is much more to see in the annex, including a fascinating exhibit dealing with one of their “favorite sons,” Rod Serling, creator of the Twilight Zone.

Cutler Botanic Garden: It is one of about 360 gardens in the United States designated as a display garden for AllAmerican Selection plants. Each year the staff previews the AAS winners that will be available commercially the following year. The garden paths twist around gardens of perennials, wild flowers, herbs and more. The garden has a truly unique trail: The Shakespeare Trail. Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Shakespeare Dramatic Club of Binghamton have created a trail that identifies plants that are cited in the Bard’s works along with the associated quotation.

Arts: The arts are alive and well in Broome County. The University of Binghamton with several galleries featuring works of art drawn from their permanent collection of 3,000 objects as well as those on loan in regularly rotated exhibits. Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts Gallery has hands-on art classes for all ages and is one of several small galleries with changing exhibits.

During First Friday Walks dozens of venues in downtown Binghamton and the city’s neighborhoods open with no admission costs. Those interested in the performing arts will enjoy Broadway shows at the Forum Theater where the Binghamton Philharmonic and the Tri-

Cities Opera perform.

The University of B i n g h a m t o n o ff e r s m a n y p ro d u c t i o n s as do several smaller theaters.

Antique Row: Clinton Street in Binghamton has been designated as antique row. All the shops are different and unique. The Old, Odd, and Unique is true to its name selling an array of “stuff” such as old cameras, tools and hunting items. The Mad Hatter Learn about the beginnings of IBM at the Bundy Antiques has three Museum. The Bundy brothers opened a time floors chock-a-block recording clock company. Time recording clocks full of antiques, one-of- allowed workers to “clock” in and out. The company a-kind furnishings and flourished and eventually grew into IBM. collectables. Yesteryear Antiques and Collectables offers Sports: Binghamton is home antique furniture and glass collectibles. to the Double-A minor league There are several stores where potential affiliate of the New York Mets. buyers, and or sellers, can browse.

They play 71 home games each Candyland: If you can’t find year. The Binghamton Senators is a your favorite candy then head top development team for the NHL, to Candyland in nearby Port Ottawa Senators and the American Crane. It is called the “The Hockey League. Golfers can “Play Sweetest Place on Earth” where there Where the Pro’s Play,” at En-Joie Golf are a plethora of hard-to-find “retro” Club in Endicott or one of the many candies. Candyland is part of the other golf courses. Hear the engines Windy Hill Candle Factory where they roar at Five-Mile Point Speedway in make their own candles, including Kirkwood. long tapers and floating votive candles.

Spiedies: No visit to Broome There are candles with every scent County is complete without imaginable including ones that emit enjoying their local specialty, the luscious smell of apple pie and spiedies. A spiedie consists of cinnamon buns. cubes of chicken, pork, lamb, veal, or beef that has been marinated overnight in a special spiedie marinade then grilled on spits. Each year Binghamton celebrates with a Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally with an annual spiedie cook-off. Lupo’s claims to be the home of the original spiedie. Bottles of marinade can be purchased to enjoy at home.

All seasons: Broome County is an all-season destination. Chenango Valley State Park is just one place visitors may swim, rent boats, hike, fish and golf; when winter comes there is ice skating, sledding, and cross-country skiing. Kayaking in the summer and snowmobiling in Kayaking on the Chenango River. At one time it was connected to the the winter are very popular. It is an Erie Canal by the 97-mile long Chenango Canal. all-season fun destination.

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long-term care

By Susan Suben

Medicare Open Enrollment: What You Need To Know

A

s the leaves start changing colors, it’s that time of year to consider changes to your Medicare coverage.

Do you want to remain in your current Medicare Advantage (MA) plan or change to another? Do you want to change your Prescription Drug Plan (PDP)? Do you want to disenroll from your MA plan and enroll in Original Medicare (OM) along with a Medicare Supplemental plan and standalone PDP? These decisions can be especially difficult and overwhelming when coupled with the deluge of marketing materials sent by insurance companies.

The time to make these changes is during the annual Medicare open enrollment period which began Oct 15 and will continue until Dec. 7.

Each year Medicare plans change. It is important to compare your current services with other plans on the market so that your coverage remains comprehensive and affordable.

Below is a breakdown of the information you need to make this time a bit easier for you.

Medicare consists of 4 parts: A, B, C and D. • Part A helps with the cost of inpatient hospital stays, nursing home care and hospice.

• Part B covers the cost of medically necessary doctor visits and medical services that include lab test and diagnostic screenings.

• Part C comprises MA plans offered by private insurance companies contracted with Medicare. The plans cover the services offered by Parts A and B. and may also include a PDP. MA plans can be health maintenance organizations (HMO), preferred provider organizations (PPO) or

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private fee-for-service (PFFS).

• Part D is the prescription drug plan offered by the federal government through private insurance companies that are contracted with Medicare. The plans help cover the cost of prescription drugs.

Parts A and B are considered original Medicare (OM). If you disenroll from an MA plan to change to OM, it is important to consider purchasing a Medicare Supplemental Plan that will pick up the co-pays and co-insurance that parts A and B don’t cover. You will also need to purchase a PDP. Depending upon where you live, a Medicare Supplemental Plan can cost approximately $177/month and a PDP premium can start at about $35/month.

OM does not cover routine dental, eye or hearing care or care outside the US except under certain circumstances.

As outlined above, there are several types of MA plans that may include a PDP (MA-PDP).

A health maintenance organization (HMO) requires you to select a primary care physician who will coordinate your care. You will need to go to in-network providers.

Referrals are required from your primary care physician to see a specialist. If you go to an out-of-network provider, you may be responsible for the full cost of your care.

A point-of- service (POS) is also an HMO but you do have the option to go to non-network providers generally at a higher cost. You will need a primary care physician and referrals are required to see specialists.

With a preferred provider organization (PPO), you can use network or non-network providers. You do not need a referral for specialist care.

A private fee for service (PFFS) allows you to go to any Medicare eligible provider who will accept your plan.

Special needs plans (SNP) provide health care to individuals who reside in a nursing home, have

certain chronic illnesses, or have both Medicare and Medicaid.

Lastly, a medical savings account (MSA) combines a high deductible MA plan with a bank account. The plan deposits funds from Medicare into the bank account that you can use to pay for medical expenses until your deductible is satisfied.

Generally speaking, there are several reasons why one might opt for OM with a Medigap policy and PDP plan versus a MA/MA-PDP plan.

If you are the type of person who sees a lot of doctors, wants the freedom to go to any doctor anytime, doesn’t like dealing with a lot of paperwork, co-pays or co-insurance then OM may be right for you.

If you prefer to pay no premium or a lower monthly premium, don’t see a lot of doctors, want vision and hearing care covered, possible membership at a gym, don’t mind paying co-pays or co-insurance then an MA/MA-PDP might be the appropriate choice.

In order to decide what strategy is best for you, there are several

things you can do. First, review last Old calendar Stone Fort year’s and see how many Museum doctor appointments you had and if they were specialists. Make a list of your prescription drugs. This information may readily help you determine if OM or an MA/MA-PDP plan best meets your needs. Attend workshops hosted by companies offering MA/MA-PDP plans and learn about the services they offer.

Your Area Agency on Aging has insurance specialists that can assist you in learning about the MA/ MA-PDP plans in your region and also help you select the best PDP if you decide to switch to OM. Knowing yourself and how you interact with and would like to continue interacting with the health care industry will be your most helpful guide on what plan to join.

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

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By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

Barbara Years, 66

Volunteer making a difference in the region Q. How did you begin your volunteering?

A. Well, I worked for the United States Postal services where I was a postmaster for Lima, Victor, Penfield and Canandaigua. When I retired, I started in 1970 with the VictorFarmington Volunteer Ambulance Corporation. That is when I first moved to Victor. The community was looking to start a new ambulance corporation. I saw the ad in the paper and I decided why not. I worked there for more than 20 years in many different roles, president, director of operations, dispatcher and as an EMT. I received a lifetime membership. I never knew I would be connected to the organization so long but it has been a wonderful blessing in my life. Just a great time and meaningful work when you get an opportunity to help out so many people.

Q. Where are some of the places you volunteer in the community?

A. After beginning with the volunteer ambulance, it just got me interested in continuing to volunteer in other areas. I knew I could do so much more. I joined the Farmington-Victor Kiwanis where we helped many local efforts like the Victor Free Library, Victor High School graduation scholarships, Victor Farmington Food Cupboard, Golisano Children’s Hospital, Kamp Kiwanis, Honor Flight and the Victor Relay for Life.

Q. You previously won a lifetime achievement award for volunteering.

How did that make you feel?

A. I just started getting texts from my friends while I was on 50

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vacation. They were telling me congratulations and I didn’t know why. Then they told me about my Women of Excellence nomination that I received before winning the award. I was just so surprised and it was something that was definitely not expected. I feel like I just got an award for doing something that I love to do. Volunteering is something that is special to me that I believe everyone should do. To this day, I’m not even sure who nominated. I am just thankful to do my part in any way to help the community.

Q. Was there anything that made the award even more special?

A. The lifetime achievement award was named for a woman in Victor that did a lot of wonderful work for the community. As you learn more about her, she really did do so much and serve as a role model for what volunteering should really be.

It is an honor just to be mentioned in any way with her.

Q. How did you receive your volunteering spirit?

A. I really don’t know what made me feel the need to keep pushing and jump into all these volunteer opportunities. Why do you keep doing anything you love? This is something that I truly enjoy doing whenever I can and something that just comes natural to me. If I had to think of something, I am someone who sees the big picture. I understand that whether you have five minutes or five hours, any little thing you can do to help someone out is a good thing.

We don’t have to do the big things in life. Sometimes, all it takes is a little

Barbara Years lives in Farmington. gesture and that can make all the difference in the world. I just believe it will come back to help you when you think of helping others. You live in a community so I believe it should just be part of your plans to help the community improve.

Q. What are some of your favorite volunteer projects?

A. We have a drive for the Golisano’s Children’s Hospital where people donate toys and we have raffles and an evening of food and wine. It is not only a fun event, but it is for such a worthwhile cause. The children are going through so much so anything we can do to just make their lives a little better and a little brighter is great. Another program I enjoy is that through the Kiwanis Club we give scholarships to some graduating Victor seniors. With college being expensive, every little bit helps. It is just all part of giving back. Like I said it doesn’t have to always be a huge gesture to make a significant difference.

Q. What do you do in your spare time?

A. I like to go to Naples and walk around in the trails. It is fun to go to the outdoors. It is beautiful there and you can just soak in nature. It keeps me active.

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