55 Plus of Rochester #88: July - August 2024 by 55 Plus: For Active Adults in Rochester

•Don Alhart: A Legacy on the Air

•Turning 55? Get These Screenings

•Upstate Picnic Food to Splurge On INSIDE

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38 Cover

• TV legend Don Alhart signs off

• Healthful aging isn’t just up to chance. A conversation with an URMC expert 20

• Turnng 55? Here are the tests your doctor will ask you to take | Recognizing skin cancer

• Meet the ‘Fantastic Four’ at RIT

• So this is 70....

• Bike touring organization supports pedaling women

• Meet the team at Corn Hill Waterfront Navigation Foundation

• No plans for this season? Try these staycation ideas | The ultimate road trip: take Route 5 and 20 | Farm stays: tap into your inner farm person 48 Pickleball

• Pickleball at Dinkers, Rochester’s largest pickleball facility

• Recreation and activities you can enjoy with grandkids

• Host of WXXI’s midday classical music program, Julia Figueras reflects on 40-plus-year career

• Ann Mitchell jazzed about music 60

• Collecting Social Security at 62 and very happy about it | Number retirement amount to keep in mind: $1.46 million

Cover: Watkins Glen State Park in the Finger Lakes.

MBy Jim Miller

savvy senior Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

oney is a common problem for the nearly 2.4 million U.S. grandparents who are raising their grandchildren today. To help with the day-to-day expenses, there are a wide variety of programs and tax benefits that can make a big difference in stretching your budget. Here’s where to look for help.

n Financial Assistance — For starters, find out whether your family qualifies for NYS Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program which may include cash assistance, food benefits, utility bill assistance and free or low-cost daycare. Or, if your household income is too high to qualify as a family, ask about the “child-only grant” for just the grandkids support alone.

Also, check to see if you’re eligible for foster care payments as a relative caregiver, or if the state offers any additional programs like guardianship subsidies, non-parent grants or kinship care. Adoption assistance payments are also available to adopted grandchildren with special needs.

To inquire about these programs, contact https://otda.ny.gov.

You also need to see if your grandkids are eligible for Social Security, including benefits for dependent children, survivor benefits or SSI — visit SSA.gov or call 800-7721213. And find out if they’re eligible for free or low-cost health or dental coverage through NYS Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program – InsureKidsNow.gov or 877-543-7669.

You can also use Benefits.gov, the official benefits website of the U.S. government that has a screening tool to help you identify the programs that you and your grandchildren may be eligible for and will direct you to the appropriate agency to apply.

n Tax Benefits — In addition to the financial assistance programs, there

are also a range of tax benefits that you may qualify for too like the Earned Income Tax Credit or EITC, which is available to those with moderate to low incomes, and the Child Tax Credit, which is worth $2,000 per dependent child under age 17.

If you’re working, and are incurring childcare expenses in order to work, there’s a Child and Dependent Care Credit that can help. And, if you’ve legally adopted your grandkids, there’s an Adoption Tax Credit that provides a federal tax credit of up to $16,810 in 2024.

You can also deduct medical and dental expenses if you and your dependent grandchildren’s healthcare cost exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income for the year. And there’s even education-related tax credits that can help your grandkids go to college, like the American Opportunity Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit.

In addition to the tax credits and deductions, if you’re unmarried you may qualify for “head of household” status when you file your tax return, which has a higher standard deduction and a lower tax rate than you would filing as a single.

n Legal Help — If you haven’t already done so, you should also talk to an attorney to discuss the pros and cons of obtaining legal guardianship, custody or adoption. Without some sort of legal custody, you may not be eligible for many of the previously listed financial assistance programs, and there can be problems with basic things like enrolling your grandkids in school or giving a doctor permission to treat them.

For help locating affordable or free legal assistance, visit FindLegalHelp. org, or call the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 for referrals. Also see GrandFamilies.org, a clearinghouse resource that offers information on financial assistance, adoption, foster care and more.

Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto

Associate Editor Stefan Yablonski

Writers & Contributors

Deborah J. Sergeant

John Addyman, Todd Etshman Mike Costanza

Linda Goor Nanos, Kimberly Blaker Edd and Cynthia Staton

Columnists

John Addyman, Laurie Haelen

Jim Miller, Jeff Weld, Ph.D.

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

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

Office Manager Allison Lockwood

Layout & Design Angel Campos-Toro

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Ofinancial health

By Laurie Haelen

Pay Off the Mortgage or Invest?

wning a home outright is a dream that many Americans share. A mortgage payment is often your highest monthly expense and paying it off may be the first item on your financial to-do list.

But competing with the desire to own your home free and clear is your need to invest for retirement, your child's college education or some other goal.

Putting extra cash toward one of these goals may mean sacrificing another.

So how do you choose?

Deciding between prepaying your mortgage and investing your extra cash isn't easy, because each option has advantages and disadvantages. But you can start by weighing what you'll gain financially by choosing one option against what you'll give up.

In economic terms, this is known as evaluating the opportunity cost.

mortgage, you still must consider what you might be giving up by doing so — the opportunity to potentially profit even more from investing.

To determine if you would come out ahead if you invested your extra cash, start by looking at the after-tax rate of return you can expect from prepaying your mortgage.

If you plan on itemizing deductions on your tax returns, this is generally less than the interest rate you're paying on your mortgage, once you consider any tax deduction you receive

will be successful. Investments with the potential for higher returns may expose you to more risk, so take this into account when making your decision.

While evaluating the opportunity cost is important, you'll also need to weigh many other factors. The following list of questions may help you decide which option is best for you.

• What's your mortgage interest rate? The lower the rate on your mortgage, the greater the potential to receive a better return through investing.

Here's an example. Let's assume that you have a $300,000 balance and 20 years remaining on your 30-year mortgage, and you're paying 6.25% interest. If you were to put an extra $400 toward your mortgage each month, you would save approximately $62,000 in interest, and pay off your loan almost six years early.

By making extra payments and saving all that interest, you'll clearly be gaining a lot of financial ground. But before you opt to prepay your

for mortgage interest. Once you've calculated that figure, compare it to the after-tax return you could receive by investing your extra cash. Could you receive a higher after-tax rate of return if you invested your money instead of prepaying your mortgage?

Keep in mind that the rate of return you'll receive is directly related to the investments you choose. All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal, and there can be no assurance that any investment strategy

• Does your mortgage have a prepayment penalty? Most mortgages don’t — but check before making extra payments.

• How long do you plan to stay in your home? The main benefit of prepaying your mortgage is the amount of interest you save over the long term; if you plan to move soon, there's less value in putting more money toward your mortgage.

• Will you have the discipline to invest your extra cash rather than spend it? If not, you might be better off making extra mortgage payments.

• Do you have an emergency account to cover unexpected expenses? It doesn't make sense to make extra mortgage payments now if you'll be forced to borrow money at a higher interest rate later. And keep in mind that if your financial circumstances change — if you lose your job or suffer

‘Could

a disability, for example — you may have more trouble borrowing against your home equity.

• How comfortable are you with debt? If you worry endlessly about it, give the emotional benefits of paying off your mortgage extra consideration.

• Are you saddled with high balances on credit cards or personal loans? If so, it's often better to pay off those debts first. The interest rate on consumer debt isn't tax deductible and is often far higher than either your mortgage interest rate or the rate of return you're likely to receive on your investments.

• Are you currently paying mortgage insurance? If you are, putting extra toward your mortgage until you've gained at least 20% equity in your home may make sense.

• How will prepaying your mortgage affect your overall tax situation? For example, prepaying your mortgage (thus reducing your mortgage interest) could affect your ability to itemize deductions (this is especially true in the early years of your mortgage, when you're likely to be paying more in interest). It's important to note that due to recent tax law changes, specifically the increase in the standard deduction, many individuals aren't itemizing their taxes and are no longer taking advantage of the mortgage interest deduction.

• Have you saved enough for retirement? If you haven't, consider contributing the maximum allowable each year to tax-advantaged retirement accounts before prepaying your mortgage. This is especially important if you are receiving a generous employer match. For example, if you save 6% of your income, an employer match of 50% of what you contribute (i.e., 3% of your income) could potentially add thousands of extra dollars to

your retirement account each year. Prepaying your mortgage may not be the savviest financial move if it means forgoing that match or shortchanging your retirement fund.

• How much time do you have before you reach retirement or until your children go off to college? The longer your timeframe, the more time you must potentially grow your money by investing. Alternatively, if paying off your mortgage before reaching a financial goal will make you feel much more secure, factor that into your decision.

If you need to invest for an important goal, but you also want the satisfaction of paying down your mortgage, there's no reason you can't do both. It's as simple as allocating part of your available cash toward one goal and putting the rest toward the other. Even small adjustments can make a difference. For example, you could potentially shave years off your mortgage by consistently making biweekly, instead of monthly, mortgage payments, or by putting any year-end bonuses or tax refunds toward your mortgage principal.

And remember, no matter what you decide now, you can always reprioritize your goals later to keep up with changes to your circumstances, market conditions, and interest rates.

As always, consulting with a financial professional can help you navigate through these challenging decisions and bring you peace of mind.

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

Upstate Picnic Foods

Hailing from Upstate, your picnic isn’t complete without these favorite brands.

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

It may seem like locally founded brands like Hofmann hot dogs and Terrell’s potato chips are available everywhere; however, these brands and more are sold only across the region (unless one orders online). The following popular brands have become essential parts of Upstaters’ picnics.

HOFMANN SAUSAGE COMPANY, SYRACUSE

Grilled hotdogs are essential to many families’ picnics. Hofmann Hots are CNYers’ top choice. The Hofmann family emigrated from Germany to New York in 1861and founded a

meat market. By 1879, they settled in Syracuse and began establishing their line of authentic German franks, sausages, Snappy Grillers, beef jerky, Hunter Sticks, and condiments, the most recent of which is a line of relishes.

ZWIEGLE’S, ROCHESTER

As far as Upstaters are concerned, the only other New York hotdog is Zweigle’s. In 1880, C. Wilhelm and Josephine Zweigle opened a butcher shop in

Rochester. The 5th generation of the same family now owns the business, making red and white, skinless and pop open hotdogs; franks, sausage, chorizo, Italian sausage, kielbasa, deli meat, meat balls.

GIANELLI SAUSAGE, SYRACUSE

A grilled sausage smothered in tender onion and green pepper brings flair to any picnic. Anyone in Upstate seeking an authentic Italian sausage looks

no further than Gianelli. Founded in 1946 by Lou and Gary Davis as G&L Davis Meat Company, the operation has grown to include sausage links, patties, ground sausage and coiled sausage in a variety of flavors under the Gianelli label.

DINOSAUR BBQ SAUCES AND RUBS, SYRACUSE

A good sauce slathered on the meat goes a long way towards a delicious grilled meal. Many CNYers reach for Dinosaur BBQ sauces and rubs to boost the flavor of their picnics. The lineup of Dinosaur goods come from the restaurant chain of the same name. In 1983, founder John Stage and friends decided to sell high-quality food targeting bikers at the Harley Rendezvous, a motorcycle gathering near Albany. They called their mobile concession stand “Dinosaur” after “Dino,” one of the founders, and as a tribute to a Hank Williams song. The business remained mobile for five years until they settled in Syracuse. The restaurant side of the business has expanded to Rochester, Manhattan, Troy, Newark NJ, Brooklyn and Buffalo. Dinosaur also caters with mobile barbecue food trucks. But if you can’t get out to Dinosaur location, their bottled sauces and rubs can bring the flavor home.

HINERWADEL’S SALT POTATOES, SYRACUSE

In the 1800s, Irish salt miners in Syracuse prepared small, new potatoes for their lunch by boiling them in salt. The result was not unlike a baked potato with crisp skin and tender but not mushy flesh inside. A little more than 100 years ago, entrepreneur John Hinerwadel began serving salt potatoes along with their other clambake fare at Hinerwadel’s Grove, his restaurant in Syracuse. His success made salt potatoes a summertime staple in CNY. Bags of Hinerwadels’ potatoes —then sold at grocers throughout the region — became a must-have for anyone hosting a cookout. Although the Hinerwadels

stopped serving their clambakes in 2018, the tradition of salt potatoes continues at picnics across Upstate.

ADIRONDACK BEVERAGES, SCOTIA

Refreshing beverages are always a welcomed part of every picnic. An Upstate favorite, Adirondack has been leaving condensation rings on New York’s picnic tables since 1967. The classic flavors are still available— orange, black cherry, cola, ginger ale, root beer and cream soda—along with newcomers. These include sparkling water and Frannie’s, a sparkling beverage with vitamins, antioxidants, energy and no sugar. Adirondack sources from a local protected glacial aquifer.

TERRELL’S POTATO CHIPS, SYRACUSE

In 1946, William Terrell founded Terrell’s Potato chips, a company now operated by his grandson Jack Terrell. The chips come in original, ripple, barbecue and “Syracuse Style” flavors. Terrell’s acquired Jean’s potato chips. Remember them, the ones in the blue (original) or red (ripple) boxes? But Jean’s is no longer in production.

HELUVA GOOD! DIP, ARKPORT

What else could you dip your Terrell’s into than Heluva Good! brand dip? It originates from Heluva Good!, a cheese company founded in Sodus, Wayne county in 1925. A customer tasting the new product exclaimed, “That’s a hell of a good cheese!” and the brand earned its moniker. Although now part of HP Hood, LLC, the dip and condiments parts of the company are in Arkport. The dip flavors include French onion, bacon horseradish, buttermilk ranch, bodacious onion, jalapeno cheddar, and white cheddar bacon.

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A Legacy on the Air

By Mike Costanza

When 13 WHAM News

reporter and associate news director Don Alhart signed off for the last time on June 6, the 80-year-old left behind a legacy that could be tough to match.

“His presence will be missed,” said Chuck Samuels, WHAM’s vice president and general manager. “There’s only one Don Alhart.”

During his 58 years in television news, Alhart covered the story of a woman who literally rocked for charity, reported on the 1971 Attica prison uprising from the scene and anchored or co-anchored newscasts on the devastating 1991 ice storm and the 2001 terrorist attacks. He was honored five times with the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Awards for his news writing and newscasts and inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. In 2017,

Guinness World Records named him the man that held the “longest career as a TV news broadcaster.”

That record still stands. To top it all off, though his name is synonymous with television news in the Rochester area, Alhart conducts himself like a regular guy.

“The Don Alhart you see on TV is the Don Alhart you see in person,” Samuels said. “He’s genuine.”

This writer interviewed Alhart in 2009, when he was featured on the cover of the very first issue of 55-PLUS and again after he made the pages of Guinness World Records. Last April, the Pittsford resident sat down again to talk about his approaching retirement.

Alhart acquired the broadcasting bug at Penfield’s Indian Landing Elementary School, where his fifthgrade teacher erected a small radio station in one corner of the classroom.

Intrigued by the idea of radio broadcasting, he and Peter Burrell, his friend and classmate, bought microphones, record turntables and other equipment and set up “radio stations” in their bedrooms. Running wires from the setups to speakers in other parts of their houses, the two “broadcast” interviews of family members and other news.

“Don and I were kind of nerds,” Burrell said. “He was heavy and I was real skinny, but we both had a sense of showbiz and we both liked to entertain folks and make them laugh.”

When they entered Penfield High School, the pair talked their principal into allowing them to “broadcast” over its public address system. They’d give the morning announcements, then turn the mic over to their principal for an update. If the school had a dance coming up, they’d get a local disk jockey to record a short piece, which they’d play over the PA system as a commercial.

The two teenagers also helped organize concerts that brought The Lettermen, Gap and Chuck Mangione and other famous musicians to their

Don Alhart holds the very first issue of 55 PLUS, published in 2009, which brought a special story about his career.

Don Alhart proudly presents the award he received for serving as president of the Rochester Rotary Club.

school. They tried to get the classic 1960s rock group Joey Dee and the Starlighters to give a concert, but ran into a snag with Joseph “Joey Dee” DiNicola, the group’s founder.

“We couldn’t get Joey Dee, but we got the Starlighters,” Alhart said. “We billed it as ‘Joey Dee’s Starlighters.’”

Burrell and Alhart remained close friends as they went on to make their careers.

“He went into news and I have spent a career in producing television and movies in California,’ Burrell said.

Burrell produced the movies “Smokey and the Bandit II” and “Jingle All the Way,” was the production manager for the film “The Natural” and was involved in other productions before he retired.

Alhart joined WOKR, WHAMTV’s precursor, as a reporter on June 6, 1966. Back then the station was located in downtown Rochester. On slow news days, reporters might search the daily newspapers for news copy — Rochester had two of them.

“We’d go down and pick up the Times Union at Main and Clinton and dig stories out,” Alhart said.

All news copy was typed and the “teleprompter” that anchors used during their newscasts consisted of a kind of conveyor belt of scripts.

“You could hardly read any of them,” Alhart said.

One of his favorite stories from those early years was about Glenna Oberdorf, who lived in a small community south of Rochester.

“She was going to set a record for rocking in a rocking chair to raise money for the Red Cross,” Alhart said. “I guess I always was inclined to those kinds of stories that would be the most memorable.”

That desire to highlight the positive came out in many ways, including the “Bright Spots” with which Alhart ended almost all of his newscasts. Each was a very short, uplifting feature about a person or organization that was benefiting the community. Even on the day the World Trade Centers towers fell, he found a subject for the feature.

“The 'Bright Spot' that day was showing the compassion that people had, showing the patriotism that people had, showing that even in a

tragic event…we can find something that highlights the good of human beings,” Alhart said.

At such times, Alhart’s experience and leadership skills helped WHAM’s news team weather the crisis. Ginny Ryan worked with Alhart as a reporter and anchor for WHAM for 35 years before moving on to the Canandaigua National Bank & Trust, where she is senior vice president and director of community engagement.

“He always showed that leadership and direction when we needed it,” Ryan said “We all knew what to do, and we came together as a team.”

When things grew particularly difficult in the newsroom, Alhart might lighten the mood with a joke or bring out his bowling pin. The pin has a history all its own.

For many years, The Arc of Monroe, which serves those who have intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, had a bowling league. Each year, more than 300 of the people whom the nonprofit served gathered into teams and headed out to local bowling alleys to compete. At the end of the season, they and their

Last April, Alhart was the keynote speaker for the Rotary Club of Perry, New York’s 100 anniversary gala. Afterwards, the club presented him with these three cakes. The left one was in honor of his 80th birthday, and the right one was in celebration of his upcoming retirement. The cake in the middle bore a quote from the “Democrat and Chronical” article that announced he was retiring.

families came to the annual bowling banquet, where the winning teams were presented with their awards.

Alhart emceed the banquet yearafter-year from 1974 until the early 2000s, when it was no longer held. He particularly enjoyed handing out the trophies.

“It was probably the most emotional and wonderful community event I did every year,” he said.

One year, in recognition of his support, the bowling league’s members presented him with a gift.

“All the members of the bowling league had signed a bowling pin and presented that to me as my trophy, which I cherish,” Alhart said.

It came in handy when times grew tense in the newsroom.

“He would go into his office and bring out his bowling pin and drop it

onto the floor and say ‘It’s so quiet in here, you could hear a pin drop,’” Ryan said. “I laughed every time.”

Samuels, who has been with WHAM for 28 years, said that despite Alhart’s stature in Rochester’s news community, he never took on airs.

“There’s a lot of people in the visual medium — I’ve seen it many times over the years — who just want to be on TV or in the movies. They want to be famous,” Samuels said. “That’s not Don.”

That unassuming way showed on-camera. Around the time of the opening of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Alhart was in that city for a Rotary District 7120 conference. While there, he anchored part of the six o’clock news.

“Don comes out at the very end of the newscast wearing an Elvis wig,” Samuels said. “I thought “Don is not afraid to be himself on television.’”

In addition to covering stories and holding the anchor desk, Alhart was also very willing to share his knowledge and expertise with others in the newsroom.

“He has mentored a great many people over the years,” Samuels said.

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his retirement approached, Alhart cut back his work schedule but continued writing and presenting stories.

In addition to his work in the newsroom, Alhart has given his time and energy to local nonprofits, particularly the Rochester Rotary Club, which he first joined in 1976.

“He’s your ultimate rotarian,” said Rochester Rotary Club executive director Tracey Dreisbach, who has known Alhart for 27 years. “He is that person who puts service above self and does it whether it’s in the rotary world or in our community.”

Alhart has been particularly supportive of the Rotary Sunshine Camp. Located in rural Rush, New York, the camp gives children and teenagers with paralysis and other physical challenges, and their families, the chance to enjoy the outdoors during the summer months. To get a sense of what some of those campers had to overcome, Alhart stayed there to take care of kids who had cerebral palsy.

“He actually stayed overnight…to really get the firsthand experience, as you would expect a reporter would,” Dreisbach said. “That really, I think, was a life-changing experience for him.”

Some of his charges needed to

have their diapers changed before bed. Alhart also consistently attends local and out-of-town rotary club meetings, is a past president of the Rochester Rotary and was once the governor of Rotary District 7120, which encompasses the 67 rotary clubs in this part of the state.

Other nonprofits have also benefited from Alhart’s assistance or support. In 2020, he self-published a children’s book, "Sibley's Christmas Adventure."Sibley, the principal character, is a mouse who lives on the fourth floor of the now-defunct Sibley’s department store. All of the proceeds from the book’s sale have gone to The Arc of Monroe.

When he looked back on his many years in television news, Alhart credited Mary, his wife of 54 years, for making many of his accomplishments possible.

“When you raise a family, it puts a lot more responsibility on her because of my hours and responsibilities,” Alhart said. “[At] the Little League game, I would be the father who showed up in a suit and tie at the top of the fourth inning and left at the bottom of the fifth to go back and do the 11

o’clock news. My wife was always there for the kids.”

Alhart met the young woman who became his wife in 1968, when she was a contestant in the Miss Rochester Pageant, which WHAM sponsored. They married in 1970 and now have three grown children and six grandchildren.

During our April interview, as he contemplated retiring, Alhart mused about what he might do after he stepped away from WHAM’s cameras for the last time.

He’d already begun winding down his time at the station and by April was working only four days a week. The reduced schedule had allowed him to vacation with Mary in Aruba for three weeks, which his job would have prevented in the past and they had planned or were contemplating other trips after he retired.

Alhart also planned to continue supporting local nonprofits, but knew he would miss covering stories on the air.

“I’ll still be me, and I’ll still be doing things in the community, but I’ll be the ‘Walter Cronkite,’ the guy that used to be on TV,’” he said, laughing.

aging

IAging Well: A Clinician’s Approach

Healthful aging isn’t just up to chance

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

t’s not just about growing older. It’s about aging better.

Jinjiao Wang, registered nurse, assistant professor of nursing at University of Rochester Medical Center and director of the post-op program at UR School of Nursing, has training in gerontological nursing and serves as a co-editor for JMIR Aging, an open access journal that focuses on aging. She offered 10 tips on how to age healthfully.

1. Eat right.

“From what I have observed, I think that trying to limit processed food is a good idea and increase the intake of vegetables. I feel like in the States, people eat too much meat products. I’m not sure everyone needs that much.”

Wang grew up in China, where meat typically is used more like a flavoring and most meals include plenty of vegetables. But it’s OK to enjoy treats as well.

“Not every day has to be perfect,” Wang said. “If you want to enjoy some ice cream, have some. I don’t believe in denying yourself all the joy of food. I like the philosophy of feeding your spirit. Be true to how you feel and what you need.”

She encourages shopping at farmers’ markets to buy fresh foods and to socialize.

2. Stay active.

“People who age well stay active in two ways: physically and cognitivelysocially,” Wang said. “The key to consistently staying active is to make it interesting and a habit.”

No one can sustain unpleasant forays in the gym. But meeting a friend for walking or taking fun dancing lessons or biking along a beautiful trail with the neighbor sounds much more pleasant and more social.

Meeting others for physical activity also builds in an element of accountability.

“If you like to read, keep reading,” Wang said. “Talk with your book reading friends. There are games you can play online. A lot claim they can improve your memory and processing speed. Give them a try and see if you like them. Have a hobby.”

3. Stay useful.

Depression can follow in the wake of feeling pointless.

“Volunteering can help people become more active and gives a sense of being useful,” Wang said. “It’s so important. You think, ‘Grandma is old; let me help her with everything.’ The opposite is what you should do. We no longer look at people as an accumulation of deficits. We focus on the strengths that people still have and try to optimize those. Grandma can no longer walk very fast, but she can cook. Give her an opportunity to still feel useful to her family. When they help with small tasks, they feel very fulfilled. We often don’t do

enough of keeping that in mind.”

4. Get preventive screenings.

Although primary care physicians should recommend screenings, it’s really up to patients to follow through.

“Advocate for yourself,” Wang said. “Speak up for yourself because no one else will.”

If you think you need to be screened early, ask about it. Seek preventive tests and screenings on schedule. Screening includes hearing and vision tests.

“Untreated hearing loss is a risk for depression,” Wang said.

It also has been associated with higher risk for dementia, as less of the brain activates when hearing areas of the brain are not stimulated.

Stay on schedule for dental cleaning and seek needed dental work right away. Dental infection that goes unchecked is associated with higher risk of acute coronary syndrome.

5. Speak up.

“Before you go to the provider’s office, keep a note of the questions you have,” Wang said. “There’s a stereotype with the older generation that they want to be a good patient which is one with fewer questions. There’s no such thing as a ‘good patient.’ If you have a need, say it. If you have a question, ask it. If you want to challenge what you’re doing, challenge it.”

6. Talk about your pills.

“Make a note of all the medications or take them all in a bag, including herbals and sleeping aids,” Wang said. “Ask your provider to look at all of that. You should always report if you have any symptoms.”

Unnecessary polypharmacy — taking medication no longer needed — can cause health problems and can be very costly. Wang belongs to the U.S. Deprescribing Research Network, part of an international initiative toward taking only necessary medication.

“We believe older adults are taking more medications than they need,” Wang said. “That can lead to falls, confusion, UTIs, depression, even mortality. In the U.S. whenever there’s a question, they pop a pill, which contributes to it. There are so many

resources that are equally effective.”

Do not stop taking medication without discussing it with the prescribing care provider, she said.

7. Monitor chronic conditions.

“As people age, they often accumulate chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes,” Wang said. “Know what your medications do and take them on time.”

8. Plan to age in place.

If you’re among the majority of people who want to age in place — that is, in your home — you must plan for it. Wang said that in addition to financial planning, care planning and advanced directives, it’s important to modify your home so that you can age in place safely.

This should include:

• First-floor bathroom, bedroom and laundry facilities

• The ability to install grab bars near the toilet and shower (If you’re remodeling, at least get the studs in the right place behind the drywall so the bars can be anchored to the wall when you need them.)

• Low-entry shower

• Wider doors (32” clear width is the ADA standard for accessibility)

• Few steps to enter the home

• Reduced clutter inside and out (Can EMTs make it inside your home and navigate inside in order to carry you out?)

“Think about what you need and areas you need to start renovating,” Wang said.

It’s better to start early while you’re doing other home renovation projects, as once you’re on a retirement income, renovation will be harder to afford.

9. Identify caregiving resources.

Long before you need them, learn about community and social resources that can help you age. Wang said that Lifespan is an excellent resource for aging well, for example. Oftentimes, church groups and other social organizations can provide aging support such as transportation, social check-ins and meal delivery during a recovery from illness. Consider talking with your family about multigenerational living arrangements. Organizing this information early helps ease the challenge once a health emergency occurs.

10. Plan your finances.

Long-term care at home, in an assisted living facility or in a nursing home is very expensive. Talk with your financial adviser about your options to start planning financially as early as possible.

“Finances are a big barrier to care,” Wang said. “It’s mostly out-ofpocket unless you spend down and become Medicaid dependent. It’s an unfortunate reality we live in.”

Jinjiao Wang is a registered nurse, assistant professor of nursing at University of Rochester Medical Center and co-editor for JMIR Aging, an open access journal that focuses on aging.

your health

ITurning 55? Get These Screenings

Keeping close tabs on your health can make a difference

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

f you have 55 or so candles on your birthday cake this year, consider talking with your doctor about scheduling screening or testing for a few age-related medical concerns.

It’s a good time to have a baseline established for your vital signs if you have not had a physical in a while.

“We want to make sure we’re finding any potential problems when they’re little and easy to fix,” said physician Jennifer Mungari, with Geneva Primary Care. “By the time you find problems, the ‘easy fix’ is off the table. That’s why we do prevention. At this point, a lot of people are going through a lot of life changes like menopause and they’re about to retire. It’s time to reevaluate the general plan for health.”

Unless recommended, you won’t need to go to a specialist. But you should ask your primary care provider about:

1. Blood pressure

Testing for hypertension (high blood pressure) is important because it relates to higher risk to the heart (heart attack), brain (stroke) and kidneys (kidney disease). Lifestyle and dietary changes and medication can treat hypertension.

Prevention states that one-tenth of Americans has diabetes and that 96 million are prediabetic. Lifestyle and dietary changes or medication can help improve cholesterol, diabetes and prediabetes.

3. Breast cancer and cervical cancer

2. Blood work

A full blood panel typically includes testing for cholesterol and blood glucose levels. High cholesterol can raise risk of heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes. Blood glucose levels can determine risk for diabetes. Your likelihood may be greater than you think as the Centers for Disease Control and

Annual breast exams may shift to every other year at age 55. Annual pap smears may also shift to every three to five years. Cancer treatments can include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

4. Prostate Cancer

Starting at age 45, men at risk for prostate cancer should have a rectal exam and prostate

specific antigen (PSA) blood test to measure the PSA level, as that runs higher in men with prostate cancer. The high-risk group is meant who have family members who have had prostate cancer. Treating prostate cancer can involve surgery, radiation or for slow-growing prostate cancer, a wait-and-monitor approach. In a similar vein, those at risk for lung cancer should discuss screening.

Mungari said that people with a 20-pack year smoking history, who currently smoke or who quit in the past 15 years, are considered high risk and are “people we screen, starting at age 50.”

4. Colorectal cancer

Colonoscopy, noninvasive virtual colonoscopy and at-home fecal tests should start at 45, so if you’ve never had one, there’s no time like the present to start. Most providers continue offering them through age 75. Providers can immediately remove and test any discovered polyps with a standard colonoscopy. However, positive results discovered by the virtual and at-home tests will require a follow-up colonoscopy for removing polyps.

6. Osteoporosis

Ask about the merit of receiving a DEXA bone scan if osteoporosis is part of your family health history or if you have broken bones as an adult. In general, all post-menopausal women between the ages of 60 and 65 should have a scan.

7. Vaccines

Go over your vaccine history with your provider. Some are agerelated, like RSV and also shingles if you have had chicken pox and are older than 50. Pneumonia vaccine is recommended for those 65-plus unless another health concern warrants earlier vaccination. Every 10 years, you should have a tetanus vaccine. Discuss COVID-19 boosters as well. Of course, annual flu vaccine is also a good idea to prevent a nasty illness.

8. Skin/mole

People of any age can experience skin cancer. However, with longer sun exposure comes greater risk. Ask your provider to perform a skin examination to check for suspicious moles. When removed early — typically in an in-office procedure — no further treatment is necessary.

9. Vision

Perhaps you don’t feel like your vision has changed much in the past few years. However, it’s still a good idea to see the optometrist, as this provider can check for the presence of eye diseases and recommend ways to help care for your eyes and accommodate any agerelated changes.

10. Hearing

Even if your TV remains at the same volume you’ve always had it, a baseline hearing exam can help providers know how much your hearing has changed if you someday develop some hearing problems. Treating hearing issues early on helps patients better adapt to using hearing instruments and prevent isolation and other social issues that arise from untreated hearing loss.

Final word

Of course, these are general guidelines. When you should schedule screenings and tests relies upon your personal and family health history. Some people need to begin screening and testing for certain conditions younger than others. Your own comfort level also matters, so discuss all of these factors with your primary provider.

“We know you and can tailor the plan to your family history,” Mungari said.

Your

Lifespan’s Give-a-Lift service always needs more volunteer drivers.

We provide supplemental liability insurance, and partial mileage reimbursement is available.

His volume, or yours? Up and down it goes. If hearing the TV has become challenging, we can help. Schedules and registration for free programs are at hearinglossrochester.org

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To hear more of Frank’s story and learn if CyberKnife is right for you, visit hoacny.com

Frank chose non-surgical CyberKnife® at HOA –offering 5 treatments instead of 35!

THE MATURE SKIN

As we mature, the incidence of skin cancer does rise and that is always our concern

By Jeffrey LaDuca, Ph.D., M.D.

Well now I get it! For years I have seen copies of 55 Plus magazine in my waiting rooms and around town. I always thought, “Well that’s nice, but it doesn’t apply to me.” But now that I have crossed that threshold I totally understand!

I’ve been practicing dermatology in Central New York for almost 25 years. A good number of our patients are 55-plus. Daily, even hourly, I discuss issues with maturing skin (I never say “aging”).

As we mature, the incidence of skin cancer does rise and that is always our first concern.

Thankfully many skin issues that occur with maturity are benign and cosmetic. A number of benign skin lesions can look alarming like and actually mimic skin cancer.

So getting checked is never a bad idea.

Skin Cancer

One in five Americans will develop

a skin cancer before the age of 70. And it estimated that 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day. And the overall incidence of skin cancer has been rising over the decades.

Basically there are two categories of skin cancer: melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers. Annually there about 1 million non-melanoma skin cancers diagnosed in the United States and about 200,000 melanoma skin cancers. Non-melanoma skin cancers are

s OF MELANOMA

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. However, when detected early, melanoma can be effectively treated. You can identify the warning signs of melanoma by looking for the following:

ASYMMETRY

One half is unlike the other half.

Varied from one area to another; has shades of tan, brown or black; sometimes white, red, or blue.

A B C D E

DIAMETER

Typically greater than 6mm (the size of a pencil eraser) when diagnosed, they can be smaller.

from the rest or is changing in size, shape or color.

Example:

very common; the most common types being basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCC’s), with BCCs outnumbering SCCs about 4 to 1.

These types of skin cancers are typically found on sun exposed areas of the head, neck, shoulder, arms and legs and appear as non-healing lesions that may bleed.

Examine your partner’s body front and back, then look at the right and left sides with their arms raised.

BCCs nearly never metastasize (leave the skin), but can grow and be destructive to local areas and cause bleeding and pain. SCCs typically do not metastasize, but can, if large enough, or of an aggressive nature. Once inside the skin they can show up in local lymph nodes, along nerve roots and into other organs such as the lung or liver. Early diagnosis and treatment can minimize pain and scarring and potentially save lives.

Bend elbows and look carefully at forearms, underarms and palms.

If you notice a new spot or an existing spot that changes, itches or bleeds, make an appointment to see a board-certified dermatologist.

cancers, when caught and treated early, can be almost 100% curable. However, melanomas that invade deeper into the skin have a higher rate of metastatic spread to lymph nodes and other organs. Once there is spread of the melanomas cells, cure rates are reduced. Over the past two decades, treatments for these metastatic melanomas have improved dramatically. But sadly over 8,000 will die of melanoma in 2024.

TIPS FOR CHECKING YOUR PARTNER’S SKIN: 1 2 3 4 5

Melanoma skin cancers are considered the more serious type of skin cancer. Again, these skin cancers typically show up in sun exposed areas, but we have found melanomas on feet, scalps and on genitals (areas where “the sun don’t shine”).

Typically they are dark moles on the skin surface. Melanoma skin

There are other more rare types of skin cancers that can occur. Recently, with the passing of Jimmy Buffet, Merkle cell carcinoma has been discussed more frequently. This and other rare skin tumors do occur, but at a much reduced frequency. However these rarer skin cancers tend to be ever more aggressive and deadly.

Skin Cancers

Melanoma Skin Cancer

• Superficial spreading: Has not invaded deeper into the skin, low potential to metastasize

• Nodular: Has started to invade into the deeper areas of skin, has potential to metastasize

On average, one American dies from melanoma every hour

DETECT SKIN CANCER EARLY BY FOLLOWING DERMATOLOGISTS’

• Lentigo maligna: Typically on sun exposed skin, very superficial, low potential to metastasize

• Acral lentiginous: on hands or feet, often overlooked, often metastatic

• Amelontic: Does not appear dark in color, often not recognized as skin cancer, can metastasize

Examine the back of their neck and scalp. Part hair for a closer look.

Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers

Basal Cell Carcinomas (BCCs)

• Superficial

• Nodular

• Pigmented

• Cystic

Check their back and buttocks.

• Sclerosing/Infiltrative

Squanous CellCarcinomas (SCCs)

• Bowen’s Disease or SCC in situ

• Well differentiated

• Moderately differentiated

• Poorly differentiated

Rare types of Skin Cancers:

Finally, look at the backs of their legs and feet, the spaces between their toes, and the soles of their feet.

• Merkle cell carcinoma

• Sarcomas

Risk Factors

Risk factors for skin cancers include fair skin type and light colored

hair and eyes. The number of moles that you have can increase your risk of melanoma skin cancer. The ABCDE’s of skin cancer is a great screening tool (see below). Easy sun burning, history of sun burns or blistering sun burns is also a risk factor. And family history is important as well. Some people inherit genes that predispose them to skin cancers. With all this said, patients that tan easily and rarely burn can get skin cancers as well. RIP Bob Marley (died of melanoma on his foot).

Skin Cancer Treatment

“Pre-Cancers”

“Cancer is kind of like pregnant” is what I commonly tell my patients. “You either are or you’re not.”

The same can be said about skin lesions.

Lesions are either cancerous or they’re not. However, sometimes we throw around the term “pre-cancer” because it makes sense.

Examples of “pre-cancers” are actinic keratoses and dysplastic nevi. Actinic keratoses (AKs) are areas of sun damage that have the potential to turn into squamous cell carcinomas. Historically about 1 out of 10 might turn into a skin cancer over time. I think of this like colon polyps which are considered “pre-cancers.” If they are found during a colonoscopy, they are removed so that they don’t become cancerous. Likewise, AKs should be treated so that they don’t have the chance to become cancerous. Dysplastic nevi (DN) are moles that are not “normal”, but not cancerous. They have some atypical cells in them and might turn into a melanoma at some point. DNs are rated as being mildly, moderately and severely atypical. Obviously, the more atypical they are, the more likely they are to turn into a melanoma. Mild and even moderately atypical moles are not particularly dangerous, but could evolve into more atypical lesions over time.

NOT Skin Cancer

There are a number of benign skin lesions that are common in our patients over 50.

Some of these lesions are attributable to sun exposure and “weathering.” And some lesions are genetic…. I often tell my patients that

they need to pick their parents better. Nature-vs-nurture: Nature is what we received genetically and nurture is what we did yourselves over the years.

Examples of nature is our genetic components: fair skin, light colored eyes and hair, ability to tan vs burn and numbers of moles. And there are a number of benign skin lesions that “just happen.” Examples of genetic skin lesions are birth marks, seborrheic keratoses, sebaceous hyperplasia and cherry angiomas. Nurture is summer days at the beach and tanning parlors —what we did to ourselves.

• Birth marks which can be pigmented like a mole or vascular. Pigmented birthmarks can be the subject of whole volumes in text books. They can be “small, medium or large” and pose a variable risk of developing into melanomas over a lifetime. Typically size and location dictate the risk. Vascular birthmarks are typically red and fade over time. Examples of these are “stork bites” on the nape of the neck, “angel kisses” on the forehead, or hemangiomas which can occur anywhere on the body at birth or shortly afterwards, grow, and then regress during childhood. These lesions rarely pose any health risk.

• Seborrheic keratoses are a noncancerous skin lesion that appears as a waxy brown, black, or tan growth anywhere on the body (face, chest, shoulders, or back). They are the most common noncancerous skin growths in “mature adults.” Some people may develop one or two some 30 or 40, and some will develop hundreds. They are not related to sun exposure and no treatment is necessary. However if they cause irritation they can be removed.

• Sebaceous hyperplasia is a common, benign condition of sweat glands in adults. Commonly these lesions are found on the nose cheeks and forehead and may be multiple or single. They manifest as yellowish, soft, small papules with a central depression. Sebaceous hyperplasia are benign, with no known potential to turn into skin cancers. However, they can look similar to basal cell carcinomas. They may be associated with lowered immunity in transplantation patients receiving medication.

• Cherry angiomas are small red or purple papules that start to develop on the skin after the age of 30. They can occur anywhere on the body but tend to be more frequent on the trunk. These lesions are harmless however they can be a source of cosmetic concern when located on cosmetically sensitive areas of the face, head, and neck. These lesions can easily be removed with lasers or cautery devices.

There are a number of other benign and cosmetic concerns that occur in mature skin, wrinkles, “age spots,” “liver spots,” easy bruising to name a few. There are a number of options to improve these concerning lesions. But one needs to remember that skin cancers are the more serious skin concern. It is recommended that patients over 50 be screened for skin cancers by a skin specialist.

Depending on your risk factors, screening can be every few years or less. But early recognition and treatment of skin cancers allows for the very best outcomes!

Remember, we want to live long enough to inconvenience our children.

Jeffrey LaDuca, Ph.D., M.D. is a board-certified dermatologist who has been practicing in Central New York for almost 25 years as Reflections Dermatology. He attended LeMoyne College, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, SUNY Upstate and University of Rochester for his training. He has published book chapters, written several medical journal articles, teaches PAs, NPs, and medical students and lectures extensively to medical groups locally, regionally and nationally. And he loves golf. For more information, visit www.skinreflections.com.

wellness

NMeet the ‘Fantastic Four’ at RIT Wellness Program

The lessons go well beyond the sports

By John Addyman

ow that we’re of an age where we have kids — or grandkids — going to college, we’re concerned about some things. Will the program be right for our kids? Will they get what they need to find a job after graduation? Does the college they chose breed success?

And in asking those questions, we hope we make the right decisions to help our kids grow and learn and prosper at the school they’ve chosen.

Most importantly we ask, “Will college prepare our kids to meet life?”

Does that college do more than teach processes and build knowledge bases? How do we know that the college even worries about that other stuff?

The Rochester Institute of Technology thinks carefully about it

and lays out resources and populates classes in its immense wellness program — rolling out life lessons with a huge variety of sports options.

Sports? Teaching life skills?

Believe it.

Four proponents, successful servants of the effort, are coaches Ed Sherman, 59, Alex Sleeman, 74, Steve Romano, 68, and Dave Hunt, 74 — kind of like the “Fantastic Four” of Marvel Comics fame — all adjunct professors in the RIT wellness program.

How is learning a sport going to make you a happier, more successful systems analyst or AI programmer or forensic scientist?

Start with golf.

Golf?

“It’s a golf class but one of the things I want them to take away from

my golf class is the etiquette part of it,” said Sleeman, the golf coach. “So when they’re done at the end of the day on the links, they take their hats off, shake hands and say, ‘Thank you very much.’ You don’t get a lot of that anymore.

“The etiquette part of golf is my biggest thing. I want my students to feel comfortable. They’re going to leave here and have these wonderful high-falutin’ jobs and they’re going to be asked to play golf. I want them to feel comfortable — they’ll know how to dress; they’ll know how to talk; they’ll know what the etiquette is on the golf course, whether their game is good or not — that doesn’t matter — it’s how they get along with the other people and how they know what do to, how to act. That’s my biggest takeaway. That’s what I want them to know.”

Ed Sherman, the soccer adjunct professor in RIT's wellness program, watches as a game warms up in the gym during a rainy morning.

In his class, Sleeman’s biggest thrill is to watch students from so many different countries “come together, with different personalities; they come together as a group and get along. I wish they could take that into the world. I think our program is developing that the ability to get together, to live together, and have fun together and put away the differences.”

The RIT wellness program includes dance courses, fitness courses, health and life support courses, health and wellness courses, martial arts courses, music courses, outdoor education and recreation courses, even ROTC. Students get involved in the pool, the courts, the field and outdoors.

“Wellness education at RIT takes learning beyond the classroom with hands-on learning opportunities that span across all areas of health and wellbeing,” says the RIT website.

For the guys in the Fantastic Four, their wellness programs are near and dear to them for what they bring out. The guys are all vastly experienced and enthusiastic in what they teach — beyond the sports themselves.

Sleeman teaches in a small golf instruction area where players are hitting into a large screen and a computer that tells them where they’ve hit the ball on that hole. He helps players look at the larger idea of what’s happening on the course. And he watches kids change.

“It’s what we teach the kids to do,”

he said, “to be together. One of the things I love is to see how they progress.

LEFT: Dave Hunt, who coaches racquet sports in the RIT wellness program, shows his class how to serve with a decided spin in table tennis.

RIGHT: Alex Sleeman, a wellness coach at RIT, guides a student in seeing the lay of the land on a fairway in a golf booth.

Kids who have never had a golf club in their hands before and they become successful. Some of them win my little putting trophies and they take that trophy home with them.

Sleeman has been with RIT since 1986, coaching racquet sports. Off campus, he’s a bagpiper with the Keystone Pipes and Drums.

“There were 5,000 students here when I started,” he said. “There are 19,000 now.”

Romano taught phys ed in Rochester and Webster schools for 35 years, retiring in 2016. He coached high school and college football for 49 years and high school lacrosse for 39 years.

He’s an avid runner, marathoner and biathlete — out the door at 6 a.m. every day to get in his run.

“I’ve been in the gym and on the field my whole life,” he said. “Doing this now at the college level with so much diversity here and so many kids from all over, I’m lucky to have this opportunity. RIT is an incredible place to teach. Students are from all over the world and are so committed to learning and growing as young adults.”

Like Sleeman, he has an approach to his classes that mirrors what the others believe.

“Diversity is what this wellness program is all about,” Romano said. “Having kids from all over — India, China, Russia — whatever the case may be, all being in one setting, playing one game. Watching these kids working together and then high-fiving one another, it’s just incredible. That’s the wellness base. We just use all these other things, the games, to bring kids together…even getting kids on the same team.

“Kids are sometimes reluctant. You tell them to get a partner. And they’re not comfortable doing that because they’ve never done that before in whatever country they’ve come from. So, when they’re standing next to someone else, there’s all of a sudden this little comfort thing. With a little encouragement, they eventually say to themselves, ‘I can do this.’

“Then you tell them, ‘You two go get two others and you guys make up your own team.’ It takes a whole semester to get that comfort zone, but it’s cool to see.”

Romano believes that getting people together “feels like more of what we do.” His colleagues — “the veteran guys — have taught me that it’s different for kids who have been

living in the same neighborhood to get together than for kids who have been living on the same earth, far away and are coming together here in Rochester at RIT. It’s a cool place. It really is.”

Sherman has come to the wellness program through the athletics department. He was hired 25 years ago as the assistant women’s soccer coach.

“Then the program needed a soccer instructor. I said I’d be happy to do that. One class led to two. Two led to three and three led to six. Now I’m teaching 21 classes,” he said.

While that may sound like he’s busy, Sherman is easily recognized by his ever-present bottle of Mountain Dew that helps fuel his after-hours business of flipping houses. He has rented out some of those flipped houses to students. He knows the breed well after teaching for 47 years. And his longevity is about to bring him to a unique life situation: “Maybe in a year or so I’ll be coaching a grandchild of one of my former players,” he said. Three generations under the same coach. “Now I’m close in age to the grandparents of the kids I’m coaching. That’s crazy,” he added.

He believes each member of the Fantastic Four is on the exact same page in their approach.

“We teach life through sport,” he

said. “We all have backgrounds in different things. I have a background in a lot of things but soccer was my main thing. I’ve done a ton of sports — I’ve coached many sports. I’ve played every sport I could get my hands on. The big thing we’re trying to do — with the little kids I coach soccer on my travel team and the big kids I coach here — we’re teaching life skills through our medium, which is sports. Many kids unfortunately are from many different backgrounds from all over the world and sadly, they’re not the most social kids in the world, sometimes.

“One of our big pushes is trying to get them ready for life. You have to be able to talk to people, you have to be able to look people eye-to-eye, you’ve got to be able to communicate with people. Some of these kids struggle with that. Everything we do revolves around getting them social, doing things together, getting them to cooperate and hopefully enjoying what they’re doing in the meantime. If we can get the kids having fun, laughing, smiling, talking to each other — we’re doing our job.”

Hunt had to make some family choices right out of college. A superb tennis and table tennis player (nationally ranked as a teen),

he wanted to teach at Cortland or Brockport, but also wanted to stay close to his family, so he joined the family business, Hunt’s Hardware and worked with his dad, brother and sister for almost five decades, until the business closed.

Then the job at RIT fell into his lap.

“What I didn’t expect when I came here was to be working with these three amazing guys. I expected a wonderful faculty and everything, but to have these guys in my age group and to become integrated into the Fantastic Four is something that was totally unexpected. I loved the Fantastic Four as a kid but I never thought I’d be joining them,” he said.

“In my classes, I try to teach the interdependence of playing partners. This is the quality-of-life partner education. Kids can talk to us like they cannot with other instructors; they can talk to us at any time about almost anything. And they do. We establish a friendly bond with our students. I think that’s one of the benefits of teaching in a situation where you’re teaching movement, where things are very dynamic,” he said. “We’re not sitting in a chair. We’re really bonding and connecting with our students. It’s one of the beauties of the program.

“What I learned from Ed Sherman, who is very creative, is the ‘learn through play’ approach. He taught me that the best instruction often comes from fellow students and the games themselves. As instructors, we add our expertise and teach self-belief and the joys of sports participation.”

Hunt asked his colleagues how much longer they’d want to be part of the wellness program, how much longer would they like to teach. It’s clear the “wellness” part of the program has affected them all.

“They each said they see this as a ‘working retirement,” Hunt explained, “where they plan to do this for as long as they can and as long as they are mentally sharp and physically capable. The ‘physically capable’ definitely applies to Lex and me, as we will both turn 75 this year. We plan to go as long as we can...maybe mid-80s for me. Ed and Steve are a bit younger and are willing to continue for years. The attraction is teaching what we want, when we want, having wonderful students and being able to teach alongside of each other.”

Steve Romano, the football instructor in the RIT wellness program, teaches students from all over the world who may be getting their first up-close glimpse of the game and its unusually shaped ball.

Whether making �inal arrangements for yourself or making decisions for a loved one who recently passed away, you will �ind White Haven Memorial Park’s sta�f o�fers kindness and understanding. We o�fer in-ground, mausoleum and niche burial proper�y, a beautiful Nature Trail for cremated remains as well as a Green Burial option. Our two chapels are available and are a per�ect place for hosting a memorial service. One of our Memorial Counselors can guide you through the process.

first person

SO THIS IS 70

Self-care, family connections, meaningful work and pursuing my passions all help me set a course through this decade

By Linda Goor Nanos

When I turned 60, I thought it was the new 50. My mother was turning 90 and we celebrated together with a 60-90 party. I felt fit, I was at the peak of my career and my brother asked me what hair color to look for when he picked me up at the airport.

Ten years later (a decade sounds longer), 70 doesn't feel like the new anything.

I admit part of my mindset was preprogrammed. In our 60s, my husband and I agreed that 60-something didn't feel old, but 70 would. I told my landlord that my office lease would only go up to my 70th birthday, because I would not have a commercial

lease after that; he customized the terms.

This is not all subjective perspective. For most of my childhood, the life expectancy of an adult hovered around 72. I turned 72, defying both my 1950's concepts of aging and the Who's song "My Generation" where Roger Daltrey famously sang that he hoped to die before he grew old. Whether subjective or objective, there are significant life passages that can't be ignored.

The Role of Family Matriarch

I ascended to the role of family matriarch when my mother died six years after we celebrated our 60-90

birthdays. She was the last of her generation and left large shoes to fill. I miss her and all the elders. In the later years of my parents' lives, I had a caregiving role. When they were gone, and my son and daughter were living their own independent lives, I felt a void I needed to fill.

As if hearing my call, my role as matriarch expanded when I had three grandchildren within a three-year span. My husband and I babysit our granddaughter who lives nearby and maintain a close relationship with her. We spend as much time as we can with our grandsons who live out of state, whether by flying to them or having them at our home. Staying on top of the grandchildren's milestones

Linda Nanos and her grandchild practice yoga together.

‘Reduced tension is a key to preserving health at any stage of life, especially as I advance in age.’

is my new focus.

Continuing to maintain my health and be my own caregiver is critical. On airplanes, the instruction is to put on your oxygen mask first. Only in this way can you be of help to those who depend upon you. The need to maintain my own health is not only to be able to be an active part of my grandchildren's lives, but also to be independent and not a burden on my son's and daughter's busy lives.

Health and Wellness

I always prided myself in not relying on pharmaceuticals, although I took herbs and vitamin supplements.

My health has been challenged and I accepted heart medication in my daily regimen. I begin each day with a stretching routine based on the years of yoga practice, to which I added Kegel contractions for organ prolapse and breathing exercises for lung capacity.

I barely passed a respiratory function test following a debilitating bout with bronchitis. I had dark moments with both heart and lungs on the fritz, but I finish my morning

routine with affirmations of gratitude and express how I want my life to unfold: with ease.

I've stepped up my holistic approach to health with homemade pear sauce served at breakfast, cooked with generous amounts of cardamom and cinnamon, for their health benefits to my heart and lungs.

With physical upkeep taking a more central role, it dovetails with the sale of my professional practice. I work part-time for the new owner which allows me to arrive at 11 and have a leisurely start in the morning.

It's healthy for me to get up and go to a job because I've worked my entire life, you might even say I was a workaholic, but now I'm working half the hours, and have no overhead responsibilities. It's so much more enjoyable with less pressure. Reduced tension is a key to preserving health at any stage of life, especially as I advance in age.

Central to keeping a positive outlook is devoting more time to passions: mine are writing, birdwatching and reading. Everyone must find their passion. It can be a

hobby or cooking or pickleball, but there has to be something that calls to you each day to get out of bed.

I jump start my morning with a cup of coffee and watching the birds peck away at the feeders I fill. My evenings generally include writing articles and working on a book. I always have my next book club selection at my bedside to read.

Keeping up with extended family ties is another source of satisfaction. I send birthday greetings to nieces and nephews and their children. The children receive a token holiday gift from me. Most of them live in different states. Text chains, Wordle group, and Facebook are other ways I stay connected. My brother and I live nearly 3,000 miles apart, but I made the trek to visit him as a birthday present to myself.

My brother didn't have to ask what color hair to look for when he picked me up at the airport because it's now snow white. That change came about because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While isolated in quarantine, I let my dyed hair grow out. I went through an awkward two-tone stage, but it's a relief to not be spending so much time and money in a salon tending to highmaintenance hair.

I'm more comfortable than I thought I would be as a whitehaired grandmother. My physique has changed with age and I'm thankful for a clothing line for mature shapes and for Spandex. My doctor has a relaxed attitude about weight, so long as my numbers are within a normal range. Admittedly, I have more work to do in this area but there should always be goals to attain.

Taking in the totality of 70, it may not be the new 60, but I'm all right with 70 for what it is: self-care, connection with family, meaningful work and pursuit of passions.

I'm laying the course for my passage through this decade.

Linda Goor Nanos is a practicing attorney, author, wife, mother and grandmother. Her writing credits include a memoir "Forty Years of PMS," professional articles and published essays on life lessons. Article was previously published at www.nextavenue.org. Reprinted with permission.

biking WomanTours

Bike touring organization supports pedaling women

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

If you’re a woman cyclist who wants a fellow rider for companionship and increased safety, get to know WomanTours.

The Rochester-based company organizes and hosts women-only bicycle tours domestically and internationally and may be the only women-only bicycle tour company in the US.

Karen Miltner, 60, is the company’s tour specialist. She said that most of the staff of seven is 55 or older. So is much of the customer base, although some mother-daughter duos take tours together.

Why tour only with other women?

“Some go on tours with their husbands,” Miltner said. “Maybe they don’t ride as fast or there’s more of a competitive spirit with their husbands. Or maybe their husbands don’t ride well or at all. We have a spirit of camaraderie. It’s a ride, not a race. We encourage everyone to ride at her own pace. Everyone feels supported. We’re cheerleaders for each other. When women come on tour, they often don’t come with a friend or partner but have friends in about 10 minutes and many times, they stay lifelong friends.”

That’s the power of cycling camaraderie. Many post-tour evaluations completed by participants cite making new friends as the participants’ favorite part of the experience. About 70% of the riders return for more tours.

Each tour except for international tours receives support from a WomanTours van. The company arranges lodging and meals for riders also. Tour leaders in the vans assist

when a bicyclist needs assistance, whether a flat tire or a snack.

About a dozen guides nationwide lead the tours. Participants may bring their own road bike or e-bike or rent one from WomenTours.

Miltner said that e-bikes are helping more people to tour as they grow older and feel less physically able to participate in tours such as those recovering from knee replacement. WomenTours doesn’t lead mountain biking tours. It’s all on bike paths or roads.

The shorter tours are about four days; the longer, cross-country tours can last two months. The rides range among all levels of difficulty as well, from flat bike paths to hilly roads that bring on the burn.

Most tours last a week. Local tours include the Erie Canal and the Finger Lakes. The tours begin in the south in early spring and move northward as the weather warms. The last tours wrap up in the fall. WomanTours hosts about 60 tours annually. About 40% of them are international and 60% are domestic.

“Some tours have more of a cultural or sight-seeing focus,” Miltner said. “Our Finger Lakes tour we call ‘Women’s History and Finger Lakes Wine.’”

Wine tasting waits until the tour concludes, as those touring can pick up bottles of vino en route. (Anyone who imbibes while on the tour must ride in the van for the rest of the tour.)

“One of our company’s strengths is we have a variety of tours to fit all kinds of cycling,” Miltner said.

European trips may involve a

barge support vehicle that meets cyclists at various parts of their tour. WomanTours’ international trips include a tour in Tanzania that donates proceeds to help outfit women in the African country with bicycles for transportation so they can be more independent.

“It’s very important to give back,” Miltner said. “All tour profits for our Tanzania: Service, Cycling and Safari tour benefit globalbike.org, a nonprofit that invests in women-led bike rental and repair businesses. This type of economic empowerment helps women to be self-reliant and support themselves and their families.”

WomanTours works to introduce new tours each year, which Miltner said encourages participants to return. Some have been riding with WomenTours for 30 years.

Miltner advises anyone interested in bicycle touring to “start slowly. You don’t have to conquer the world at once. A lot of communities have bicycling clubs that might do womenonly rides or groups.”

These experiences can help cyclists get a feel for riding in a group and how touring works. Participating in a shorter, weekend tour of only 20 miles daily can help new cyclists build up their endurance.

Miltner also encourages new cyclists to learn about riding safety and basic bicycle maintenance.

“And we always, always, always wear helmets,” she added.

nThe full tour schedule is at www.womantours.com/tours

on the water

Age Doesn’t Matter in the Wheelhouse

For Capt. Frederick Folsom, the best part of working for the Corn Hill Waterfront and Navigation Foundation is taking local elementary school children out on the water.

“Sometimes, two-thirds of the kids have never been on a boat before,” the 64-year-old said. “To be able to offer that experience for them is huge.”

Each year, Corn Hill Navigation’s boats take thousands of kids and adults out onto the Genesee River and the Erie Canal.

More than just pleasurable rides on the water, the trips are opportunities to learn about those waterways, their histories and how to preserve them for the community and its people. The nonprofit is based at Corn Hill Landing in Rochester and has a kiosk on the waterfront at Pittsford’s Schoen Place.

Corn Hill Navigation’s history goes back to 1991, when the late

By Mike Costanza

Edward P. “Ted” Curtis co-founded the nonprofit.

Curtis, whose resume included a stint in the CIA, several years at the Eastman Kodak Company and a brief time as city manager of Rochester, had a keen interest in the badly polluted Genesee River. Fran Gotcsik came to know him back then through her position at the nonprofit Parks & Trails New York, which works to expand, protect and promote the use of the state’s trails, parks and open spaces.

“He felt…there wasn’t enough attention paid to the health of the Genesee River and that the only way that the condition of the Genesee River would improve was if people actually experienced it,” the 78-year-old said.

Curtis and Corn Hill Navigation’s other co-founders led the effort to give people that experience. In 1991, the nonprofit’s first boat, the Sam Patch, docked at Corn Hill Landing

on what is now Rochester’s Exchange Boulevard.

“It was the first commercial vessel to dock in downtown Rochester in 30 years,” Gotcsik said.

The craft, a custom-build replica of a classic canal packet boat, is named after the daredevil Sam Patch, who earned fame and money in the 1800s by jumping from great heights. He died in 1829 after jumping into the Genesee from Rochester’s High Falls.

Gotcsik eventually became the director of programs and policies for Parks & Trails New York and retired. The Lima resident began volunteering for Corn Hill Navigation in 2016.

“I have had a lifelong commitment to historic preservation and environmental stewardship in my professional and volunteer activities and felt that Corn Hill Navigation’s mission combined both these interests,” Gotcsik said.

Four of Corn Hill Navigation’s captains stand on Pittsford’s dock. From left are Capt. Moby Burton, Capt. Kathryn Tingley, Capt. Larry Sill, Tingley’s husband, and Capt. Frederick Folsom.

Capt. Frederick Folsom.

She currently sits on the nonprofit’s board of directors and was once its chairwoman.

Corn hill Navigation has grown since the Sam Patch began plying the Genesee and the Erie Canal. In 2005, it acquired the Mary Jemison, which was named after a colonial woman who was captured by Native Americans as a child and was eventually adopted by a Seneca family. The nonprofit took that boat out of service in 2013 and eventually sold it. In June of 2023, it put its latest acquisition, the sleek Riverie, into service.

Nowadays, the two boats run from mid-May to as late in the year as the end of October, depending on the weather and when the Erie Canal closes for the year. The Sam Patch usually cruises the canal from Schoen Place in Pittsford to Lock 32 and back, while the Riverie generally runs from Corn Hill Landing south to just inside the Erie Canal, then turns around. Both trips usually take about 90 minutes, though some of Riverie’s trips can take as much as two-and-a-half hours.

Older adults help make those trips possible. Twenty-seven of Corn Hill Navigation’s 42 paid employees and 10

of the 14 members of its all-volunteer board are 55 years old and older. In addition, the nonprofit can call upon another 30 volunteers or so when the need arises, some of whom are older adults. All come together to help the nonprofit accomplish its goals.

“Education is a thread that runs through everything that we do,” said Lisa Wing, who chairs Corn Hill Navigation’s board. “We want to make sure that people experience and enjoy our local waterways, but also walk away with a new sense of pride and understanding in the role of those waterways in our history and the development of our community.”

To those ends, the 64-year-old retired school principal helped write “Environmental Education on the Genesee,” an instructional program for use with elementary school students.

“It focuses on ecology, water quality and the health of the river and canal as habitat for all of the wildlife that make their home there,” the Webster resident said.

Each year, thousands of Rochester City School District fifth graders board one of Corn Hill Navigation’s boats — usually the Riverie — to learn

about the Genesee. Once aboard, they rotate through three stations at which they assess the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the water. Environmental educators or educational assistants stand by at each station to assist them.

Once the kids have gathered their data, Corn Hill Navigation downloads it to the Finger Lakes Regional Stream Monitoring Network’s database, where it can be accessed by other researchers.

“They’re like young citizen scientists, because the information that they’re collecting is actually going to inform other people about the status of the river,” Wing said.

In addition to its science program, Corn Hill Navigation offers onboard instructional programs to school children and adults that focus upon the histories of the Genesee and the Erie Canal, and their contributions to this area.

“We have regular narrated cruises that provide adults with information on both the river and the canal,” Wing said.

In addition, some of the nonprofit’s cruises feature live music and

The Sam Patch docking at Pittsford’s Schoen Place.

other attractions.

About 15,000 people traveled on Corn Hill Navigation’s boats in 2023 alone, including about 3.000 children. One of them made a strong impression on Capt. Folsom as she boarded his boat.

“She was coming on the boat in tears, and had never been on a boat and was terrified,” he said.

After just a short time on the water, her tears vanished.

“She had the biggest grin on her face and was so happy,” Folsom said. “That’s something that’ll be in my memory for a long time.”

The little girl might not have been so afraid if she’d known how carefully Corn Hill Navigation safeguards its passengers. In keeping with federal regulations, every one of the men and women who guide its ships has been licensed by the US Coast Guard to take their helms. To qualify for that

license, they had to undergo extensive training, pass numerous examinations and spend a full year at sea aboard vessels of the appropriate size.

Prior to signing up with Corn Hill Navigation nearly three years ago, Folsom captained boats up and down the Eastern Seaboard, on the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River and the Caribbean Sea and in other parts of the world.

“I ran 150-foot supply boats for the oil fields in the Gulf of Mexico and a private yacht from Washington State up to Alaska,” he said.

These days, the Rochester resident particularly enjoys watching the seasons change as he cruises the Genesee while on the job.

“You can see it in the spring and how green it is now and in the summer and in the fall with the leaves turning and the migratory birds that are along the Genesee River,” he said. “It’s

spectacular.”

When not doing his paid gig for Corn Hill Navigation, Folsom volunteers for the nonprofit and sits on its board.

In addition to having licensed, trained officers at the wheels of its boats, Corn Hill Navigation carefully maintains the vessels. Their engines are inspected at least once a day while in service.

“Every piece of that engine, the water intakes, the cooling (system), everything is checked before the boat leaves,” said Capt. Kathryn Tingley, who has been taking the nonprofit’s boats out on the water on and off for about the past seven years.

The inspections are very important. Like all engines, those that power the Sam Patch and Riverie can suffer breakdowns, though they occur only occasionally.

“Both boats are very safe,” Tingley

The Riverie, Corn Hill Navigation’s second boat, heads down the Genesee River on a beautiful afternoon.

said. “There are no issues with them that are out of the ordinary for your general motors and serviceability of any passenger vessel.”

If a boat breaks down, its captain is ready to deal with the problem. That might involve something as simple as tying up at a canal lock and having a crew from Corn Hill Navigation take the passengers back to their cars.

SMT MOBILE NOTARY PUBLIC

Prior to joining Corn Hill Navigation, Tingley worked as a deckhand on a local tour boat, a deckhand and purser on a replica of an 1812 naval schooner and captained boats in Florida. Though her current job takes her out on the water, it doesn’t take her completely away from her family. Her husband, Capt. Larry Sill, also helms Corn Hill Navigation’s boats.

For more information on Corn Hill Navigation and its programs, go to: https://cornhillnav.org.

Discover Our Historic Waterways

through a century-old

Enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Erie Canal and learn about its significance in our nation’s development Public and private charters are available Navigate the historic Erie Canal Travel aboard

downtown Rochester's newest tour boat! Experience unique views of the city and the Genesee’s natural beauty and wildlife Riverie offers public and themed cruises, private charters, and educational excursions

STAYCATION IDEAS

No plans for this season? Try these staycation ideas

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Take your vacation right from your house. There’s plenty to do in the Rochester area.

Time with the Grandkids (Or for Kids at Heart)

The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester boasts the world’s largest collection of historic toys and games. Explore the 60,000 artifacts in the International Center for the History of Electronic Games. A hands-on museum, plan to spend about four hours.

• www.museumofplay.org

Clubhouse Fun Center offers batting cages, mini golf and an arcade (Greece location) or go-kart track, mini golf and arcade (Henrietta location). Schoolaged children through younger teens should enjoy Clubhouse.

• www.clubhousefuncenter.com

Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester offers both exhibits and special animal encounters. Purchase tickets in advance for Rocky Coast Tour to meet sea lions; Elephant Encounter to visit African elephants and learn about

each individual; Giraffe Feedings to meet and feed giraffes; and Rhino Encounter at Animals of Savanna to get acquainted with a white rhino.

• www.senecaparkzoo.org

Rochester Museum & Science Center displays 200 interactive exhibits and activities, plus the Strasenburgh Planetarium and the Cumming Nature Center. Kids learn without realizing it because they’re having so much fun.

• www.rmcs.org

Long Acre Farms in Macedon is a must-do for fall for its massive corn maze and fall décor. However, all summer, the farm’s sizable, farm-style play area is open. Shop the farm store or get a bit to eat at the snack shop and ice cream window. For the grownups, step across the lawn wine tasting at Long Acre’s JD Wine Cellars on-site.

• www.longacrefarms.com

History and Culture Seekers

The Eastman Museum in Rochester celebrates the life and work of George Eastman, founder of Eastman Kodak Company and pioneer in film and

motion picture technology. The site includes the museum and the historic Eastman home and grounds.

• www.eastman.org

In a similar vein, Sonnenberg Gardens in Canandaigua offers extensive gardens and examples of Queen Anne architecture and home furnishings in Victorian-appointed rooms. The 50-acre site includes nine formal international gardens. The site is also home to the Finger Lakes Wine Center, which offers tastings Friday through Sunday.

• www.sonnenberg.org

Memorial Art Gallery exhibits 5,000 years of artistic works, including displays on the works of Monet, Rembrandt and O'Keeffe and modernday artists like Kehinde Wiley and Mickalene Thomas.

• https://mag.rochester.edu

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in Rush displays the largest collection of historic trains and is the largest operating railroad museum in the state. Take a mile-anda-half train ride across the museum’s

Colonial Belle at sunset.

Activities at the Clubhouse Fun Center in Greece and Henrietta.

grounds, view authentic, historic train cars and see freight cars, cabooses and diesel locomotives. Check the website for special children’s activities if you plan to bring the grandchildren along. • www.rgvrrm.org

On the Water

In Pittsford, hop aboard Sam Patch canal boat ride on the Erie Canal from Pittsford or take one of the Genesee River Boat Tours in Rochester (https:// cornhillnav.org). Colonial Belle (www. colonialbelle.com) also books Erie Canal rides, originating in Fairport. Canandaigua Lady (www.cdgalady. com) books steamboat tours along the north shore of Canandaigua Lake. Seager Marine (www.seagermarine. com) offers cruises on Canandaigua Lake as well. Although a bit outside the Rochester area, it’s worth the drive to get up-close to Niagara Falls through a tour with Maid of the Mist (www. maidofthemist.com) and their fleet of electric, catamaran-style vessels. The various cruises can include music and dining and special events. These tend to sell out quickly, so book early.

Nature Exploration

“Gorges” Watkins Glen Stake Park draws thousands of visitors annually to hike the trails in the forest rimming the gorge and in the gorge and to view its 19 waterfalls. Bring along a picnic basket or patronize a restaurant across from the park’s lower entrance.

https://parks.ny.gov/parks/142/

The “Grand Canyon of the East,” Letchworth State Park includes three major waterfalls of the Genesee River as it thunders among the rocks. Some drops are as high as 600 feet. Hikers can enjoy 66 miles of trails.

https://parks.ny.gov/parks/79/details. aspx

While staycationing, break away from the chain businesses you could see anywhere and patronize small businesses along the way, such as unique shops, local restaurants and farm stands. These businesses often rely on tourism dollars to thrive and their unusual offerings will make your staycation feel more like a far-flung getaway.

J.D. Wine Cellar at Long Acre Farms in Macedon.

Kids playing at Long Acre Farms.

Q.: What is the estimated average Social Security payment that a person receives each month?

A.: The estimated average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker in 2024 is $1,907.00. The average monthly Social Security benefit for a worker with a disability in 2024 is $1,537.00.

Q.: My spouse doesn't have enough work credits to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits. Can they qualify on my record?

A.: A spouse receives one-half of the retired worker's full benefit unless the spouse begins collecting benefits before full retirement age. If the spouse begins collecting benefits before full retirement age, the amount of the spouse's benefit is reduced by a percentage based on the number of months before he or she reaches full retirement age.

Q.: I haven’t received my Social Security Statement in the mail the last few years. Will I ever get one again?

A.: We currently mail Social Security Statements (Statement) to workers aged 60 and over who aren’t receiving Social Security benefits and do not yet have a personal my Social Security account. We mail the statements three months prior to your birthday. Anyone can access their statement online if they have a personal my Social Security account. We encourage you to create your own account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount and check your statement at your convenience.

Q.: I noticed that my date of birth in Social Security’s records is wrong. How do I get that corrected?

A.: To change the date of birth shown on our records, take the following steps: complete an application for a Social Security card (Form SS-5), show us documents proving: U.S. citizenship (if you have not previously established your citizenship with us), age and identity.

New Horizons Music Program

The Ultimate Road Trip ROUTE 5 & 20

This route is dotted with tons of points of interest — from Avon all the way to Skaneateales

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

For about 75 miles, state Route 5 and U.S. Route 20 merge, beginning in Avon in the west and winding through Canandaigua, Geneva, Waterloo and Seneca Falls before culminating in Auburn in the east, then Skaneateles. It’s one of the most scenic roads in Central and Western New York. Here are some of the highlights of the area.

Avon

Catch a flick at Vintage Drive-In (www.vintagedrivin.com), boasting four screens of entertainment at the retro-style drive-in. Hike the Erie Attica Trail, whose western trailhead lies in Avon and extends all the way to Rochester. Dining choices include the ever-popular Tom Wahl’s, Mortalis

Brewing Company, Avon Village Restaurant, Fratelli’s Restaurant, Avon Inn, Avondale Pub and Duffy’s Tavern.

Canandaigua

History and horticulture buffs should plan to tour Sonnenberg Gardens (www.sonnenberg.org) and Granger Homestead (www.grangerhomestead.org). Sonnenberg is a well-preserved, 50-acre Victorian estate with period furnishings and nine formal gardens in various themes. It is also home to the Finger Lakes Wine Center. Along with an 1816 Federal style home, Granger features a sizable horse-drawn vehicle collection. Roseland Waterpark (www.roselandwaterpark.com) offers 56 acres of splashing good times, from a sizable kiddie play area to ride-us-if-

you-dare water rides and the Roseland Wake Park. If you prefer to enjoy water more contemplatively, take a stroll down Canandaigua City Pier on Lakeshore Drive adjacent to Kershaw Park. Book a dinner cruise or tour on Canandaigua Lady (www.cdgalady.com), a replica 19th century paddlewheel steamboat. Both CMAC (www.cmacevents.com) and Lincoln Hill Farms (www. lincolnhillfarms.com) offer outdoor public concerts. Although outside of Canandaigua and officially in Stanley, Carriage Factory Antiques is right on 5 & 20 and is worthy of a stop to peruse its eclectic mix of antique, vintage and mid-century furnishings. Before leaving Canandaigua, get a bite to eat at New York Kitchen, Rio Tomatlan, Flavors Indian Restaurant, Eric’s Office Restaurant, Rheinblick German Restau-

AVON

CANANDAIGUA

SKANEATELES

rant, or The Green Front. Sweeten your stop with a treat from Cheshire Farms Creamery. Wine and beer enthusiasts can choose from Naked Dove Brewing, Twisted Rail Brewing, Peacemaker Brewing, and Young Lion Brewing. New York Kitchen offers both a tasting room and opportunities to learn about culinary arts.

Geneva

Soak up some sun at Seneca Lake State Park (http://.parks.ny.gov/ parks/125), which features the children’s Sprayground, an adjacent playground and swimming beach, marinas, large picnicking park and ball fields. Rose Hill Mansion (http://historicgeneva.org/visit/rose-hill-mansion), a National Historic Landmark, is an 1839

Greek Revival house open for touring. The Smith Center for the Arts (www.thesmith.org) is also a historic site, formerly the Smith Opera House, circa 1894. The Romanesque-style venue hosts films, live events, and more. Belhurst Castle (www.belhurst.com) offers rich history, lodging, a luxurious spa and dining and sipping experiences. Dine at Ports Café, FLX Table (reservations required), Geneva on the Lake, Hasley’s, Cosentino’s Ristorante or Ciccino’s. Treat yourself to a cone at Long Pier, right on Seneca Lake. There’s also a playground nearby for the kids to enjoy. If you care to imbibe, stop by WeBe Brewing, Lake Drum Brewing, Ventosa Vineyards, or Raymor Estate Cellars.

Waterloo

Birthplace of Memorial Day, Waterloo is home to the National Memorial Day Museum (www.wlhs-ny.com). Take a walk through downtown to view plenty of well-preserved historic architecture. Not far from the center of the village, Muranda Cheese Company (www.murandacheese.com) offers cheese tastings in a late 1800s rustic barn that includes a cheese cave in the cellar, all a stone’s throw from the herd. Unless you’re too full of cheese, dine at Connie’s Diner or Mac’s Drive-In. You can also nab cones at Peppy’s.

Seneca Falls

The women’s rights movement

GENEVA

SENECA FALLS

AUBURN

WATERLOO

finds its roots in Seneca Falls, which is home to the National Women’s Hall of Fame (www.womentofthehall. org). The hall offers displays honoring history-making women in its displays and programming. On the grounds, visit the Women’s Rights National Historical Park commemorates the first Women’s Rights Convention held in Seneca Falls, along with the home of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Wesleyan Chapel. Celebrate a Christmastime classic film at the It’s a Wonderful Life Museum (www. wonderfullifemusum.com), as Seneca Falls has been identified as the “real Bedford Falls” from the movie. Get in touch with nature with a birding or hiking adventure at Montezuma National

Wildlife Refuge (www.fws.gov/refuge/ montezuma), a 7,000-acre preserve on Cayuga Lake’s north end. Dine at Café 19, Gould Hotel, El Bajo Mexican Grill & Bar, Parker’s Grille, Wolffy’s Grill & Marina, or Penny’s Place. The wineries include Montezuma Winery & Hidden Marsh Distillery and Izzo’s White Barn Winery.

Auburn

As Harriet Tubman’s chosen hometown, Auburn provides a few historic points worth a stop, including the Harriet Tubman Home (www.harriettubmanhome.com), a museum dedicated to the fearless freedom-seeker and liberator;

Willard Memorial Chapel (www.willard-chapel.com), a circa 1892 chapel; Seward House Museum (www.sewardhouse.org), the 19th century home of statesman William Henry Seward; and the Ward W. O’Hara Agricultural Museum (http://wardwoharaagriculturalmuseum.org), a museum showcasing farming history and country living. Enjoy the outdoors at Owasco Lake, Emerson Park (swim, play disc golf, fish and enjoy the playgrounds. Plus, Emerson hosts free summer concerts), Auburn Doubledays’ Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League games (www.milb. com/auburn), and Finger Lakes Drive-In (www.fingerlakesdrivein.com). The REV Theatre Co. (www.therevtheatre.com)

Strawberry Fields, between Auburn and Skaneateles. Sonnenberg Gardens in Canandaigua.

and Public Theater (www.publictheater.org) offer a variety of entertaining shows. In Auburn, try Auburn Diner, Lasca’s, Kosta’s Bar & Grill, Pavlos’ Restaurant, or Ichiban Sushi & Hibachi Japanese Restaurant. Wineries and breweries include Next Chapter Brew Pub, Good Shepherds Brewing, Prison City Pub and Brewery, CJS Vineyard & Aurelius Winery (open by appointment for tastings and sales).

Between Auburn and Skaneateles, stop at Strawberry Fields (www. facebook.com/strawberryfields4240), a hydroponic farm where you can pick strawberries without bending or stooping, as they grow in pots on poles from June through October. The gift shop is

worth a stop as it brims with unusual finds from all over CNY—not mass-produced mementos. Strawberry Fields also operates a full-service floral shop on site.

Skaneateles

The unique shops lining Skaneateles’s downtown have earned acclaim for their variety and quality; however, Skaneateles Lake also attracts many visitors. Thayer Park or Clift Park are charming spots to picnic or just watch the boats glide by. Mid-Lakes Navigation (www.midlakesnavigation. com) offers guided boat cruises, dinner cruises and mailboat tours that involve

delivering mail to the camps around the lake (tip: this is the longest tour!). Mirbeau Spa (www.skaneateles.mirbeau. com/spa) offers lovely ambiance as part of the pampering with Monet-inspired art and French décor influences.

The dining options seem nearly innumerable in Skaneateles, but a few stand-out options include Sherwood Inn, Doug’s Fish Fry, Elderberry Pond, Joelle’s French Bistro, The Elephant and the Dove, Rosalie’s Cucina, Gilda’s, and The Krebs Restaurant. And pick up baked treats at Heart ‘N Hand, The Patisserie and Skaneateles Bakery. Breweries and wineries include Anyela’s Vineyards and Skaneateles Brewing.

Harriet Tubman’s home in Auburn.

on the farm

Farm Stays in the Rochester Area

Tap into your inner farm boy or girl with a stay at one of these farm sites

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Most people are at least two or three generations removed from agriculture. But a farm stay may help you appreciate your farming heritage a little more.

Lazy Acre Alpacas in Bloomfield operates an AirBnB right on the farm. The private bedroom has a private attached bathroom and private entrance. The modern farmhouse offers views of 60-plus alpacas grazing on the farm’s bucolic fields. The farm is also home to dogs and cats.

• www.lazyacrealpacas.com

Canandaigua’s Lincoln Hill Farms isn’t a working farm, but the rusting furnishings of the glampsites and rural location on a historic farm provides the feel of a farmstay. The entire compound, which accommodates up to 22, must be rented to stay at the glampsites, so gather the family for a reunion or plan a getaway for your friends. The amenities include farmto-table food to delight any foodie, communal firepit, bath house and access to the on-site restaurant and bar. The double-occupancy, luxury safari style tents, each with a covered porch with Adirondack chairs, include

lighting, bedding, dresser and side tables. Check the venue’s website for special events, including live music and family activities.

• https://lincolnhillfarms.com

Estate at Fly Creek in Cooperstown includes a 335-acre property boasting pastures, horse paddocks, woods and a lake. The farm is home to chickens, alpacas and horses. The lodging includes an indoor heated pool and steam room and eight bedrooms with private bathrooms and views of the farm. Kayak, paddleboard, swim or fish on the private lake and relax by the firepit. There’s also tennis and basketball courts and (with reservations) horseback riding.

• https://estateatflycreek.com

Becker Farms in Gasport offers lodgers the choice of staying in the farmhouse, luxurious private cabins and space for glamping or camping in an RV or tent. Explore the playground and petting zoo, shop the bakery and farm market and imbibe at Becker Farms Brewing Company from the farm’s selections of cider, wine and beer crafted from ingredients grown on the farm. Check the farm’s

website for special events.

• www.beckerfarms.com

Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen rescues farm animals. The farm offers furnished tiny home suites and cabins as lodging. Guests receive 90-minute private farm tours after breakfast each morning and may take self-guided tours on the grounds as well. Some of the farm’s accommodations are dog friendly. The farm isn’t far from Watkins Glen State Park for extensive hiking opportunities in the gorge and along the park’s woodland trails.

• www.farmsanctuary.org/ accommodations

Many farmstay properties are working farms. Expect different sights, sounds and smells than you would experience at a typical B&B or campsite. Farms can have inherently dangerous conditions. Follow any farm rules to significantly lower those risks. It’s recommended to wear practical clothing, especially closed-toe footwear. Farm lodging may not have ideal Wi-Fi or cell phone reception or lack cable television. Take this as your opportunity to slow down and enjoy your time away from distractions.

Memory

• Rochester Presbyterian Home’s Memory Care Residences offer a different (better!) way of living for people with memory impairment.

• We are not a facility. We are a family.

• Live in a home in a neighborhood with people who truly know you.

• Private bedrooms and bathrooms with a spacious kitchen and living area.

• Beautifully manicured outdoor courtyard space.

• Scheduled social events, outings and spontaneous activities that engage mind, body and soul.

• Variety of freshly prepared meals made on-site to suit every palate.

• Personal laundry service on-site.

• Enhanced services and personal care assistance available.

Site of Whispering Winds Campground near Newark in Wayne County boasts 80 acres of full hook-up RV sites, plus two cabins and tent camping space.

Where to Camp with the Grandkids

Here’s where you can pitch a tent without them pitching a fit

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Perhaps you camped a lot as a kid and later with your own children, but your grandkids aren’t as into camping. You still have plenty of options to introduce them to camping that’s not quite so “roughing it” as you have experienced. If you don’t own an RV, consider renting one or at least a campsite with a cabin so your grandchildren can feel more secure, especially at night.

Choosing a local campground can help the kids feel comforted that if in any way things go wrong, they’re not too far away to go home. Campgrounds with activities available nearby will make camping feel less like an exercise in depravation and more like — dare we say — fun.

Red Rock Ponds RV Resort in Holley is near the Erie Canal, perfect for hiking or biking on the adjacent Heritage Trail. The resort includes a recreation building for a rainy day, playground, catch-and-release fishing, a swim area on a sandy beach and paddle boats, rowboats, canoes and kayaks for rent. Get together with other campers for activities like bingo, food trucks and for grown-ups, wine tasting events. The campsites have full hookups.

• https://redrockponds.com

Whispering Winds Campground near Newark in Wayne County boasts 80 acres of full hook-up RV sites, plus two cabins and tent camping space. Dogs are welcome, so bring along your pooch to join the fun. Fish the campground’s ponds (catch-andrelease), enjoy hiking, walk along the nearby Erie Canal, swim in the in-ground pool and play basketball, arcade games, horseshoes, ladder ball and cornhole.

• whisperingwindsrv.com

Niagara Shores Campground and Conference Center in Appleton overlooks Lake Ontario and is near Niagara Falls. In addition to stunning lake vistas, its 35 acres offers a pool area, playground, volleyball, basketball, soccer, football, mini golf, bird watching, indoor gym, recreation center and café. The pet-friendly center’s lodging options include luxury “glamping” cabins, tent and RV sites and (don’t tell the kids) furnished houses.

• niagarashorescampground.com

The Ridge Campground in Mount Morris provides tent and RV sites and cabins. Enjoy an above-ground pool, playgrounds, rec room, arcade,

catch-and-release fishing, horseshoes, volleyball, disc golf, outdoor movie theater and the on-site snack shack. Check the website for scheduled events.

• https://theridgecampground.com

Like other KOA camping facilities, Rochester/Canandaigua KOA Holiday offers a consistent experience. That can be reassuring if you’re taking along kids new to camping. The campsite provides an obstacle course, covered jump pad (available rain or shine!), pool, mini golf, hiking trails, fishing, ice cream socials, basketball, gaga ball, pickleball, game room and paddle boats/bike rentals. Tent and RV sites are available.

• https://koa.com/campgrounds/ canandaigua

Adventure Bound in Byron provides full RV hookups and RV rentals, along with opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing, swimming and bird watching. Try playing horseshoes, mini golf, basketball or games in the rec room. The website lists special events weekends.

• abcamping.com/southwoods

Can You Build Muscle in Old Age? Yes, and an Expert Has Tips

If you're in your 60s, 70s or even older, you might think your days of productively pumping iron are behind you.

That's just not true, said physician Adil Ahmed, an assistant professor in the Joseph Barnhart Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Building and maintaining muscle is a great way to stay all-round healthy, he said.

"The protective effect of muscle and muscle mass has been well studied — everything from the musculoskeletal system to orthopedics and even brain health," Ahmed said in a Baylor news release. "Building muscle in your body has been well shown to delay dementia and the effects of dementia and preserve cognitive function."

Don't forget bone health, either: According to Ahmed, maintaining muscle is the only thing proven to help aging bones stay dense and strong.

"It's a very good protective longterm process," he said.

However, if you're thinking of engaging into a late-life weight-lifting regimen, be sure to consult with an expert — a personal trainer or a friend who already understands the process.

Ahmed recommends starting first with controlled resistance training and then moving to free weights, with an emphasis on building good (and safe) technique.

"In my opinion, free weights are the best for muscle building because of the force you exert with your muscles," he said. "There's also a balance component that stabilizes the muscles and works your core."

Be sure to get evaluated by a doctor before commencing with any weight-training regimen in the senior years. However, with the proper guidance, weight training can even be healthy for folks battling chronic conditions of aging such as heart failure, Ahmed said, because it gets the heart pumping.

The bottom line, according to Ahmed: Seniors, don't be afraid of the weight room. "It's just very good overall for one's health," he said.

Players enjoying pickleball at Dinkers, the Rochester area’s largest pickleball facility. It’s estimated that about 8,000 to 10,000 people in the Rochester area play pickleball.

FPickleball at Dinkers

Location is largest pickleball facility in Rochester

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

ifteen years ago, Stefanie Powell, 51, would have never imagined herself the owner of Dinkers, the Rochester area’s largest pickleball facility.

About 4,000 members and nonmembers play there regularly and a majority of them are 55 and older.

Powell says that many of them are empty nesters looking for a means to connect with others and for a way to stay active. Pickleball meets both needs.

Initially, Powell felt interest in playing tennis until she saw pickleball on television. That looked like fun, so she gave it a try.

“I loved it and I haven’t stopped playing,” she said. “It’s the only sport I could play at 8 o’clock in the morning and by 4 I’m looking for more games.”

The game melds elements of badminton, ping-pong and tennis. Participants use what looks like an oversized ping-pong paddle to lob a perforated plastic ball over an undersized tennis court. Pickleball may be played as singles or doubles.

Powell saw growth in pickleball as the sport picked up traction and pickleball courts became available at many community centers and parks. Powell realized that the accessibility of

pickleball meant it would appeal more to older adults who are watching their budget and their joint health.

“Tennis is a little harder on the joints and the tennis players tend to transition to pickleball to stay active,” Powell said. “You could be a person who’s never ever played a paddle or racquet sport and play this as well. There are players here who have never had an athletic background, but they come out to take classes and lessons and they just enjoy it.”

The court is smaller than in tennis, so there’s less running around. The cost of equipment is reasonable, around $60 to $280 for a paddle. Some pickleball players frequent low-cost venues like community centers or parks. Because of its accessibility, Powell estimates that about 8,000 to 10,000 people in the Rochester area play “and that’s being conservative,” she said.

She opened Dinkers in East Rochester in 2017. As a public club, Dinkers welcomes drop-ins and takes reservations for one of its four outdoor courts or eight indoor courts or for an event like a birthday party or fundraiser. Walk-ins pay $10 per person for two hours’ access (minimum four people). Membership is $45 for singles or $70 per family per month, which

includes unlimited play and discounts on events.

“The people like the social part of it,” Powell said. “It’s a melting pot of people for sure. Women, men and especially with younger people who are up and coming in the sport. It’s incredible the talent and desire to get back on the court and play again.”

The Association of Pickleball Professionals and the Professional Pickleball Association have helped promote the sport. Powell’s four sons once called pickleball an “old lady’s sport,” but now in their 20s, they’re hooked.

Powell advises people new to pickleball to not “go in with any expectations,” she said. “The hardest part is the name. People are apprehensive because of the name. You can look at it as social or competitive. You can get out of it what you want.”

Dinkers offers pickleball instruction and allows pro shop patrons to test paddles before purchasing.

To learn more about where you can play pickleball in the Rochester area, visit

www.pickleheads.com/courts/ us/new-york/rochester

As Pickleball's Popularity Has

Soared, So Have Injuries

Women more prone to get injured

Pickleball has become the darling of many people trying to stay in shape, but new research shows that with that popularity has come a surge in serious injuries.

Bone fractures related to pickleball have increased 90-fold over the last 20 years, with most injuries occurring in adults aged 60 to 69, finds a new analysis presented in February at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in San Francisco.

"Despite its reputation as a lowimpact sport, pickleball can pose serious risk for players, especially if they have weaker bones from osteoporosis," researcher Kurt Spindler, an orthopedic surgeon at Cleveland Clinic in Florida, said in a meeting news release. "It's important to understand your risk profile of injury and to speak with your physician to see how you can lower your risk."

Pickleball, which resembles its cousin tennis, is played with a perforated plastic ball and wooden paddles on a badminton-sized court. It is the fastest growing sport in the country, with the number of players rising from 4.8 million in 2021 to 8.9 million in 2023, according to USA Pickleball.

Importantly, the new analysis only looked at fractures, not some of the most common injuries like sprained ankles or damage to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Other common pickleball injuries include rotator cuff injuries, worsening of arthritis and Achilles tendon tears and strains.

What caused most of the fractures seen in the study? Ninetytwo percent occurred during falls, researchers report.

“While pickleball is a great sport,

nothing is without risk,” study lead author Yasmine Ghattas, a student at the University of Central Florida's College of Medicine in Orlando, told NBC News.

The researchers don't think folks should put down their paddles, but they should be better prepared before they play.

“Well-informed participation in any activity is key,” Ghattas said. Women, especially those 65 and older, were more likely than men to break a bone. Most occurred in the forearms and hands. The researchers suspect they were related to osteoporosis or other bone-thinning conditions.

Even though women had more fractures overall, men were 2.3 times more likely to be admitted to the hospital after breaking a bone, the research found. Ghattas and her colleagues suspect that's because men's fractures tended to be in bones of the lower body, which are more likely to lead to a hospital stay.

While the rise in injuries may mostly be tied to the growth of the

sport, other factors may be coming into play, physician Eric Bowman, an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told NBC News.

“It's not enough to just pick up a paddle and get out there,” he said.

“As with any sport, you have to learn the mechanics and the form that leads to better performance and injury prevention. Some people may not have learned enough, or be physically prepared in advance.”

Good Sleep Can Make You Feel Young

Agood night’s sleep can make you feel years younger, while crummy sleep leaves you doddering around like an oldster, a new study shows.

Sleeping well enough to feel extremely sharp when you wake is associated with feeling four years younger than one’s actual age, researchers found.

On the other hand, extreme sleepiness makes a person feel six years older than they really are, results show.

“This means that going from feeling alert to sleepy added a striking 10 years to how old one felt,” said researcher Leonie Balter, with Stockholm University’s Department of Psychology.

For this study, researchers first surveyed 429 people ages 18 to 70 about how old they felt, how much sleep they get and how sleepy they felt.

The survey results showed that for each night a person had insufficient sleep, they felt about three months older than they actually were, on average.

“She made me feel beautiful...”

“Sharon was so kind & understanding and she had lots of hairpieces to choose from.

She knew exactly what I needed. I loved her right away because she showed me what was good on me & the ones not good on me. Sharon was always patient with me... Sharon loves her customers and it shows in how wonderful she treats them: like family.” - Mrs Ann M. Colarertalo

Based on this, the researchers designed an experiment to test whether good sleep could make someone feel young and vibrant.

Previous research has shown that feeling younger than one’s actual age is associated with living a longer and healthier life, and there’s even evidence that people who feel young have younger brains, researchers said.

I loved her right away because she showed what was good on me & the ones not good on me. Sharon was always with me... Sharon loves her customers and it shows in how wonderful she treats them: like family.” - Mrs Ann M. Colarertalo

“Given that sleep is essential for brain function and overall well-being, we decided to test whether sleep holds any secrets to preserving a youthful sense of age,” Balter said.

The experiment involved 186 people ages 18 to 46. Participants were asked to restrict their sleep to just four hours in bed for two nights, and at another time asked to sleep nine hours in bed for two nights.

After a couple four-hour nights, participants felt 4.4 years older, on average, than they did when they got sufficient sleep, researchers report.

“Safeguarding our sleep is crucial for maintaining a youthful feeling,” Balter concluded.

Summer Fun with Grandkids: Recreation and Activities You Can Enjoy Together

By Kimberly Blaker

It's the season your grandkids have been waiting for, so how will you maximize the long lazy days of summer with them? Celebrate the carefree season to its fullest with these outdoor activities and adventures all of you will enjoy.

Back To Nature

Trailblazing – Head to a local, state, or national park and make a day of nature hiking. Before you go, make a list of things for your family to find and identify, such as a black oak tree, woodpecker holes, a garter snake, or

a raccoon paw print. Carry a backpack with binoculars, sunscreen, visors or sunglasses, and plenty of water and snacks. Don’t forget your hiking shoes and a lightweight jacket in case the shade becomes cool.

• Ride ‘em, cowboy – You don’t have to be a horse owner to enjoy the pleasure of riding one of these majestic beings. Visit your nearby horse rental stables and catch the sunset on horseback.

• Z is for zoo – Summer wouldn't be summer without a trip to the zoo. Check out animals at one of the many zoos that have created natural,

spacious settings, and teach your grandkids the importance of these habitats. Check the schedule for animal presentations, and don't miss the petting zoo where youngsters can walk and talk with the animals and feed them.

The strawberry patch – Perk up those taste buds because strawberries are now in season. Round up the family and head to the strawberry patch for a day of fruit-filled fun. When you get the berries home, work together rinsing them, removing stems, and preparing them for shortcake, smoothies, and fresh strawberry pie.

Water, Water Everywhere

Beach bummin’ – Load up the beach ball, buckets, and blankets, and get ready for a day at the beach. For added fun, take along goggles, snorkels, and fins for underwater exploration.

Wet your whistle….and more –Spend a smoldering summer day cooling off at one of the many water wonderlands. Your family can swoosh down waterslides, catch the man-made waves, and tube around narrow canals. Before you go, ask about age and height requirements and what activities are available for the younger set. Also, don’t forget to protect your family’s skin. Apply sunscreen throughout the day.

A trip downstream — Canoeing is a fun-filled family adventure for all ages. Look for canoe rentals on a clear river, and take a refreshing dip when the day heats up. Carry belongings such as your wallet, keys, and snacks in a waterproof bag that floats. Tipping over isn't uncommon (although it can easily be avoided if caution is exercised) but can be half of the fun. Be sure to give the kids plenty of opportunities to paddle and steer.

Ride the waves — If you don't have an ocean nearby, don't despair. You can likely find plenty of wave action at a wave pool in your own community or nearby. These pools often supply tubes and rafts for riding the waves. Call in advance to find out. If they don't offer these amenities, ask if you can bring your own.

Backyard water blast — Plenty of cool fun can be had right in your own backyard. Make it a family tradition to have an annual water spree. Fill water balloons, and play a game of catch. Or hook up the sprinklers for a refreshing game of tag. Don't forget to fill up the squirt guns and super soakers to ensure everyone stays drenched. Then take a refreshing break in a wading pool.

Putt around the lake — You don't have to live on a lake or own a boat. Contact your nearby marinas, lakeside stores, and resorts to find out where you can rent a pontoon or motorboat for a cruise around the lake.

Your Own Backyard

Under the stars — Take full advantage of the peaceful summer

nights and camp out in your backyard. Kick-off the evening by watching the sunset. Then build a bonfire (if it's permitted in your area), roast marshmallows, and gaze at the stars. Bring along your guide to the stars, and see what you can spot: the Little Dipper, Hercules, or Sagittarius.

Croquet champs — Set up this outdoor game the whole family can play. Then hold a summer's end family croquet match. Give handicaps to each family member based on their most recent scores for a game, so it's fair to everyone.

Up, up and away — Is the wind hampering your fun? It won’t be for long. Make the most of that breeze, and get your kite up in the air.

Step right up — Organize a backyard carnival to raise funds for your favorite charity. The whole family will have a ball putting on this event. Hang posters in local businesses, and submit a news release to your local radio station and newspaper. Ask friends and neighbors to help staff the booths. Then set up games such as a bean bag toss or number wheel, a baked goods stand, fortune telling, face painting, and refreshments.

Green thumbs — Make summer gardening a family affair. Ask each member to choose a favorite vegetable to plant. If you're getting a late start, look for starter plants that have already sprouted. Work together to get the garden ready and plant it. Then give each person his or her own responsibility for keeping it up: watering, pulling weeds, picking ripe produce, cleaning it, and preparing it to eat or store.

Swiss family, who? — What's a backyard without a hideout or special place to kick back? Younger kids will thrill at building a treehouse or fort. Older kids will look forward to a covered hangout, such as a gazebo, for visiting with friends. Whatever you make, have the whole family pitch in. Small children can feel a part of the project by carrying small materials, dispensing nails, and occasionally swinging the hammer with close supervision.

Out And About

Dancin’ in the street — Summer abounds with fairs and festivals along riverfronts and in the streets. Enjoy live music, new foods, boating and

ski shows, magic acts, and arts and crafts. Look for upcoming festivals online or in the entertainment section of your newspaper, or pick up an event guide from your state travel bureau or chamber of commerce.

Batter up — Family fun centers offer a variety of recreation for the whole family. Get ready to practice your batting swing, holler “fore,” speed around the race track, bump another boat, or have some wacky golfing fun.

Recycled treasures — Join the craze, and spend the day rummaging for treasures. This is an excellent way for kids to get the most out of their limited earnings, teach them the importance of recycling and how to get the best value for their money.

Summer sights — Places and things to see during the summer are abundant, from checking out the big city with its tall skyscrapers, old architecture, and murals and art displays, to viewing the wonders of nature from sand dunes and mountains to waterfalls and shorelines.

Performing arts in the park —Unwind listening to a summer concert in the park or taking in a movie under the stars. These events aren't always wellpublicized, so contact area parks for a summer schedule.

Big wheels and small — Paved trails are popping up everywhere: in parks, along riverbanks, and even through many towns. Pull out your bikes and roller blades, and take advantage of these smooth paths. For a better work out and to keep everyone moving at an equal pace, have small children ride bikes while older ones push off on their blades.

Coasters, cars, and Ferris wheels — A trip to a theme park can be the highlight of the season. If your grandkids are at different ride levels, invite a friend or two with grandchildren similar in age to your own. Then divide up so everyone can get the most out of the day. Meet up for lunch and dinner to swap kids, so all grandparents get time with each age group.

Park play — Take your grandkids for a picnic and an afternoon at the park. Scout your area for an updated park with a large, enclosed fort-style playground. Bring along a playmate for your grandchild, and they’ll be content for some time. Don’t forget to bring your reading to catch up on.

SURROUNDED BY

Music

Former host of WXXI’s midday classical music program, Julia Figueras reflects on 40-plus-year career

By Mike Costanza

Julia Figueras remembers how it felt in 1980, when she hosted a radio program for the first time.

“When you turn on the mic, you’re a magic person,” the 69-yearold Irondequoit resident said. “You’re having a conversation with people you may well never meet.”

That experience led to a career in radio broadcasting that spanned more than four decades.

Figueras hosted and sometimes produced, jazz, rock and classical music programs, interviewed rock stars, renowned classical musicians and members of the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, wrote for a music magazine and even hosted a television program.

Though her first paid gig was with a Boston-area rock station, she spent most of her career at WXXI, Rochester’s NPR radio station, where she was the music director, a producer and the host of the station’s midday classical music program.

“To many of our afternoon listeners, Julia was WXXI,” said Norm Silverstein, the station’s president.

After being with WXXI for more than 26 years, Figueras retired on June 30, 2023.

Figueras grew up in Greece. After graduating from Greece Arcadia High School, she headed off to Bard College, intent upon becoming an actress.

“They had a beautiful old theater,” Figueras said. “I fell in love with that building.”

The building burned down the

summer before she started classes and Figueras found the college too small and isolated to be a good fit. She then transferred to Brandeis University in Massachusetts. Though she was much more comfortable on that campus, the stage was another matter.

“I developed stage fright,” Figueras said. “If I were cast in a play, it was guaranteed I would drop 10 to 15 pounds before opening night just from being freaked out.”

She switched her major to stage management, but by the time she’d graduated cum laude, she’d decided a life in the theater wasn’t for her.

“I wasn’t crazy about the whole social scene of the theater — people who would walk around tossing their hair and saying ‘I don’t know who’s in the Super Bowl and I’m proud of that,’” Figueras said. “It was very insular to me.”

While trying to figure out her next step, Figueras waited tables and listened to the radio, particularly a little NPR station in Worchester, Massachusetts. She eventually began volunteering for WICN and experienced a kind of epiphany.

“I realized I’m waiting tables so I can pay for radio,” Figueras said. “That’s when I really understood this was where I had to be.”

In those days, DJs spun records for their audiences — remember turntables? Commercials, interviews and other material were recorded on magnetic tape and either played as-is or cut up, edited and spliced together

for broadcasting. With the help of friends in broadcasting, Figueras learned how to talk on the air, spin records, splice tape and conduct interviews, along with other important skills. Her early on-the-air experiences told her she was on the right career path.

“I could be surrounded with what I loved a lot — which is music,” Figueras said. “I could meet and interview really interesting people from the rock world.”

Boston was a hot music scene back then. Figueras played tunes by the Butthole Surfers, The Cure, the J. Giles Band and other groups and interviewed musicians for broadcast. When Duran Duran appeared at a Boston nightclub while on a promotional tour for their second album, “Rio,” she spent an hour interviewing Simon Le Bon,

Things You May Not Know About Julia Figueras

Julia Figueras, who is 5 feet, 1.5 inches tall, didn’t sound on the air the way she is in real life.

“I actually had somebody once say ‘You sound much taller on the air,’” she said.

Her grandfather, John Figueras, was a violinist in Spain and came to the US in 1906 with two other Spanish musicians. He intended to travel on to Cuba, but changed direction after arriving in New York City and eventually made his way to Rochester.

There, John Figueras became the music director of a local movie theater. After a time, he was recruited to play in the newly created Rochester Civic Orchestra, which eventually became the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

Figueras still remembers the pain of getting fired from a Bostonarea commercial radio station without warning in the 1980s. “It was brutal,” she said. “Basically, you’re not coming in tonight for your shift.”

She also remembers how it felt to watch her beloved Boston Red Sox win the 2004 World Series. “It was the most beautiful thing in the whole wide world,” she said.

the band’s lead singer, in the club’s parking lot.

At the time, Figueras had a raging sunburn. After the concert, she went backstage to meet the rest of the band.

“The very striking and handsome bass player, John Taylor, put his arm around me and I said ‘Don’t touch, sunburn!’” Figueras said. “I was probably the first woman to tell him ‘Don’t touch me.’”

Taylor apologized and took away his arm. Duran Duran went on to become a smash hit and returned to Boston a few years later to play what was then the Worchester Centrum, a huge indoor arena. The band invited Figueras and a friend backstage after the concert.

“John ‘don’t touch me sunburn’ Taylor said to me … ‘Whoa, you let your hair grow out. I love that style on you,’” Figueras said. “It blew me away that a year-and-a-half had passed and this guy remembered me and remembered my haircut. We had a lovely chat.”

During the eight years Figueras volunteered at WICN, she worked her way up to being the station’s music director. While in that position, she was also a staff writer for the nowdefunct magazine “Boston Rock,” which focused on local music and indie rock.

Other parts of Figueras’ career did not go as smoothly. A brief stint as night announcer for a commercial alternative rock station in Boston ended when the owner changed the format. According to Figueras, he was hoping to lose money in order to gain a tax write-off.

“We were doing modern rock with an almost completely female staff … and we tripled the billing in three weeks with no promotional [costs] at all,” she said. “Way too successful and he fired us all.”

Figueras moved on and eventually ended up as the assistant music director and host of a classical music program at New Hampshire Public Radio. Unfortunately, that station changed its format and after more than six years there she was again out of a job.

By that time, Figueras was going through a contentious divorce. The mother of two small children knew she needed to make a change and sent resumes to three NPR stations, including WXXI. All three responded

positively, but she knew where she wanted to go.

“My life sucked personally and I knew I was meant to come home,” she said.

After a brief stint at WXXI as the host of an evening radio program, Figueras became the station’s music director and the host of WXXI Classical’s midday program. Each weekday, she conveyed her love and knowledge of classical music to her listeners in her own special style.

“The way I was taught and what I developed was a conversation between me and whoever’s on the other side of that mic,” she said. “Welcome to my apartment. My apartment is filled with really good music. Let’s listen to some.”

When WXXI’s management approached her in 2007 about producing and hosting a live show about musicians and their works, she jumped at the chance. “Backstage Pass,” a live interview and performance radio program, was born.

“The show was meant to be a view behind the curtain, a chance to meet the people behind the music,” Figueras said.

Each month, Figueras spent an hour interviewing local and internationally known musicians and hosting them as they played their music.

Renowned violinist Tai Murray and famous lutenist and Eastman School of Music professor Paul O’Dette appeared on the show, along with such famous groups as the Cantus vocal ensemble and the Gateways Brass Collective, whose performances are the highlight of Rochester’s annual Gateways Music Festival. Figueras particularly enjoyed doing shows with the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

“That was amazing, to have 104 kids in your studio playing their hearts out,” she said.

Figueras won awards from New York Festivals for her work on “Backstage Pass,” and ran the show until COVID-19 led to its demise. She also hosted “OnStage,” WXXI’s televised, rock-oriented spin-off of the radio show, for two of its three years on the air.

In addition to enjoying such experiences, Figueras was able to gain more personal benefits from working at WXXI. It was there that she was able to get to know Peter Iglinski, who was

the news director for WXXI-AM from 1998 to 2010. They married in 2003. (see sidebar)

New chapter

By 2023, Figueras was ready to leave full-time radio broadcasting.

“I’d been doing radio in one form or another for 43 years,” she said. “I wanted to be able to go places without having to get my shifts covered.”

Though Figueras found the experience of leaving the station to be easier than she thought it would be, it was a bit painful to sign off the air for the last time.

“There were lots of people outside the [studio’s] window staring at me, so I refused to break,” she said.

Silverstein praised Figueras for her contributions to the work of WXXI and service to its listeners.

“As the mid day host and music director, Julia was devoted to inspiring, educating and engaging her audience through her carefully curated play lists and her gift for sharing interesting stories about the pieces, composers and musicians,” he said.

Though she’s no longer broadcasting, Figueras has remained active in the music community.

She sits on the board of the William Warfield Scholarship Fund and hosts pre-concert chats for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Mounting the stage before a concert, she spends half an hour chatting live before the audience with the maestro and if possible, the featured soloist, about the music to be performed that evening.

In addition, Figueras enjoys working in her garden, reading and taking trips with Iglinski, who is now a University of Rochester communications officer. Right after she retired, the couple traveled to New York City to watch a concert in a Brooklyn crypt.

“It was in the Green-Wood Cemetery, from a series called ‘Death of Classical,’” Figueras said.

She and her husband also share a love of food, visiting new restaurants and traveling to New York City for Broadway shows and are staunch Red Sox fans.

“That question comes up ‘If you could change anything in your life, what would it be?’” she said. “My answer is always the same, which is ‘I wouldn’t change a thing.’”

Julia Figueras and her husband, Peter Iglinski. He was the news director for WXXI-AM from 1998 to 2010. They married in 2003. He currently works at University of Rochester.

Just a Phone Call

You might say that a phone call and a chance encounter helped bring Julia Figueras and Peter Iglinski together.

Iglinski was a chemistry major at SUNY Cortland when he took a weekend shift for his roommate, who was a DJ at the college’s radio station. While he was spinning disks, a female student called to say she really liked his show.

“Of course, what she meant was ‘I like the music you’re playing,’” Iglinski said. “What I heard was ‘I like your show’ and that’s the only reason I got into radio.”

His career took him to the position of news director at WSKG, a Binghamton NPR station. While attending a gathering of NPR program directors in Denver, Colorado, he ran into Figueras, who was the music director at WXXI, Rochester’s NPR station.

“We were taking a bus tour to the Rockies and we were on separate buses, so it was very brief,” he said.

She remembers his laugh.

“He’s this tall, handsome guy with a ponytail and the best laugh

I’d ever heard,” Figueras said. In 1998, Iglinski signed up as WXXI’s news director. He and Figueras subsequently became friends and married in 2003. Nowadays, the two share a wealth of interests, including their political views — both are liberals and feminists — and a love of music, Broadway shows, birding and food. For 13 years, they anonymously wrote “He Ate, She Ate,” a restaurant review column for the now-defunct “Rochester Magazine.”

“The actual review was written as a dialogue between ‘he’ and ‘she,’” Figueras said. “No one ever knew who ‘he’ and ‘she’ were.”

Iglinski also shared the raising of his wife’s two daughters, Molly and Maggie.

“He took these kids on and has been an incredibly good father for them,” Figueras said.

The couple might never have shared music, Broadway shows, parenting and the other pleasures of life if Iglinski hadn’t picked up the phone that day in SUNY Cortland’s radio station.

Ann Mitchell Jazzed About Music

ARochesterian has made music all her life

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

nn Mitchell performs vocal music regularly at venues throughout the Rochester area, has recorded a yet-to-bereleased CD and works as a substitute music teacher at Spencerport schools.

It’s easy to believe that she’s a lifelong musician. Hearing Judy Garland sing standards like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” inspired Mitchell to sing — that and a desire to have something of her own as a middle child of six growing up in Kendall, New York.

“I’d swing on the backyard swing and sing,” she recalled. “It was my escape.”

Her father’s encouragement of her pursuit of music also helped.

Mitchell sang in school talent shows, county fair and the New York State Fair while she was growing up, despite her shy nature. Performing

helped her find herself. She also took music lessons and became proficient in flute, piccolo and recorder.

She took voice lessons from Rita Lowe, an opera singer who had worked at the Metropolitan Opera. This experience helped her “breathing and phrasing of music,” Mitchell said. “I could adapt it to anything.”

Although her mentor may have hoped she would sing opera music, Mitchell still felt drawn to show tunes, old standards and jazz, genre preferences that have continued throughout her 66 years.

She majored in theater from SUNY Brockport and eventually performed with several regional groups, including Brass Menagerie, Hilton Community Band and more. Mitchell met her husband, Joseph Slominksi, at a record store he managed, yet another testament to how music

shaped her life.

In 2000, she put together her own group of musicians, a trio named Ann Mitchell Jazz. She likes the streamlined effect of singing to just a piano and bass.

“I’m a minimalist,” she said. “Often there’s not space for more.”

She often plays at restaurants where space is limited. Mitchell likes creating unique play lists for each time she performs. She interacts enough with her audience that she has developed “an uncanny ability to tell what someone’s favorite song is,” she said. “I try to incorporate what people like. If they say Taylor Swift I say to them, ‘You’re in the wrong restaurant.’”

One of her best compliments came from a restaurant owner who asked her to stop singing. She asked if she were fired and the restaurant owner told her,

Select

Summer Performances

“I want to turn over the tables; you’re too good.”

The owner feared that if Mitchell kept singing, the patrons would stay indefinitely.

When she related this story to her voice teacher, who is now 96, Lowe said, “Congratulations. You’ve arrived.”

Her gigs have included performing at festivals, playing piccolo in a fireman’s marching band and putting together programs for churches and local groups.

Mitchell and Slominski have two grown children, Karl Slominksi, a public graphic novelist and Kerri Lynn Slominksi, an opera singer.

“We’re all immersed in music,” Mitchell said. “That’s the ‘gas’ that runs the family.”

Her CD is “Ann Mitchell: Again…For the First Time” and its

10 tracks include “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” “Cry Me a River” and “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.”

Mitchell still enjoys teaching when she has the opportunity. It’s not unlike her to whip out her flute — which she carries with her all the time — and spontaneously play music for students at the school.

“The kids like to say I’m crazy; I say I’m whimsical,” Mitchell said.

She has performed on 90.1 Jazz live on-air concerts, developed a theatrical performance “Suffragettes Unite!” (complete with period costuming), and sung at the Rochester Fringe Festival, Medina Library, Cobblestone Society & Museum event and more.

“When considering my 45 years of performing, all I can think about is what do I do next?” Mitchell said.

• July 19 – with John Gabriele and Kyle Vock, 6:30 p.m. St. John Lutheran 150th Anniversary, Hamlin

• July 22 – with John Gabriele and Kyle Vock, 6:30 p.m. Pittsford Community Library

• July 26 – 5:30 p.m. Prosecco Italian Restaurant & Jazz Bar, Farmington

• Aug. 5 – with John Gabriele and Mike Van Allen, 7 p.m. Penfield Community Library

• Aug. 24 – with John Gabriele and Dave Arenius, 7:15 p.m. The Lewiston Jazz Fest – Peace Garden Stage

• Aug.25 – with Ralph DeBergalis and Kyle Vock, 6:30 p.m. Town of Gates Concert

• Sept. 5 – 5:30 p.m. Prosecco Italian Restaurant & Jazz Bar, Farmington

Edd and Cynthia Staton: "We both started receiving Social Security at age 62 ... when the Great Recession of 2008 swept away our careers and much of our net worth."

social security

Why We Are Glad We Started Social Security Benefits at 62

‘In making our decision, we ran all the numbers, including the most valuable number of all: time’

By Edd and Cynthia Staton

As retirement approaches you must face the question, "What is the best age for me to claim Social Security?"

Experts declare that you should avoid taking reduced payments at 62 unless you need the money immediately or have health issues that may shorten your lifespan.

They almost unanimously advise waiting until full retirement age (66 and 6 months in 2024) to receive 100% of benefits earned. Postponing until the maximum payout at age 70 is even better, since 8% is added to your monthly check for each year you delay.

A Missing Term in the Equation

From a purely financial

perspective, the logic is irrefutable. But there is another asset often ignored. One that could be considered even more valuable than money because it is constantly being spent and can never be saved.

Time.

We both started receiving Social Security at age 62, and it has turned out to be one of the best decisions we have ever made. Well, actually the choice was made for us when the Great Recession of 2008 swept away our careers and much of our net worth.

Had what seemed at the time like a calamity not happened, we would have most likely followed conventional wisdom and kept working to save more money. Instead we took a leap of faith, moved abroad to a lower cost

of living and found ourselves staring at a blank canvas titled "Our Future" far sooner than planned.

It is said there are three phases of retirement — Go-Go (age 60 to 70), Slow-Go (70 to 80) and No-Go (80 and up). We hit the ground running at the beginning of our Go-Go period, and what an unexpected blessing those extra years have turned out to be in the following important aspects of life.

Improved Health

It is estimated that seven out of 10 Americans aged 65 and older will need some form of costly long-term care. The most proactive way to be among the 30% who avoid this expense is by optimizing your health.

Full-time workers have trouble finding enough hours in their schedule for fitness and healthy food preparation. A recent study reveals only 25% of American adults meet CDC exercise standards, while another indicates a paltry 10% eat enough vegetables.

Early retirement provides an opportunity to jump start improving one's health. In addition to our pedestrian lifestyle (we haven't owned a car for 14 years), devoting time each week to strength training, yoga and cardiovascular exercise keeps us in outstanding physical condition. Creating nutritious meals filled with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables is a fun activity instead of a chore.

Less Stress

According to the American Psychological Association, stress is at an all-time high in the United States. At the same time, research from Age Wave and Merrill Lynch reveals that retirement is the happiest and most content period of our lives.

Our experience certainly mirrors those findings. Leaving behind financial worries and the daily grind by retiring early has rewarded us with bonus years to expand our social network and pursue long-postponed activities and new interests.

Before moving to Ecuador we lived three time zones from our family. That travel distance combined with limited vacation days made visits shorter and less frequent than we desired.

Now, even though our residence is on a different continent, we have been fortunate to spend weeks at a time each year being with our grandchildren as they've grown from infants to pre-teens. This level of connection would have been difficult with only occasional long weekend trips.

Active Travel

We can share from a travel perspective that the Go, Slow and NoGo periods are accurately described. During the first decade of early retirement we flew back to the States multiple times each year as our four grandchildren were born. Between visits we explored Ecuador, cruised around the tip of South America, and spoke at conferences throughout Latin America.

Post-COVID, we recently concluded a full-time travel adventure of 2.5 years to Mexico, Europe, Colombia, Argentina and locations within the United States. Now squarely in the Slow-Go years, we are acutely aware that the level of activity we sustained for over a decade is no longer possible despite being in

excellent health.

Our bank balance would without a doubt be higher if we could have waited until age 67 or 70 to begin collecting Social Security. Yet looking back, how thankful we are to have retired early and been able to share so many priceless memories during those initial retirement years.

How Long You Live vs. How Much

As you contemplate when to begin receiving Social Security benefits, carefully envision your ideal retirement. What do you want to accomplish, see and do? If you intend to work until the maximum retirement age of 70, keep in mind that the Social Security Administration estimates that American men who reach that age are likely to live another 13.5 years, on average; American women, almost another 16 years.

Keeping this information in mind, be realistic about your physical capabilities when making plans.

Do you really want to spend the most active years you have left in the office and your entire, extended retirement in your Slow-Go and NoGo years?

How unfortunate it would be to devote your Go-Go years to the workplace, only to find yourself having to use the extra income to pay for health issues instead of enjoying those activities you've looked forward to.

It is tempting to fear you can never accumulate sufficient assets to retire comfortably. Instead, consider asking yourself, "How can I manifest the future I've dreamed of with what I have?"

Discovering ways to make more money in retirement is possible. But you can never create another minute of precious time.

Edd and Cynthia Staton write about retirement, expat living and health and wellness. They are authors of three best-selling books and creators of Retirement Reimagined!, an online program to help people considering the retirement option of moving abroad. Visit them at www.eddandcynthia.com. Story republished with permission from www.nextavenue.org.

More Time with Grandchildren

retirement

Retirement: Here’s the Number to Keep in Mind: $1.46 Million

Northwestern Mutual study on what Americans believe they will need to retire comfortably

Americans' "magic number" for retirement is surging to an all-time high — rising much faster than the rate of inflation while swelling more than 50% since the onset of the pandemic.

These are the latest top-level findings from Northwestern Mutual's 2024 Planning & Progress Study, the company's proprietary research series that explores Americans' attitudes, behaviors and perspectives across a broad set of issues impacting their long-term financial security.

U.S. adults believe they will need $1.46 million to retire comfortably, a 15% increase over the $1.27 million reported last year, far outpacing today's inflation rate which currently hovers between 2% and 3%. Over a five-year span, people's 'magic number' has jumped a whopping 53% from the $951,000 target Americans reported in 2020.

By generation, both Gen Z and Millennials expect to need more than $1.6 million to retire comfortably. High-net-worth individuals — people with more than $1 million in investable assets — say they'll need nearly $4 million.

Meanwhile, the average amount that U.S. adults have saved for retirement dropped modestly from $89,300 in 2023 to $88,400 today, but

is more than $10,000 off its five-year peak of $98,800 in 2021.

"In 2023, the soaring cost of eggs in the grocery store symbolized inflation in America. In 2024, it's nest eggs," said Aditi Javeri Gokhale, chief strategy officer, president of retail investments and head of institutional investments at Northwestern Mutual. "People's 'magic number' to retire comfortably has exploded to an all-time high, and the gap between their goals and progress has never been wider. Inflation is expanding our expectations for retirement savings, and putting the pressure on to plan and stay disciplined. Making a 'magic number' appear isn't about waving a wand; it's about using time-tested techniques and learning from a skilled advisor."

Across all segments, there are large gaps between what people think they'll need to retire and what they've saved to date.

The 'Silver Tsunami' is here

In 2024, more than four million Americans will turn 65. That's an average of 11,000 Americans per day, and it will continue through 2027. It's the largest surge of Americans hitting the traditional retirement age in history.

The 2024 Planning & Progress

Study found that among generations closest to retirement, just half of boomers (49%) and Gen X (48%) believe they will be financially prepared when the time comes.

On average, Gen X believes there is a 42% chance they could outlive their savings, while boomers put the probability at 37%.

Across both generations, more than a third (37% and 38%, respectively) have not taken any steps to address the possibility of outliving their savings.

"The 'Silver Tsunami' is here," said Gokhale. "While younger generations are focused on building wealth and protecting what they've already built, Gen X and boomers have an additional important task: paying themselves first in retirement. Where they have savings can be just as important as how much they have saved. Done well, a comprehensive financial plan can preserve thousands of hard-earned dollars to fund these golden years. For anyone who is not sure how to streamline and preserve every penny, an expert financial advisor can be a great resource."

When digging into some of the most pressing challenges associated with retirement planning, the research shows that boomers and Gen X don't have markedly strong confidence in their preparedness.

HOLDING A GREAT YARD SALE

Or, how to make your junk someone’s junk

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

If you’d like more elbow room around your home and garage, hosting a yard sale can help you clear out the clutter and make a few bucks on things you no longer need. To move more stuff, try these tips.

• Don’t sell absolute junk. Unlike the subtitle of this story, junk that is completely worn out, unserviceable items should have no place at your sale. But things you may not expect to hold value can attract some people, like vintage clothing or craft supplies.

• Select a sale date (or dates!) with clear weather. Most people won’t stop if it’s raining, even if you hold your sale under a tent or in your garage.

• Check with your town. Some charge a nominal fee for hosting a sale or have ordinances about where and how sales should happen.

• Enlist neighbors to join you. The more stuff you sell, the more people will come. Use color-coded tags so you can tell whose stuff is whose to make dividing the proceeds easier.

• Clean your stuff. Wipe off the cobwebs and dust. Clean clothing that’s been in storage may benefit from washing or at least air fluffing in the dryer.

• Organize your items. People are much more likely to shop your sale if you present your items in an appealing way instead of dumping things on the ground. Display all clothing hung on a rack or folded in neat piles on tables.

Group like items together, such as all the books in one area and all of the knickknacks in another. If you are not selling a display table or bookcase, you might want to place a small sign on these items to show they’re not part of the sale.

• Let people test stuff. Provide a power bar so shoppers can switch on that lamp or fire up the popcorn popper. Make sure battery-operated items have functional batteries so people won’t simply assume they’re broken. Providing a full-length mirror for the clothing area helps shoppers better visualize how an outfit would look on them.

• Advertise. Use large, high contrast, large font signs sharing pertinent information: Yard Sale, 123 Main Street, July 19-21, 9 A.M. To 5 P.M. Post signs a few blocks from your sale and if possible, at a busy intersection nearby and on community bulletin boards. It’s helpful to post the signs two weeks or so before the sale and to advertise on social media and print media as well.

• Function like a store. Offer bags for people purchasing several small items. Organize a cash box with coins and bills so you can make change. Set up a tent or canopy over the area where you plan to sit to attract shoppers to the “checkout” area. Plus, these structures help draw more attention of passersby.

• Price items. Mark items’ prices clearly on price stickers or at least post

a sign like “ALL BOOKS $1 EACH” so shoppers know what you’re charging. It’s OK to allow haggling, but you don’t have to give away your stuff, either. In general, charging 10% to 30% of the retail price is about right depending upon the item’s condition and rarity.

• Stay safe. Hold your sale with a friend. Do not allow strangers in your house. Thieves may ask to use your bathroom or create some other “emergency” to get inside. Don’t leave the cash box unattended. Keep any truly valuable sale items close by so you can keep an eye on them.

• Donate what doesn’t sell. The goal is to thin out your stuff, so plan to donate the leftovers. A few good places to try include:

• Goodwill Donation Center, 2255 E. Ridge Road, Irondequoit (888) 859-1606

• Goodwill Donation Center 1200 Fairport Road, Fairport (888) 859-1606

• The Salvation Army Family Store and Donation Center 745 West Avenue, Rochester (800) 728-7825

• Henrietta ReStore (appliances, home renovation supplies and furnishing only), 2199 E. Henrietta Road, Rochester (585) 444-9588

• Many churches and human and animal shelters accept donations. However, you should call first to see what items they’re currently accepting.

Naddyman’s corner

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

The Problem with Not Retaining Your Retainer

ot many people know this, but the first person to discover gold didn’t do it in California.

Jimmy Dorkberry, at the tender age of 16, came home from school one night and told his parents at the dinner table, “I think I can make some money straightening people’s teeth.”

His parents listened thoughtfully, then went into the kitchen and laughed.

But years later, there was little Jimmy, tacking up a sign at his modest office, describing his role as an “OrthoDontist” in his community. You had crooked teeth, he’d get things square.

Of course, today we have a lot of professionals who are orthodontists. They derive the name for their profession from the Greek words “ortho” and “dentist,” which means, literally, “Open your wallet, dad.”

And they are everywhere. When’s the last time you saw a high school kid with crooked teeth?

Years ago, my oldest daughter came home one day and told her mother and me that she knew what she wanted to be when she grew up.

“What?” her mother and I asked, waiting for the standard answer — nurse, teacher, pilot, television meteorologist.

Nope.

“I want to be an orthodontist,” my darling daughter told us. I couldn’t wait to get to the church to say my thank-yous.

When I was in fifth grade a long time ago, the only kids who wore braces and dental appliances were geeks or rich kids. They were also the only kids who knew what floss was. Today, kids better have braces or they will use the 14th Amendment to file for violation of their civil rights.

My daughter had inside her mouth what was known in the orthodontic business as a “retainer.”

“What does it do?” I asked when she came home from the orthodontist with her mouth stuffed full of retainer.

“It hurts, that’s what it does,” said my daughter.

“What’s a retainer supposed to do?” I asked my wife. If it’s a “retainer,” I reasoned, then it must be there to keep her teeth in her mouth, right?

My wife shrugged.

“Maybe it’s like a shield,” I figured. “Maybe this is part of the contract we have with the orthodontist to fix her teeth — the orthodontist puts this thing in her mouth to show everyone we’ve got him on retainer to fix her teeth. Maybe it’s got his name on it or something.”

We looked in our daughter’s mouth to see if the retainer said “Calvin Klein” or “Dolce Gabbana” or “Dior.”

Nope.

My wife shrugged again.

Some of you may not know what a retainer looks like. Well, it looks like the top half of a boiled crab, all pink with little things sticking out here and there.

From my years as a teacher and

guidance counselor, I know that retainers can be a family problem in middle schools because kids take out their retainers to eat lunch. The kids put the retainer on the lunch tray. Then the kids get to talking and doing homework and stuff and sharing gossip and the next thing you know they have to hurry for class and get their trays to the dishwasher quickly.

Then they dump their plates and papers and milk cartons…and retainers.

Some 15 minutes later, I’d have a crying child in my counselor’s office asking to call home.

The call would go a great deal like this…

“Mom!”

“Yes?”

“This is your daughter. I have a small problem.”

“How small a problem?

“About the size of my retainer.”

“So you have a $3,000 problem.”

“Right.”

“Tell me about the small $3,000 problem.”

“I left my retainer on my lunch tray and I dumped my tray and the retainer was on it and now the retainer is in the dumpster here at school.”

“Well, dear,” said the mom, “you’d better go get it.”

“In the dumpster?”

“Right. That’s where it is, correct?”

“Yes.”

“What are you waiting for?”

“You want me to go get it now?”

“There will never be a better time.”

“But I’ve got my acid-washed jeans on.”

“Wear some boots.”

“Mom, I don’t think you understand how difficult this is going to be…”

“How difficult will it be, daughter?”

“We had spaghetti for lunch.”

By Todd Etshman

Stuart Soloway, 61

Reflecting on a 20-plus year career as SUNY Brockport’s fine arts series manager

Q: What aspects of your work as fine arts series manager did you enjoy most?

A: I enjoyed seeing audiences enjoy themselves. Hearing patrons chatting about a show on their way out of the theater is a very satisfying feeling, akin to feeding someone a delicious home-cooked meal. It also meant a great deal to me when I would stop and realize that for some of our patrons — mostly our students, in this case — we may have been the first live concert or theatrical performance they experienced. Finally, it was always my goal to introduce our students to the Great American Songbook in one way or another. I am not sure I completely succeeded on that front, but it sure was fun to try.

Q: What aspects did you find most challenging?

A: Challenges became part of the landscape. Be it dealing with budget constraints, pesky ticket printers or event scheduling is just part of the job. The most difficult challenge, I suppose — especially post-pandemic — was trying to both retain and rebuild our audience base.

Q: How did you get into this special area of work?

A: Prior to my arrival in Western New York, I was born, raised and worked in New York City. For many years, I worked for a company that booked national tours of Broadway shows. The RBTL [Rochester Broadway Theatre League] was a client. After I left that job, I worked for a Broadway marketing company for several years. When I began at SUNY Brockport, I very quickly learned that my job utilized pretty much every aspect of every other job I had ever had. Which is a pretty good feeling.

Q: What is it like being around performers and performances?

A: It can be exciting. It can be challenging, but not in a bad way. It can be frustrating, at times. But overall, it can be satisfying. It can be very satisfying to make an audience laugh or cry or think or simply feel.

Q: What performances stand out for you after 20.5 years at Brockport?

A: Well, there’s always your first, of course. And, as I recall, I think the first show that was presented upon my arrival at SUNY Brockport was The Laramie Project, which was (and still is) an important piece of theater, depicting a most unfortunate incident and was a turning point for LGBTQ+ rights and hate crime legislation. When I saw that this play was on the series — and that the department of theater was so forward-thinking — I felt that I was in the right place. Also, after presenting the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra for so many years, this past year I had the honor of presenting our musical neighbors to the west, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, for their first appearance in Brockport in more than half a century. The Sankofa African Dance and Drum Ensemble concerts were always exhilarating… two hours (or sometimes more) of rhythm and movement and energy and… life!

Q: What would you like to see in the future of the series?

A: There are things that I have control over and there are things that I don’t. I can make suggestions to the theater department

as to what titles to include on their season, but the faculty makes the final decision. For many years, they have chosen to perform a musical only every other year. I have been pushing for them to consider doing at least one musical at least every year. Musicals tend to bring in audiences. I am happy to say that this will now be their standard operating procedure. I would like our audiences to experience more professional musicians. I would like to see a more diversified dance program, that might include more classical choreography.

Q: What cultural events might we see you at here in Rochester in the future?

A: Now that I will have more time on my hands to attend performances, you may see me at Geva or RBTL or the RPO. I should have more time to attend free concerts at Hochstein or at Eastman. And I look forward to having more time to devote to Pittsford Musicals, for which I had previously served on the board of directors, including a term as president. Community theater is a great way to see wonderful shows with some terrific

Stuart Soloway, SUNY Brockport’s fine arts series manager, is retiring in August.

7th Generation Medical Acupuncture

Rui Wang, MD of China, L.Ac.