Companion care company offers carefree travel for physically frail

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Published Bi-weekly / FREE / March 12, 2009 / Vol. 35 / No. 6 / 20 pp.
Companion care company offers carefree travel for physically frail
By Brian Goslow
F
red Gibson loved listening to his friend
talk about his upcoming retirement and
his plans to explore the country in a
mobile home.
Then came the heart attack that forced the
54-year-old man to retire earlier than planned
and left him unable to travel. Feeling there
had to be a way that his friend and others like
him could still pursue their dreams despite
their physical challenges, Gibson searched for
avenues to turn his friend’s dream adventure
into reality.
The result was Home & Away Skilled
Companions and Specialty Travel Services.
Gibson, 54, of Mendon, with assistance from
his wife of 28 years, Kimberley, has spent the
past three years building the foundation for
a company that makes it possible for those
with age, health or mobility concerns to still
enjoy traveling.
“I felt there was a need for people to continue their life, regardless with what had hit
them, whether they had suffered a stroke or
were in a wheelchair,” Gibson said. Whether
it’s for a family vacation, church trip, class
reunion, grandchild’s graduation or that oncein-a-lifetime trip, Gibson has put together a
company to overcome almost any health- or
age-related travel obstacle.
“It’s totally your trip,” he said. “If you want
Older workers turn to franchises in recession
By Dave Carpenter
CHICAGO —
athy McAvoy-Rogalski keeps her
year-old business operating on a
short leash, and that’s a good
thing.
Operating a Fetch Pet Care
franchise with husband James
out of their home has proven
to be a rewarding second
career for the early retiree.
“It’s the one job where I
can honestly say your clients
are always happy to see you,”
said the 56-year-old Yonkers,
N.Y., woman.
Thousands of older Americans
with an entrepreneurial bent have started
new careers in recent years by buying small
franchises in everything from beauty shops
to home maintenance to tax preparation.
The option is likely to draw more interest
as baby boomers age and, in a bleak econo-
K
my, get laid off.
Opportunities could be harder to come
by in the recession. The nation’s more than
850,000 franchised businesses employed
9.8 million people and had estimated revenues of $839 billion last year, but
those numbers are all expected to
decline this year as the slump
deepens.
Franchising offers the chance
for additional income and a
new direction for people in the
latter stages of their working
careers who either don’t want to
retire or can’t afford to. Boosted
by a brand name, training, advertising and an established business
plan, a franchise can ease the struggle
and risk of opening a business and still let
you call some shots.
Retirees and near-retirees won’t always
find it a walk in the park, though, like
RECESSION page 3
to go to the Badlands
in South Dakota or
Yellowstone National
Park in Montana, we
can do that. We’d fly
out west, then travel in a
rented handicapped van
or motor home.”
With a personal companion along, long-talked-about trips can take
place. And just because
a relative can’t spend
the day hiking doesn’t
mean everybody on the
trip can’t enjoy an exotic
location. “You can climb
Mount Kilimanjaro while
we sit with your uncle
in the sun,” Gibson Gibson with a long-time travel companion
said, referring to an able
their fun. “People feel they would not have
bodied travel-mate. “He
won’t be upset he can’t climb with you. He’ll a good time on a cruise if their relative goes
to sleep at 6 o’clock and they would have to
be happy just to be in Africa.”
Handicapped accessibility isn’t as regulated stay with them when they’d want to go to
overseas as in the United States, meaning the casino,” Gibson said. “They don’t want to
some want-to-see places may not be accessible take that family member with them because
to everyone. In Italy, for example, “they might they’re a lot of work.”
That’s where Gibson and the Home &
be able to go to the Vatican but not the Rome
Coliseum,” Gibson said. “It has to be in the Away staff come in.
“We do free assessments,” said Gibson,
realm of what they can do physically.”
Gibson was a professional truck driver and who meets potential customers personcarpenter by trade until the age of 42. After ally to discuss their hoped-for adventures.
his children graduated from high school, he While he’ll discuss possible trips and their
enrolled in Massachusetts Bay Community related arrangements, his company is not a
College, where he earned his nursing degree. travel agency. “We let travel agencies book
Along with overseeing Home & Away, he’s the trips.”
Where physical assistance is required,
a private duty nurse and a pediatric nurse,
working with young boys with cerebral palsy Home & Away utilizes Mass. certified regisand muscular dystrophy. That’s helped him to tered nurses as companions. For out-of-state
understand the challenges many people have travel, where those licenses are invalid due to
each individual state’s certification guidelines,
— and how to overcome them.
Many families fear bringing a physically
CARE page 8
challenged relative along on a trip could spoil
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Bartering makes a comeback for those short on cash
By Anne Wallace Allen
T
ired of her pink bathroom countertops but short
on cash for a remodel, Rachel Alemany decided to
get the work done the old-fashioned way: through
bartering.
Alemany has experience putting down flooring, so she
and her husband traded flooring work with a neighbor who
has tiling experience.
“They’re getting what they want and I’m
getting what I want. I would much rather do
that than make cash most of the time.”
— Heather Wood
“It was that easy,” said Alemany, a special education teacher
from Pittsfield, Mass. She got the idea from her mother-inlaw, who exchanged renovations for room and board, and
she might try it again: “I have other rooms in my house that
need work.”
Bartering — the trading of goods or services without using
cash — is making a comeback in a troubled economy. It can
be as simple as trading baby-sitting with another family, or as
complex as an exchange with strangers facilitated by one of the
several websites that have sprung up to connect barterers.
Bartering ads on Craigslist.com have increased about 100
percent since last year, said Susan MacTavish Best, a spokeswoman for the online classified advertising service. Traffic is
also up at local organizations like the Midwest Barter Exchange,
a Kalamazoo, Mich.-based outfit that acts as a go-between for
about 1,000 business clients.
“Before, we were out beating the bushes trying to get
people to join, and now they’re calling us,” said Lance Dorsey,
a customer service representative for the exchange.
➤ Recession
Cont. from page One
McAvoy-Rogalski’s daily rounds.
Hefty startup costs, which may range
from $20,000 to $150,000 to buy parttime or smaller franchises, don’t guarantee
a profit. There also are royalties, licensing
requirements, long-term commitments
and the franchise company’s ultimate control to consider. Three-quarters of all new
franchising companies go under within the
first 10 years, according to Scott Shane,
professor of entrepreneurial studies at Case
Western Reserve University.
That makes it critical for individuals to
do careful research and look at any buying
opportunity skeptically.
“There are golden nuggets in franchising,” Shane said. “There are great (franchises) out there where if you buy into them
you could make a lot of money. But that’s
the minority.”
Many franchisors, such as Fetch and
HoneyBaked Ham Co. and Cafe, actively
recruit the 50-and-over crowd. The
International Franchise Association, which
represents franchisors, franchisees and suppliers, advertises on the AARP’s website.
“They’ve got school-of-hard-knocks
experience and finance and business skills
that they can apply on Day 1 at a franchised business,” said Matthew Shay, presi-
Boise beautician Heather Wood has traded haircuts and
pedicures for years of daycare, kids’ clothes, a paint job for
her car, an oil change, a set of professional portraits for her
family and dental cleaning.
“It’s fun, and it builds a whole different kind of a relationship,” said Wood, who has five children. “They’re getting what
they want and I’m getting what I want. I would much rather
do that than make cash most of the time.”
These days, making cash isn’t always an option, so many
have decided it is worth the effort to trade, say, an outgrown
kid’s bike for a neighbor’s lawnmower, or a massage for
some gardening supplies.
“I’m finding it a little bit difficult to sell anything
right now,” said Jeremy Kildow of Nampa, Idaho,
who chose bartering when he decided to get
rid of a $1,000 camera, a kayak, a stainless
steel kitchen range and other items.
Kildow put his stuff on the Boise-area
Craigslist site under “barter” and suggested
horses, pack mules, a four-wheel-drive truck,
a computer or a flat-screen TV in exchange. So
far, he’s had an offer of a truck, some computers
and a wedding ring.
Bartering can be less expensive than buying because there
are few overhead costs for rent or staff. However, not all costs
are eliminated. The IRS considers barter dollars as identical
to real currency for tax reporting, and barterers must obtain
a special form, the 1099-B.
But bartering can also be more fun than laying down
cash.
“The human element and the relationship between buyers
and sellers becomes more important when we get involved
in bartering transactions,” said Gary Forman, president of
a company called Dollar Stretcher that publishes methods
for saving money. “I’m not sure we don’t have some longing
dent and CEO of the Washington-based
franchise group.
McAvoy-Rogalski became the primary
partner in a Fetch franchise six months
after taking a buyout from the pharmaceutical company where she worked. Walking
dogs, being outdoors and controlling your
own hours sounded like a welcome change
from years sitting at a desk, and her husband, James, 56, a former hospital security
director now retired on disability, would be
her co-partner and do a lot of the paperwork.
Many franchisors, such as Fetch
and HoneyBaked Ham Co. and
Cafe, actively recruit the
50-and-over crowd.
Buying an existing franchise cost
$20,000 and additional startup costs
including licensing and insurance totaled
about $2,000 more. Since then, operating
costs have been modest.
Gross revenues for the first year were
about $55,000. Some went to Fetch in
royalties and some to their seven dog-walkers, who are paid $10 to $15 per half-hour
walk or $30 to $50 per overnight stay.
Overall, that’s better than McAvoyRogalski expected for the initial year.
“For retirees that are active, that like
walking or love animals, it’s the perfect way
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for that.”
The quirky, independent aspect of bartering is what
Vermont resident Matthew Stewart likes. He got his Honda
motorcycle in a trade with a stranger through Craigslist.
Stewart gave up a wood-burning cook stove he’d acquired
but didn’t need.
“If somebody wants something that you’ve got, there’s
probably a good chance they’ve got something you want that
they don’t want,” said Stewart. “With bartering you end up
with something interesting.”
Some things are easier to barter than others.
While carpenters, massage therapists and hair
stylists have a set price for their work and
can easily trade it locally, other professionals,
such as physicians who work in hospitals,
can be constrained by the institutions that
employ them.
Nevertheless, Forman estimates that 60
percent of the companies on the New York
Stock Exchange participate in bartering of
some kind.
Of course, there are no signs that bartering will ever catch up with cash. Professor Andrew
Whinston at the University of Texas at Austin, who has written
about bartering, said the Internet has made bartering easier,
just as eBay has made it easier to sell things that used to sit
in the attic for years.
He doesn’t see bartering as something that will “take over
the world,” but said nobody knows for sure what’s going to
happen next with the markets that rely on credit and currency.
“Maybe if the economy goes totally down the drain, we’ll
all be bartering,” said Whinston. “I’ll be selling copies of
my articles in academic journals for a meal at a restaurant.”
— AP
to earn some extra money,” she said. The
couple is using the money to live off until
Kathy’s pension and Social Security kick in.
Still, she cautioned others not to jump
too quickly: “Think about how much time
and energy you want to put into it. It’s all
going to be on you.”
Opening a type of business that will
withstand the economic slide is also an
important consideration.
It’s paying off for Hank Walker, 66, of
Lancaster, Pa. He had the foresight to select
a comparatively recession-proof franchise
before retiring from his job as a school
administrator four years ago.
Hank and wife Sue, 65, settled on youth
sports photos as a good business to pursue,
drawing on his life-long interest in photography and her office management skills.
Aided by a half-dozen stringers, he shoots
pictures of school and league teams in multiple sports.
The couple took over a TSS Photography
franchise for about $50,000 in total startup
costs. Sure enough, the business has continued to do well.
Hank works 40 to 50 hours a week
during the peak seasons, but insists it’s not
a grind — he sets his own hours and has
summers off. He grosses only about a third
of what he made in his education job, but
the Walkers are still able to live comfortably off pension and Social Security income
and could make more if they wanted.
“It’s exciting, it’s stimulating. It’s creative,” he said.
Staying in a job that draws on career
skills appeals to others.
Jim Devine, 62, a long-time pastor, was
looking for another ministry after resigning
his church position last Easter. But nothing
was opening up — churches were looking
for younger pastors.
Impressed by the warm, in-home care
given to his father-in-law, Devine decided
after consulting with wife MaryLou to go
into the non-medical in-home caregiving
business in Clackamas County, Ore. He
and his son-in-law, Dan Magdalen, who has
experience in the staffing industry, signed a
10-year contract with Home Instead Senior
Care, which has 850 franchises.
They paid $32,500 and hope to gross
$250,000 the first year, aiming for a staff
of 35 part-time caregivers who will provide
companionship and support services ranging from light housekeeping to helping
seniors with eating and grooming.
Devine also looks forward to making it a
true family franchise. MaryLou is a former
hospital chaplain whose current job as a
bank vice president supports them while
the franchise is still developing.
“The beautiful thing about this franchise,” Devine said, “is it’s offering us the
chance not only to combine our areas of
expertise but also a very real potential of
bringing all of us into the business.” — AP
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can be reprinted in part or in whole unless otherwise
stated. Fifty Plus Advocate columnists writing under a
byline are expressing their personal opinions and not
necessarily those of the newspaper.
Read more at www.fiftyplusadvocates.com
Big regional differences in Medicare costs, says study
WASHINGTON —
edicare costs vary wildly across
the country, according to a study
that found the government paying twice as much for treating a patient in
Miami as in San Francisco.
The dramatic cost differences don’t
appear connected to climate or to who lives
where, and people in the more expensive
areas don’t get better care.
More expensive medical
technology is only part of the
picture, according to the report
released by the Dartmouth
Atlas Project, which studies
medical resources.
The study said the differences in spending from one
area to another can be blamed
on decisions made by individual doctors who are influenced
by what medical services are
available nearby.
“Technology doesn’t drive
the growth in health care Fisher
spending, people do,” said
Dr. Elliott Fisher, the lead study author
and a medicine professor at the Dartmouth
Institute for Health Policy and Clinical
Practice.
Fisher said physicians are not the only
issue, but also questions like whether
there’s a local medical health race among
local hospitals or whether a community
has a single hospital that is more focused
on primary care.
The findings come as Congress pre-
M
pares to tackle health care reform, which
President Barack Obama highlighted as a
priority in a nationally televised speech.
In his budget, Obama proposes setting
aside $635 billion over the next decade
to pay for health care reform. To pay
for it, he suggests reducing spending on
Medicare.
Medicare, the health insurance program for people 65 and older,
accounts for a huge chunk of
medical spending: it’s expected
to cost more than $500 billion
this year. The program covers
about 44 million people.
The Dartmouth Atlas findings, drawn from an analysis
of government Medicare data
from 1992-2006, suggest great
inefficiencies in care in some
parts of the country. It also
says there is plenty of room
for reform if practices in the
regions of the country that are
less expensive could become
the national norm.
That won’t come easy since the country’s medical system frequently rewards
expensive practices, the study notes.
For example, hospitals lose money if
they improve care in a way that reduces
admissions. Doctors don’t have a financial
incentive to spend time carefully listening
to a patient rather than quickly referring
them to a specialist.
“There are no financial rewards for collaboration, coordination or conservative
SWH09_12
Over 65 and eligible
for MassHealth?
practice,” the study said.
The study found that among the 25
largest hospital-referral regions, Manhattan
was the costliest, at $12,114 per patient in
2006. Minneapolis was the least expensive,
at $6,705 per patient. Boston, Mass. spent
$9,526, Worcester, Mass. spent $9,961 and
Springfield spent $8,294.
Among states, New York spent the
most per Medicare enrollee: $9,564 per
patient. Hawaii spent the least: $5,311.
Massachusetts spent $9,379.
Growth rates in spending also varied a
lot from one area to another.
The authors called on doctors to take
the lead in bringing costs down by opting
for conservative care — for example, putting a patient with heartburn on heartburn
medication and monitoring their progress,
rather than referring them to a specialist.
But, the study noted, doctors will
need help from policymakers who should
change payment systems to reward quality
rather than quantity of care. — AP
Obama budget would slow Medicare, Medicaid growth
WASHINGTON —
he government’s massive health
insurance programs for the elderly
and poor would grow more slowly
under President Barack Obama’s proposed
budget.
Obama wants to squeeze Medicaid and
Medicare spending — including slimmer payments to private insurance plans — to help
create a 10-year, $634 billion fund billed as
a “down payment” on health care reform.
T
Obama’s budget proposal acknowledges
that even more money will be needed to
achieve health coverage for all, but doesn’t
say where it would come from.
Experts say that goal could cost more
than $1 trillion over 10 years.
Overall spending for the Health and
Human Services Department — including discretionary spending, Medicare and
Medicaid — would grow from $764 billion
to $821 billion. — AP
Mass AG launches blog, Twitter account
BOSTON —
Attorney General Martha Coakley has
joined the blogosphere.
Coakley launched her blog, At Issue &
In Focus, along with a Twitter account.
The attorney general’s office said the
blog will cover a variety of topics, including energy and utilities, consumer protec-
tion, charitable giving and cyber safety.
The Twitter account will publicize
press releases, blog posts, public events
and media appearances. — AP
On the Net: At Issue & In Focus: www.
mass.gov/agoblog, Coakley on Twitter: twitter.
com/MassAGO
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March 12, 2009
Nearly 100 members from MSAC crowded the hallway outside of Gov. Patrick’s office,
“raising cane” to emphasize their concerns.
Don’t do your
taxes this year.
(Let AARP Tax-Aide
do them for free.)
State’s budget woes impact
quality of life for older residents
By Sondra L. Shapiro
home care field for a number of years and
have seen people that do not require fullBOSTON —
time care sent to nursing homes never to
ast year, Marie Brown of Lynn was return,” said the Springfield resident.
paying $25 a month for her prescripThe February event was sponsored by
tions through the state’s Prescription Mass Home Care, AARP Massachusetts,
Advantage program. Fast forward a year and Boston Center for Independent Living,
now she is shelling out $169 a month for Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts,
the same order, after cuts were made to the Jewish Community Relations Council,
prescription drug program for seniors.
Massachusetts Association of Jewish
Similar hard luck stories motivated Federations, Massachusetts Association of
advocates for seniors to stage two rallies at Older Americans, Massachusetts Councils
the Statehouse — armed with dried beans on Aging, Mass Council for Home Care
and canes — to protest what they say are Aide Services, Mass Senior Action Council
disproportionately allocated cuts to pro- (MSAC), Massachusetts Silver Legislature,
grams and services for the state’s low- and Metrowest Council for Independent Living
moderate-income seniors.
and Stavros, which advocates for independent living.
More than 100 seniors
from around the state
attended a March 4 rally,
and then headed to Gov.
Deval Patrick’s office, canes
in hand, to raise their concerns.
Sponsored by MSAC,
people shared their personal stories about how the
cuts, including those made
to Prescription Advantage,
have drastically affected
their health and daily lives.
Participants during a February rally at the Statehouse
According to MSAC, agenLast month, advocates gathered to have cies are struggling to provide community
money restored to the home care program, care services at funding levels not seen
with participants toting bags of beans to since 1996.
remind lawmakers that it doesn’t take a
The Prescription Advantage program
“bean counter” to equate cuts with the went from a budget allocation of $94 million
1,000 people on a waiting list to receive in 2007 to $57 million for 2009, resulting
services.
in an increase in prescription co-payments,
“Every number on our waiting list is a causing some subscribers to leave the pharreal elderly person who is struggling to live macy without their medication or with only
at home independently,” said Al Norman, a few days’ supply.
executive director of Mass Home Care.
That was the choice Mattapan resident
The home care waiting list was created in Ann Stewart made after she was hit with
October when the program sustained $6.8 an unaffordable prescription drug tab in
million in emergency cuts. By Christmas, January. When she learned that she would
the home care waiting list stood at 759. A have to pay $146 for eye drops on her first
survey released by Mass Home Care indi- trip to the pharmacy, she was shocked and
cates the waiting list has now grown to 954 worried. When the pharmacist told her that
elders — and will continue to increase for Actos, her diabetes medication, would cost
the remainder of this fiscal year.
another $148, she made a difficult decision.
Because of cuts in community-based care, “I just couldn’t afford the medication,”
advocates fear seniors will be forced into Stewart said. So she left the pharmacy with
costlier institutional care. Judith Delaney, five pills (at a cost of $39) to hold her until
treasurer for her Mass Senior Action (MSAC) she could talk to her doctor, who prescribed
chapter, said she is very concerned about a less expensive alternative. Now Stewart
the fact that money that was already appro- needs to monitor the new drug with office
priated for home care is being diverted to visits to see if this new medication will do
balance the budget. “I have worked in the the job without harmful side effects.
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www.fiftyplusadvocates.com
5
Feeling Healthy
Nutrition professor offers 10 tips for eating healthy and economical
W
ith many people trying to tighten
their belts both physically and
fiscally, Tennessee Tech University
nutrition professor Cathy Hix-Cunningham
offers 10 tips for selecting foods that are
healthy and inexpensive.
“During tougher economic times, we can
still eat well for less cost,” Hix-Cunningham
said. Hix-Cunningham’s tips include:
•Make a bean dish for the main course
several nights a week.
“Beans are versatile. They come in many
varieties and can be used in dishes ranging
from hummus and other dips to soups and
stews or chili and casseroles,” she said.
Dried and canned beans can be purchased
at most grocery stores.
•Drink more water.
“You can limit the amount of sugary and
alcoholic beverages you consume without
having to give up flavor by purchasing
flavored drink mixes to add to your water,”
she said.
•Don’t neglect dairy foods.
“Milk is rich in calcium and vitamin D, and gallon for gallon,
it costs less than bottled
water, so it’s important
for people young and
old to include dairy
in their diet,” HixCunningham said.
“Even people who
are lactose intolerant
can usually eat cheese,
and it doesn’t have to be
a gourmet brand. The more
inexpensive or generic brands
pack as much nutritional value as the
gourmet cheese brands do,” she said.
•Eat more dried fruits.
Dried fruits like raisins and prunes offer
many nutrients in a small serving, and the
drying process gives them added iron.
•Choose whole grain pasta and rice
instead of the processed versions.
Staying mentally sharp takes brain work
R
esearch increasingly shows aging
doesn’t automatically result in
a steady erosion of brain cells.
Rather, older adults who work their
brains can develop new connections
between brain cells.
A brain workout — using
the mind in a wide variety of
new and challenging ways —
can activate cells throughout
the brain. A Mayo Clinic Health
Letter offers these suggestions
to stimulate the mind:
•Working the left brain
— Language, number and
reasoning activities are often
considered left-brain activities. Reading, writing, learning
a new language, completing number or
work games, balancing a checkbook without a calculator and fixing broken objects
are left-brain activities.
•Working the right brain — Music, art
and using the imagination are considered
right-brain activities. Options to stimulate
this side include reviving a musical talent,
singing in a choir, knitting, quilting or
taking art classes.
•Breaking a routine — Long-familiar
daily routines can become so ingrained
that little thought is required. When one
breaks up routines, meets a new person,
learns a skill or takes a different route
to the store, the brain is
engaged.
•Remembering or memorization — Brain-building
ideas include memorizing
phone numbers, the words
to a poem or people’s names.
•Trying meditation —
Studies have shown meditation activates the parts of the
brain associated with happiness and contentment and
reduces stress and anxiety.
This effect can occur even in those new to
meditation and grows more robust with
practice.
•Engaging in social activity —
Engaging in conversation or activity with
a wide variety of people can be one of the
most complex and varied tasks the mind
undertakes. Social engagement has been
linked in many studies to the reduction of
mental decline. — Newswise
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“Whole grain products have flavor, texture
and trace minerals that the processed versions don’t have,”
Hix-Cunningham said.
“For the difference in
cost, that makes the
whole grain products
healthier and more
filling.”
•Eat more sweet
potatoes.
“Sweet potatoes are
high in fiber and vitamin
A. For the calories and cost
of sweet potatoes, few foods are
as nutritious,” she said.
•Add onions to main dishes or serve them
grilled as a side item.
“Onions are rich in vitamin A, and they
make a wonderful side item when they’re
grilled with margarine and seasoned salt,”
Hix-Cunningham said.
•Compare costs between fresh and frozen
fruits and vegetables.
•Become a square-foot or container gardener.
“Chives and many other herbs are inexpensive and easy to grow in small containers. That makes it easy to have fresh herbs
available even with limited space,” HixCunningham said.
Some fruits and vegetables can also be
grown in containers or limited space.
“Tomatoes are probably the most nutritious food, but greens are the most inexpensive food that can be grown in very little
space,” she said.
•Always consider the healthiest methods
for food preparation.
“No matter what food items are included
in a diet, they are healthiest when they’re
prepared by baking, boiling, broiling, simmering or stewing,” Hix-Cunningham said.
— Newswise
Longevity gene also protects
memory, cognitive function
A
gene variation that helps people live tects against the development of Alzheimer’s
into their 90s and beyond also pro- disease,” said study author Dr. Nir Barzilai,
tects their memories and ability to director of the Institute for Aging Research
think and learn new information, according at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in
to a recent study published in Neurology, the the Bronx, N.Y.
scientific journal of the American Academy
Barzilai noted that many studies have
of Neurology.
identified risk factors associated with develThe gene variant alters the cholesterol par- oping age-related diseases. “But little effort
ticles in the blood, makhas been made to identify
ing them bigger than northe reasons for longevThose who had the gene ity in exceptionally old
mal. Researchers believe
variant were twice as likely people, and why they
that smaller particles can
more easily lodge them- to have good brain function. don’t develop disease. In
selves in blood-vessel linstudying these centenarings, leading to the fatty buildup that can ians, we hope to learn what factors lessen
cause heart attacks and strokes.
their risk for diseases that affect the general
The study examined 158 people of population at a much younger age. Our
Ashkenazi, or Eastern European, Jewish results bring us a step closer to understanddescent, 95 or older. Those who had the ing the role that genes play in longevity,”
gene variant were twice as likely to have good he said.
brain function compared to those who did
Work is being done to develop drugs that
not have the gene variant. The researchers can mimic the effect of this gene variation,
also validated these findings in a group of Barzilai said.
124 Ashkenazi Jews between 75 and 85 and
Approximately one in 10,000 people
found similar results.
in the general population lives to 100.
“It’s possible that this gene variant also pro- — Newswise
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Moving nation from sick care toward wellness care
By Lauran Neergaard
WASHINGTON —
opping a pill can cut your cholesterol. But did the
doctor also prescribe cutting the stress that’s eroding your immune system? Or teach you how to
exercise without worsening painful joints?
Think 3 Ps: Good health care is preventive, predictive
and personalized, a rarity today in a crisis-oriented care
system far better at treating disease than keeping it at
bay. To help change that, one of the nation’s top medical
groups started a major push for what patients might call
whole-body wellness care.
“Health is more than the absence of disease,” said
Dr. Ralph Snyderman, chancellor emeritus at Duke
University who headed a three-day meeting of the prestigious Institute of Medicine to get onto Congress’ radar
this health-promotion approach, what jargon-loving doctors call “integrative medicine.”
What does that mean? Basically, it’s going beyond
standard disease-of-the-day care to involve a range of
extra factors — physical, lifestyle habits, mind-body
interaction — that play a role in preventing illness, and
helping people stick with recommended changes long
enough to see a benefit.
“Not enough attention is paid to wellness,” said AARP
chief Bill Novelli, who worries that’s lost in the coming
health care reform movement.
“The doctor says, ‘Lose weight, exercise, see you
in a year.’ We know that doesn’t work,” said Dr. Tracy
Gaudet, an obstetrician/gynecologist who heads integrative medicine at Duke University Medical Center.
But how to pay for keeping people well is a barrier.
Even though preventing disease is cheaper overall than
treating it, it’s not clear where the upfront investment
would come from, a big part of the Institute’s debate.
Still, a growing number of respected academic medi-
P
cal centers are adopting integrative medicine in different
ways. At Duke, specially trained health coaches help
patients implement a personalized care plan that complements treatment prescribed by their regular physicians,
extra care that patients often pay for out-of-pocket.
“If I didn’t have coaching, I would have
given up,” said Roberta Cutbill, 68, of Cary,
N.C., whose cardiologist referred her to the
program in hopes that better nutrition and
exercise could lower her cholesterol enough
to avoid medication.
But these centers must straddle a line
between adopting some non-mainstream
therapies that seem to at least help a patient’s
quality of life, while avoiding unproven
“alternative therapies,” even outright quackery.
“We’re extremely wasteful in health care
in America because we don’t respect what
the patient can bring to the table, the healing properties of the body itself, the use of
lower-technology routes to healing,” said Dr. Berwick
Donald Berwick, a Harvard health-quality
expert who heads the nonprofit Institute for Healthcare
Improvement.
Yet Berwick issued a strong warning: “Evidence matters.”
There is some evidence. Medicare funded a Duke
study of 154 middle-aged people at high risk of heart
disease. In 10 months, people who received health
coaching were exercising 3.7 days a week — two days a
week more than when they started — and had an average 10-point drop in cholesterol. That equaled a small
but significant drop in their overall heart risk, while
people who got standard checkups barely budged.
Another example: A chronically stressed brain orders
release of hormones and other chemicals that tamp
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“I love the therapists here. They’ve
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down the immune system so it can’t fight off disease or
speed healing, said Dr. Esther Sternberg of the National
Institute of Mental Health. Too much stress even ages
us faster. But regular exercise, a healthy diet and stressrelieving techniques such as meditation or yoga have
been shown in scientific studies to help
battle stress’ bad effects.
That doesn’t mean replacing medication
or other treatment, Sternberg cautions.
“We’re saying do it together with the
space-age advances in medicine,” she said.
“That will allow your body to receive that
treatment and respond optimally to that
treatment, which otherwise it might not.”
That’s Cutbill’s hope. A rare autoimmune
disease had ravaged her joints, hindering her
ability to exercise. She also suffered a drug
side effect — hearing loss — while treating
it, a reaction that made her balk at anti-cholesterol pills.
With the coach’s help, Cutbill started
gentle yoga and weight training, building up
to heart-healthier exercises. When her joints
hurt, she heads for acupuncture. Cutbill has switched
to heart-healthy olive oil; takes omega-3 fatty acids and
some other heart-targeting nutrients that her cardiologist
agreed couldn’t hurt; sneaks fiber into meals; and learned
that protein snacks level her blood sugar so she doesn’t
crave high-fat sweets.
She’s not there yet — a January blood test showed
her cholesterol nudging up a bit. Tests can fluctuate so
doctors said to give the lifestyle another six weeks. If she
ultimately needs medication, Cutbill said her effort at
least will give her the lowest possible dose.
“You need people who can keep the whole picture in
mind of all of your conditions and be able to guide you,”
she said. — AP
Elder Care with a
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• 24/7 care
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7
Resource for Caregivers
➤ Care
Cont. from page One
Gibson will put together an emergency medical care plan. If he’s unable to fill a client’s
requirements in-house, he’ll utilize Savvy
Staffing Solutions to assure the client has a
nurse that can meet the individual’s needs.
The client meets and approves the nurse
before he or she is assigned.
“We do a complete assessment to determine clients’ limitations,” Gibson said. “If they
can’t get out of a wheelchair on their own,
they can’t fly. If they can’t take oxygen on a
plane, we explore alternative devices.”
Then there are those individuals with phobias to overcome. “Maybe they’re just scared
to fly. We can work that out,” Gibson said. “A
lot of grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts and
uncles have money to travel, but it’s mobility
and fear that gets in their way.”
The cost of a Home & Away companion depends on the services required.
Considerations include whether the person
needs a companion for physical or social
reasons, the companion’s travel costs and the
duration of the trip.
Last summer, Home & Away allowed
Millis resident Donna Jones, 48, to enjoy her
Older adults say cash might motivate exercise
I
n 2006, a team of researchers set out to
examine what sorts of walking programs
and incentives might induce sedentary
people over age 50 to put on their sneakers.
They found that small cash payments might
just provide that extra push.
A survey asked 501 inactive adults to
state their preferences regarding how long
they would walk, and whether they would
ambulate alone or in a group, if they had to
make a choice.
Participants most often selected three
solitary, 20-minute walks per week. In
addition, by adding a theoretical offer of
$9 a week, researchers upped the regimen’s
enthusiasts by 31 percent.
“A number of exercise programs are
structured around group activity,” said
Derek Brown, Ph.D., lead study author.
“This was not preferred by most. We did
find, though, that money would increase
participation. Also, people were more receptive to walking three days a week, rather
than more or fewer days. The idea that it
takes three days a week to gain sufficient
benefits from physical activity seems to be
ingrained.”
Brown, who is an economist with the
Public Health Economics Program at RTI
International, based in North Carolina,
pointed out that one hour of activity per
week does not meet government health
standards of 30 minutes, five days a week
for moderate intensity activity such as walking. In the study, sedentary and inactive
adults wanted $36.30 per week to do this
much exercise. If they had to go in a group,
they wanted nearly twice as much.
shade when necessary. And with Gibson
sitting next to him, the older boy in his
wheelchair could enjoy the warm salt air
and scenery.
“He was very optimistic about any problems that arose,” Jones said. “He’d say, ‘We
can take care of it, that’s not an issue.’ ” She
appreciated having someone to help her
with the physical chores of traveling with
her sons, especially in helping transfer her
son between his wheelchair and bed. “It was
great for me,” she said.
Gibson is currently working with someone whose father was born in Greece. “He’s
Gibson has put together a company to
lived here over 30 years and has always
overcome almost any health- or age-related
wanted to go back home, but is afraid to fly.
travel obstacle.
We’re working to make this happen.”
family’s time-share apartment in Provincetown
Making these kinds of trips come true
with her three sons. Her oldest son, 16, is is Gibson’s driving force; unfortunately, the
wheelchair bound, while her youngest, 12, friend who inspired him to create the comis autistic. Having Gibson along as a skilled pany passed away before getting a chance to
companion allowed Jones and her middle son, take advantage of its services. Each Home &
14, to fully enjoy their seaside surroundings Away client is a tribute to his memory. “There
without worry.
are people who want to go somewhere before
“We went to the Cape for a few days,” they die and I’m taking it as my job to get
Jones said. “Fred was there to help me, which them there,” Gibson said. “It can be simple or
was great. We could do things we otherwise complicated, but let’s not eliminate someone
couldn’t do.” That included going to the from that possibility, but rather allow them
beach, where it’s difficult to bring a wheelchair, to enjoy the last years of their life.”
or going into town, where crowded conditions
Home & Away also offers respite services if
can be uncomfortable.
a relative is too infirm to travel or if someone
While Jones and her 14-year-old enjoyed is needed to look after a loved one while the
the ocean, Gibson kept an eye on the other family is away.
two boys. The son with autism enjoyed the
wading pool while Gibson, aware of the boy’s
For more information: call 508-844-7534 or
sensitivity to the heat, brought him into the email homeandaway@comcast.net.
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Services
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The well-being of our residents comes first, and our services are
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the services we offer at Life Care Center of Leominster are:
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Phone: 978-532-1516
TTY/Voice: 800-439-2370
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Affordable Housing – must be income eligible
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Coes Pond Village is a community which has off-street parking,
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8
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101 Randolph Road • Worcester, MA 01606
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Birthday Parties
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Travel and Entertainment
dents don’t.
A steep hillside of Victorianera houses looms over what
amounts to a riverfront main
street lined with small, familyowned businesses. It has become
a port of call for a few cruise
ships.
Astoria is on a steep hillside comprised of Victorian-era houses looming over a
It is unpretentious yet has
riverfront main street.
good restaurants and museums.
Not to miss: the Columbia River
By Joseph B. Frazier
Maritime Museum, open daily. You will learn why the
NEWPORT, Ore. —
nearby river’s mouth is called the Pacific Graveyard.
regon’s coast is still wild enough to be a windy
Nearby are the diminishing remains of the Peter Iredale,
wonder, tame enough for the squeamish, surprisa four-masted barque that sits where it ran aground in
ingly affordable and uncrowded, and yet diverse
1906. There are other shipwrecks on the coast, some
enough to please at least someone in the car most of the
appearing and vanishing with the tidal patterns and winds.
time.
Also just south of Astoria is Fort Clatsop, where the
All beaches are public, and access is guaranteed by law.
Lewis and Clark expedition spent the soggy winter of
Because the coastal highway didn’t go in until the
1805-1806. It’s part of the national park system now. It
1930s, much of the coast remains relatively free from com- contains a replica of their fort and an interpretive center
mercial development and some is scarcely developed at all. and bookstore. Archaeologists still work the site from time
You can look for agates, watch whales, deep-sea fish, go to time.
crabbing, surf, play golf, explore shipwrecks and fishing
fleets, hit a world-class aquarium and a family-oriented
marine science center, try your luck at tribal casinos, poke
around for a legendary buried treasure or sit back and
watch spectacular surf pound the rocks.
Or you can just stroll the beach, feel the cool, stiff wind
on your cheeks and quite possibly see only a handful of
people.
Not bad. And a lot of it is free.
The 363-mile coast is dotted with small villages plus a
few medium-sized cities that by and large are blue-collar
fishing towns and seaports, not yet tarted up for tourism.
Don’t try to see how fast you can make the drive. Take
time to poke around and find your own favorite place or
local festival.
The Peter Iredale, a four-masted barque sits where it ran
Reasonable if not ritzy motel rooms are common for
aground in 1906.
$35 to $50 but can vary with the season.
Plenty of state parks have camping facilities ranging
Continue to Manzanita at the base of Nea-Kah-Nie
from the very basic to domed, cabin-like yurts. Rates vary
Mountain, where Indian legend has it that sailors came
and in the summer especially, reservations are advisable
ashore, probably in the 1700s, and buried a chest, leaving
through the Oregon State Parks Department.
the body of one of their members slumped over it.
A downside: It might rain in the summer. It will rain in
It’s plausible. Spanish sailing ships carrying beeswax
the winter.
from the Philippines to Mexico wrecked on that part of
The ho-hum miles along Oregon’s piece of U.S. 101,
the coast, and chunks of the wax still turn up, much less
much of it two-lane, are more than offset by drop-dead
often now. The best collection probably is at the Tillamook
beauty the rest of the way.
County Pioneer Museum. While in Tillamook, visit the
The drive from Portland to Astoria along the Columbia
Tillamook cheese factory, which offers free self-guided
River takes about two hours. Astoria itself at the river’s
tours.
mouth is a town some visitors call quaint, but most resiFarther south in Newport, the historic waterfront dis-
O
trict still keeps at least some of its old aura.
There are some good restaurants and shops featuring work of regional artisans. Oregon State University’s
Hatfield Marine Science Center across the bay offers userfriendly movies, exhibits and displays of coastal marine
life, including a live but wet “petting zoo” of marine creatures and educational walking tours of the fishing fleet
docks. Donations are encouraged. Nearby is the highly
rated Oregon Coast Aquarium.
Nine 19th-century lighthouses are along the coast,
some open to the public and many working, although
automated.
Some sites are favored by surfers. Great White sharks
are not unheard of.
Several ports offer salmon or other fishing charters.
Newport provides boat trips to watch gray whales not far
off the coast.
Between there and Florence 50 miles south is some
of the more spectacular scenery on the coast. South of
Florence is the National Dunes Recreation Area, 40 miles
of desert-like sand mountains. For a slow climb up and
a steep romp down, try Jesse Honeyman State Park, just
south of Florence.
The southern end of the coast, too, is spectacular if
more isolated, and small towns such as Bandon and Port
Orford recall a calmer era.
Many visitors to Gold Beach take the daylong Rogue
River mail boat trip upriver to Agness and back. Boats
have been taking mail to the isolated region since 1895.
Today, two companies offer jet-boat trips up the river, usually from May to October. Jerry’s Rogue Jets and Mail Boat
Hydro-Jets are easy to find.
Rental car agencies have various drop-off options, if not
farther down the coast in California then at cities inland.
— AP
If You Go ...
•Oregon Tourism: www.traveloregon.com or 800-5477842.
•Astoria: www.oldoregon.com or 800-875-6807.
•Fort Clatsop: Part of Lewis and Clark National
Historic Park, www.nps.gov/lewi/planyourvisit/fortclatsop.
htm.
•Oregon Coast Aquarium: Newport; www.aquarium.
org. Open daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Memorial Day weekendLabor Day, daily, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.) Adults, $14.25; children
3-12, $8.75.
•Hatfield Marine Science Center: Newport; www.
hmsc.oregonstate.edu/visitor or 541-867-0100. Open
Thursday-Monday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (Memorial Day weekend-Labor Day, daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.) Admission by suggested donation.
Christopher Heights of Worcester
Assisted Living at Reasonable Rates for Every Budget.
Our Assisted Living Community is located on Belmont Hill with easy access to all major medical centers
and the city’s many cultural attractions. Residents enjoy private apartments with a kitchenette and bath,
furnished with their own treasured possessions. Christopher Heights offers:
• Three chef prepared meals daily
• Housekeeping and laundry service
• Assistance with personal care needs
• Medication management
• Dedicated staff available
24 hours a day – 7 days a week
CHRISTOPHER HEIGHTS of Worcester
20 Mar y Scano Drive
•
•
• A full social calendar
• Christopher House Nursing and
Rehabilitation Center on campus
AN ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY
Worc ester, MA 01605
•
Tel: 508-792-1456
Visit our website and take a
virtual tour of our neighborhood.
www.christopherheights.com
You do have options…
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• Short-Term Rehabilitation...
to return home
• Long-Term, Respite, Hospice Care or
Private Services
& Specialized Care
• Personal Care
• Medication Management
• Private Hospice Care
• Homemaking Services
• Post-Operative Care
• Companionship, errands
and more!
• Respite Care
• Alzheimer’s Assistance
• our Candlewood Unit –
“Care of the Memory Impaired”
You can count on the staff at the Radius
HealthCare Centers to meet your needs. For
further information or for a tour contact the
Radius nearest you:
Discount available
on 24/7 homecare
Since 1977
RADIUS HEALTHCARE CENTER
AT SOUTHBRIDGE
RADIUS HEALTHCARE CENTER
AT WORCESTER
508-765-9133
508-860-5000
www.RadiusHealthCareCenters.com
Great People. Great View.
Great Place to Live!
Call to tour Worcester’s
newest senior community!
1 Bedroom Apartments Feature:
• Fully Applianced Kitchen
• Central Air-Conditioning
• All Utilities Included
• Wall to Wall Carpet
• Spacious Rooms
• Ample Parking
• Non Smoking Building
• Van service for weekly shopping
• Laundry Rooms on Each Floor
INDEPENDENT
LIVING!
Rent equals 30% of income
• Spacious 1 and 2 bedroom apartments.
• Shopping bus twice weekly.
• Residents Services
Coordinator.
• Small pets welcome.
• 24 hour emergency
maintenance.
• Individually controlled heat
and air conditioning are
included in your rent.
• Superb city or pond views.
• Fun trips including Foxwoods
and Mohegan Sun.
• Individual closed circuit
TV monitor.
Seabury Heights
240-244 Belmont Street, Worcester
Call Today 508-756-2521
• Library & Community Rooms
with large screen TV
• 24 Hour Emergency Maintenance
• All units are subsidized.
• Conveniently located near
Hospitals, Shopping Centers and
Downtown Worcester.
Village at Ascension Heights
42 Vernon Street, Worcester, MA
For more information please call 508-752-5590
To qualify a person must be at least 62 years of age and meet HUD annual low income
guidelines of no more that $26,900 for a single person or $30,750 for a couple.
Office Hours: Monday and Friday 1:00pm - 5:00pm
www.fiftyplusadvocates.com
11
OWN A PIECE OF HISTORY
“Enjoy a new 1 or 2 bedroom
condo in these beautifully
restored schoolhouses located
in a country-like setting just
minutes to Main Street.”
Serving elders and those
who care for them
The New England Dream Center’s Social Day Care
offers a safe, supervised, social setting with individual and group
activities that encourage elders to interact. The Social Day Care is
available to elders aged 60 and older, including those with Alzheimer's
disease or memory disorders. Our experienced staff are trained to
provide elders with kind and caring attention. We are proud of our reputation in the community
for quality and innovative programs for elders and those who care for them.
Remaining units start
at $165,000.00
Hours: 8:00a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Monday through Friday.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO
New England Dream Center Social Day Care
SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT CALL:
5 Chestnut Street, Worcester, MA 01609
To arrange a visit or for more information, please contact:
Maureen Moylan, Program Director @ 508-757-3333 ext. 2010
nedc-sdc@nedreamcenter.com • www.nedreamcenter.com
CARRIE STEVENS @ (508) 667-7434
Rice School Condominiums, 42-48 Phillips Road, Holden
You can’t beat our award-winning senior community!
Good neighbors! Quality lifestyle!
W
e have been telling you for years that Green Hill
Towers is the best senior housing community in
the area.
Now both the New England and the National Affordable
Housing Management Associations have given us awards
reflecting our commitment to the quality lifestyle of our
residents.
Since 1983 Green Hill Towers in Worcester has been serving the
housing needs of this area’s senior citizens.
With-in the building amenities include a handicap-accessible lounge
on every floor; a library with books in English and Spanish; a
physical fitness center; a game room that includes a billard
table; and a theatre-like media center.
A craft room; moderately priced meal programs; and a
community room used for parties, meals and bingo are some
of the other amenities that make life at Green Hill Towers more
enjoyable.
An oasis in the center of the second largest city in New England,
residents enjoy our six acre park-like grounds, manicured gardens;
walkways to enjoy the local birds and small wildlife.
“Immediate Openings for seniors 62 and over!”
Green Hill Towers
Call 508-755-6062 for a free no-obligation tour.
TDD# 508-755-0228 • 27 Mt. Vernon St., Worcester
12
Fifty Plus Advocate
March 12, 2009
Wheelchair accessible apartments available!
Available occupancy to income eligible mature adults (age 62 years & older)
or permanently disabled. Preference is given to individuals 62 or older.
Managed by
Financed by MHFA
Home Improvement
Green and gray, hot topics at remodeling show
By J.W. Elphinstone
BALTIMORE —
reen, gray and outdoor themes are dominating
the remodeling industry. About 315 exhibitors
showcased their wares at Hanley Wood’s annual
Remodeling Show at the Baltimore Convention Center. The
trade show spotlights the latest trends in remodeling, from
the functional and basic like drills and foam insulation,
to the sexy and new like freestanding baths and the latest
Kohler faucets.
Green galore: Green is the new black in the remodeling industry as energy costs soar and global warning takes
center stage.
“It’s clear we’re living in an era of scarce resources and
we have to adapt to that,” said Rick McConnell, senior vice
president of Hanley Wood Exhibitions. “That’s more and
more reflected by the companies in the exhibit.”
Geocel introduced its green sealants and adhesives at
the show, while other manufacturers slapped a green label
on their older products.
For example, the Icynene Insulation System promises
to slash energy costs by up to 50 percent if you replace the
conventional foam in walls with its soft-foam variety.
“Obviously, high energy prices are driving the bus,” said
Ron Hruz, regional sales manager.
Even those exhibitors without green credentials, from
bathroom accessory suppliers to home finance companies,
got in the act and offered tote bags that could double as
environmentally friendly grocery bags.
Boomer bonanza: Suppliers and manufacturers are
ready for the onslaught of seniors as baby boomers turn
gray.
G
“Baby boomers are doing more for their parents now
mentally-friendly, Murray said, because it uses bio-waste
than for themselves, but they have it in the back of their
and doesn’t leech off the environment like rain-forest wood
minds for down the road,” said Jason Multanen, national
that’s now popular in high-end deck design.
sales manager for Best Bath Systems.
Hot & toasty: You can keep your hands and feet warm
His company offers stylish tubs with doors and wheelwith technologies rolled out by two companies at the show.
chair roll-in showers accessible for
Watts Radiant Inc., based in
everyone. The systems are backed by
Springfield, Mo., introduced its elecplywood thick enough that grab bars
tric underfloor mats. Heating coils are
can be installed without extra reinwoven into the mats, and regulated
forcement.
by a floor sensor, which can be turned
Similarly, AKW Medicare showed
on or off at any time. The cost for an
off its barrier-free showers and a halfunderfloor mat runs about $800 and
height shower door that allow a careup, per room, and operating costs
giver to help bathe an individual.
average about a dime a day.
Room without a roof: Contractors are
In the bathroom, MTI Whirlpools
taking their skills outside as decks, porchprovides tubs and showers with radiant
es and terraces become the next popular
heating systems. The shower’s floors and
“room” to redecorate. Next year, show orgaseat offer two heated areas for comfortable
MTI Whirlpools provides entry. The tub has two similar areas, along the
nizers plan to combine its Deck Expo with
tubs and showers with back and on the bottom, so a bather doesn’t
The Remodeling Show.
radiant heating systems. have to sit and lean against a cold tub. It also
Making its debut at a U.S. trade show,
Norway’s Kebony unveiled its durable wood
can come with an air-jet system that gives a
products for beautiful decking or siding. Regular wood
light, full-body massage.
is infused with a bio-based liquid made from agricultural
Odds and ends: Avoiding that kitchen makeover
waste from sugar cane production. The result is a stronger
because of the hassle? A solution is in sight.
and more stable version of the wood, which retains its
Dwyer showed off its freestanding, temporary kitchen
natural grain.
for homeowners in the midst of a kitchen renovation. The
“It’s like taking pine up to the hardness of oak,” said
portable unit looks like a large stainless steel island with
Douglas Murray Jr., Kebony’s head of North American
overhead cabinets. Depending on the model it can feature
operations.
a breakfast bar for seating, a dishwasher, one or two cook
The product also wards off termites better than poisontops, a sink and a microwave.
treated wood, Murray said, because the bugs end up starvBut your contractor might not shell out for this conveing to death on the agricultural waste. To boot, it’s environ- nience. The price tag starts at $6,495. — AP
Hawthorne Hill Elderly Housing
Phase I & II • 106 Main Street, Rutland, MA 01543
Bright & airy one bedroom units, both subsidized
and non-subsidized.
Elderly & disabled rental units.
Eligible tenants pay 30% of monthly income.
HOME&AWAY
enables you to travel with Peace of Mind
by providing appropriate care for you.
HUD Section 8 Subsidy and USDA/RD Rental Assistance.
To obtain applications, please call Brenda at 508-886-6920
TDD 1-800-439-2370
Laundry Facilities • Community Rooms • Accessible Units
SKILLED COMPANION SERVICES
• Personalized Care
• Mobility Assistance
CREMATION SERVICE
1- 8 00- 27 9 - 742 9
• Medical Support
• Companion Care
(ALSO AFFORDABLE TRADITIONAL FUNERALS)
Includes
• Transportation in
Worcester County and
Windham County
• Obtaining Legal
Permits
1105
*$
• Professional Staff
Services
• Preparation
• Crematory Fee
• Cremation Container
00
Complete
Worcester County
and Windham
County, CT
*prices may change if we incur increases by providers
Shaw-Majercik
Funeral Home
“Because We Care”
ESTABLISHED 1910
RICHARD D. MAJERCIK, DIRECTOR
“Serving All Faiths”
Veteran owned
48 School St., Webster, MA 01570 • 508-943-6278
Call Fred Gibson for free information 508-844-7534
homeandaway@comcast.net
Fully Insured ~ Confidential ~ Professional
www.fiftyplusadvocates.com
13
Money Matters
Reverse mortgages more popular than ever
T
he distinguished voice on the radio
advertisement pitching reverse mortgages has a familiar ring: Yes, that’s
James Garner, the venerable television and
film actor.
Garner, in ads for a lender,
touts reverse mortgages as
an option for homeowners
62 or older who are seeking
an influx of cash to better
manage their ever-mounting
expenses — or just live a bit
better in retirement.
But the increasing popularity of reverse mortgages
during the economic slump
has revealed some pitfalls
that can be avoided by doing
what thousands of U.S. foreclosure victims who entered
into bad adjustable-rate loans
should have done three and
four years ago: Ask questions, do the proper
homework and make sure to deal with a
reputable salesperson.
The basics of the reverse mortgage are
simple enough to grasp. It allows an eligible
homeowner to borrow from the home’s equity
in a lump sum, line of credit or regular payments, while not having to pay a monthly
mortgage. The homeowner retains title and
must pay insurance and property taxes while
living there.
The loan and fees are due once the homeowner listed on the deed dies or vacates the
home for 12 straight months. The home is
usually sold, and the proceeds from the sale
are used to pay off the loan
— plus interest and those
pesky fees.
The typical customer
owns the home outright or
has a relatively low mortgage balance. Many who
take reverse mortgages and
the monthly payouts are on
fixed incomes from Social
Security or pensions and
want financial help as they
work to meet the rising costs
of taxes, medicine, utilities
and food.
Others may take part
of a lump sum for home
improvements, for example.
And the homeowner never owes more than
the home’s value.
About 90 percent of U.S. reverse mortgages are Home Equity Conversion Mortgages
(HECMs). They are insured by the Federal
Housing Administration (FHA).
Nationally, the reverse mortgage bandwagon is filling up. In fiscal 2007, the FHA
endorsed 107,558 reverse mortgages, an
increase of 40 percent over fiscal 2006 and
more than 12 times the amount recorded in
Senior Sense
Certificates
with rates as high as
4.00
%
APY*
Call for details.
63 Southbridge St., Auburn
508-832-2100
714 Main St., Shrewsbury
508-842-7400
148 Main St., Northborough
508-393-8112
Safe. Secure.
Since 1952
Federally insured by NCUA
www.centralfcu.com
*Annual Percentage Yield. The APY assumes that dividends remain in the account
until maturity. All certificate rates are fixed for the length of the term. Senior
Sense Certificates require a $10,000 minimum balance and direct deposit of
social security or pension into a Central One share draft account. Subject to an
early withdrawal penalty. Rate is accurate as of 2/18/09 and is subject to change
at any time without notice.
14
Fifty Plus Advocate
March 12, 2009
fiscal year 2001, according to the National
Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association.
At Bankers First Mortgage Inc. offices
throughout Pennsylvania, roughly 25 to
30 people have been coming in per month
asking about reverse mortgages, said George
Hanzimanolis, president of Bankers First
Mortgage and the National Association of
Mortgage Brokers.
Hanzimanolis says reverse mortgages are
valuable because they allow seniors to keep
their homes in their advancing age. He points
out that married seniors should both be
listed on the deed, so that one spouse can
continue with the reverse mortgage if the
other passes away.
That tip is one of many offered by observers and experts.
Reverse mortgages mean the home will
probably be sold at the end of the loan, mainly
because the homeowner, or an heir if a death
is involved, will be looking for cash to pay
off the mortgage. Thus, seniors who want to
leave their homestead to their children may
not want to enter in a reverse mortgage.
When considering a reverse mortgage,
consumers should make sure they are dealing
with a reputable salesperson.
For those considering a reverse mortgage,
the message is straightforward: Consider all
options, look at consequences of the decision
beyond the next few years, ask enough questions to satisfy concerns. — AP
For information about reverse mortgages:
Marc Pisa of Bank of American, Worcester,
508-829-9011 or email, marc.a.pisa@bank
ofamerica.com
Minimum distribution rule regarding retirement funds explained
By David Pitt
I
f you have a personal finance question
that you’d like to see answered by an
AP personal finance writer, send it to
yourmoney@ap.org, with “Your Money”
in the subject line. Please include your
full name and hometown.
Q: I’ve heard a new law was signed in
December that suspended the required minimum distribution rules for retirees turning
70 1/2. Can you explain the law and how it
affects retirees?
A: The required minimum distribution rule is designed to give the government its share of the taxes on retirement
account money, which has been accumulating tax free.
Retirees, at 70 1/2 must begin taking
a specified amount of money out of their
RULE page 15
Can your bank CD give you a rate of
income between 7% and 12% each year
and guaranty it for the rest of your life?…
WORCESTER. Many retirees rely on
interest from bank CD’s to supplement
their income. They often have to
choose between what they need today,
or preserving their savings to provide
for tomorrow. During the recent
extended period of low interest rates,
many retirees were forced to either use
up part of their savings or significantly
lower their quality of life. What will
happen when interest rates drop again?
There are simple strategies you can
use to substantially boost your income
from your savings, with the peace of
mind of lifetime guarantees, so you will
never again be hurt when interest rates
go down again.
The Visper Group, a Worcester retirement services and estate preservation
firm, has prepared a report outlining
these strategies. They will mail you a
copy of the report at no cost and with no
obligation. To order your free report
simply call their recorded message line,
toll-free at (888) 456-8243 (Ext. 92306)
and leave your name and mailing
address.
Just How Well Prepared Are You?
❖ Elder Law
❖ Real Estate Law
❖ Wills and Trusts
❖ Tax Issues
❖ Living Wills
❖ Corp. Business Law
❖ Estate Planning
❖ Long-Term Care Planning
❖ Power of Attorney
❖ Guardianships
❖ Health-care Powers of Attorney
Josephine L. Veglia
Attorney at Law
Member: National Academy Elder Law Attorneys
275 Main Street, Oxford, MA 01540 • 508-987-3981
1-800-286-3981 • FAX 508-987-1317
Kohl warns of baby boomers’ risky investments Social Security chief hopeful on solvency
WASHINGTON —
isconsin Sen. Herb Kohl said
many baby boomers nearing
retirement have their money in
risky investments that are losing value.
W
The funds are supposed to
shift money to safer bonds as
investors’ retirement nears.
Kohl said a Senate committee investigation found many people who plan to retire
next year are invested in target-date funds
that are losing value. The funds are supposed
to shift money to safer bonds as investors’
retirement nears.
➤ Rule
Cont. from page 14
retirement accounts to pay taxes on their
untaxed holdings in an IRA, 401(k) and
other similar accounts. Failure to take
out the money normally results in a
50 percent penalty on the amount you
should have taken out.
The Bush administration signed the
Worker, Retiree and Employer Recovery
Act of 2008 on Dec. 23. The bill temporarily waives the penalty imposed by the
IRS for failure to take the annual minimum required distribution from retirement accounts in 2009.
Suspending the mandatory withdrawal allows people to keep the money in
But Kohl said
surveys
show
many target-date
funds are keeping
money in volatile
stocks. He said
one such fund
lost more than 40
percent of its value
last year.
Kohl said he
Kohl
has asked federal
officials to establish rules on how money in such funds
should be invested. He said if they do not
act, he will introduce legislation to protect
the funds. — AP
the account and possibly recover some of
their losses when the market recovers.
Advocates for retirees had hoped the
government would provide similar relief
for 2008, but it did not.
Because of the way IRS rules are written, the required withdrawal for 2008
was based on account balances as of
Dec. 31, 2007. Since many people lost
significant amounts in the stock market
in late 2008, they had to take withdrawals based on significantly higher balances
than they had in their accounts, said
David Certner, legislative policy director
for the AARP.
“We were happy to have relief for
2009, but we were disappointed they
didn’t give relief for 2008, which was a
more critical year,” he said.
By Jim Salter
S
ocial Security Commissioner
Michael Astrue is hopeful
the Obama administration
will address the solvency of the
system before the 2012 elections.
But in a recent speech in St.
Louis, Astrue declined to speculate on exactly how the administration plans to fix it.
Speaking to business leaders
on the campus of Washington
Astrue
University, Astrue said the new
administration is dealing with
the economy and health care before turning its attention to Social Security.
“I do think the appetite with getting
on with Social Security reform after that
Please check off all the facilities that you would like to receive free, no obligation information
from. You can check off as many locations as you like. Your name will not be used for any
other purpose.
Active Adult Communities:
❏ Oak Point - Middleboro
❏ Village @ Ames Pond - Stoughton
Affordable 55+ Housing:
❏
❏
❏
❏
Cambridge Court - Apartments, Cambridge
Coes Pond Village - Apartments, Worcester
Lincoln Village - Apartments, Worcester
Sunbanke Village - Apartments, Boylston
Assisted Living Facilities:
Senior Equity Reverse Mortgage™
š NO INCOME OR CREDIT SCORE REQUIREMENTS
š ELIMINATE YOUR EXISTING MOR TGAGE PAYMENTS
š CONTINUE TO LIVE IN YOUR HOME WITH
Rest Homes:
Introducing Senior Equity Reverse Mortgage™ from
Bank of America. Our new reverse mortgage products can
help you supplement your retirement income by drawing
upon the equity in your home. Senior Equity Reverse
Mortgage allows you the freedom to use your money as
you want – eliminate existing debt, pay for medical
expenses, improve your home or visit your grandkids.
For more information, please contact me directly:
Marc Pisa
Reverse Mortgage Loan Officer
Office: 508.829.9011
Cell: 508.723.2409
marc.a.pisa@bankofamerica.com
SOLVENCY page 17
Free Housing Info
NOW BANK OF AMERICA
GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY
TO STAY IN YOUR HOME,
AND LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER.
NO REVERSE MOR TGAGE PAYMENTS
is very high and they will focus on trying
to get something done before the next
presidential election,” Astrue said.
Trustees for Social Security
said last year that resources for
the benefit program would be
depleted by 2041. Both Social
Security and Medicare, the
nation’s other big benefit program, are facing increasing pressure as 78 million baby boomers
begin retiring and drawing benefits.
But even in a worst-case scenario, Astrue said insolvency
wouldn’t mean Social Security would
“fall off the cliff,” leaving recipients with-
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
Carmel Terrace - Assisted Living, Framingham
Christopher Heights - Assisted Living, Worcester
Life Care of Leominster - Leominster
Orchard Hill - Assisted Living, Sudbury
River Bay Club - Assisted Living, Quincy
❏ Dodge Park Rest Home - Rest Home, Worcester
❏ Lincoln Hill Manor - Rest Home, Spencer
Subsidized Housing:
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
Ashland House - Ashland
Academy Knoll - Apartments, Marlborough
Ashland Common - Retirement Living, Ashland
Binnal House - Gardner
Green Hill Towers - Apartments, Worcester
Longfellow Glen - Apartments, Sudbury
Peters Grove - Hudson
Seabury Heights - Apartments, Worcester
Summerhill Glen - Apartments, Maynard
Village @ Ascension Heights - Worcester
FREE HOUSING INFORMATION
(PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY) Phone # Optional
Name
Address
City
State
Zip
Phone
Credit is subject to age and property qualifications. Please contact a Bank of America Equity
Loan Officer for more information.
Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. © 2007 Bank of America Corporation.
s Equal Housing Lender AD-SERM
Attn: Free Fifty Plus Housing Information
Fifty Plus Advocate, 131 Lincoln St., Worcester, MA 01605
\
z-2
3.12.09
www.fiftyplusadvocates.com
15
Health care costs to top $8,000 per person
WASHINGTON —
new government report on medical costs paints a stark picture for
President Barack Obama, who has
called for a health care overhaul.
Even before lawmakers start debating
how care is delivered to the American
people, the report shows the economy is
making the job of reform
harder.
Health care costs will top
$8,000 per person this year,
consuming an ever-bigger
slice of a shrinking economic pie, according to the
report by the Department of
Health and Human Services
(HHS).
As the recession cuts
into tax receipts, Medicare’s
giant hospital trust fund is
running out of cash more
rapidly, and could become
insolvent as early as 2016, Palmer
the report said. That’s three
years sooner than previously forecast.
At the same time, the government’s
already large share of the nation’s health
care bill will keep growing.
Programs such as Medicaid are
expanding to take up some of the slack as
more people lose job-based coverage. And
baby boomers will soon start reaching
65 and signing up for Medicare. Those
trends together mean that taxpayers will
be responsible for more than half of the
nation’s health care bill by 2016 — just
A
16
Fifty Plus Advocate
seven years from now.
“The outlook for health spending during these difficult economic times is laden
with formidable challenges,” said the
report by statisticians at HHS. It appears
in the journal Health Affairs.
The health care cost forecast did not
take into account recent legislation that
expanded medical coverage
for children of low income
working parents, and added to the government’s
obligations.
The report “accelerates
the day of reckoning,” said
economist John Palmer
of the Maxwell School at
Syracuse University.
“It is bringing home
more immediately the
problematic dimensions
of what we face,” added
Palmer, who has served as
a trustee overseeing Social
Security and Medicare
finances. “The picture was bad enough 10
years from now, but the fact that everything is accelerating gives greater impetus
to be concerned about health reform.”
The report found health care costs will
average $8,160 this year for every man,
woman and child, an increase of $356
per person from last year.
Meanwhile, the number of uninsured
has risen to about 48 million, according
to a new estimate by the Kaiser Family
Foundation.
March 12, 2009
The government statisticians estimated
that health costs will reach $13,100 per
person in 2018, accounting for $1 out of
every $5 spent in the economy.
The report “accelerates the
day of reckoning.”
John Palmer
Policy makers would like to slow the
rate of increase in spending, but that has
proven difficult, because American-style
medicine care relies on intensive use of
costly high-tech tests and procedures.
In a separate report, private researchers looked at spending on medical conditions and found that the most costly were
mental disorders — including Alzheimer’s
— and heart problems.
The White House said Obama believes
that out-of-control costs are the main obstacle to securing coverage for all.
“Health care costs are crushing middle
class families and the small businesses
that fuel job growth in this country,” said
White House spokesman Reid Cherlin.
“President Obama believes that if we’re
going to get our economy back on track,
we have to act quickly to address this
pressing issue.” — AP
Kerry expanding state office hours amid tumult
BOSTON —
ising unemployment, an
unfolding federal stimulus bill and an expanding
need for government services have
prompted Sen. John Kerry and
his staff to hold office hours in
all 351 Massachusetts cities and
towns this year.
Staffers are available for state
residents who have questions,
grievances and concerns about federal programs. Kerry plans to attend the sessions
as his Washington schedule and duties as
Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman allow.
The Massachusetts Democrat pledged to
R
have his aides hit every city and
town before the end of the year,
if possible.
“It has to do with my own
perception of the increased need,
demand from people who are
really hurting, and a lot of them
questioning, ‘What’s government
doing for me or capable of doing
for me?’ ” Kerry said.
While the sessions have an
open agenda, the staffers who attend have
specific areas of expertise. For instance, the
staffer who recently visited the Shrewsbury
Senior Center focused on elderly issues.
For a schedule of appearances go to: kerry.
senate.gov/services/intro.cfm — AP
Retiree finds second career as a carpenter
By Susan Silvers
TRUMBULL, Conn. —
own Hall may not be the first place
you’d expect to find hand-crafted
furniture. That is, unless you stop in
the Town Council chamber.
Gone are the tables with chipped and
laminated tops. In their place are stately oak
tables that complement the judge’s bench in
what once serve d as the town courtroom.
The tables are the creations of Jack
Schlechtweg, a local craftsman who has found
new life in retirement by polishing skills he
acquired in his youth.
Town officials were looking to replace
the worn tables with money from the Jennie
and Ethel Mallett Trust, a bequest of two
longtime town residents, that for nearly 20
years has provided money used for town
enhancements.
Over the years, the funds have been used
for such purposes as the Jonathan Trumbull
statue on Town Hall Green and the covered
T
➤ Solvency
Cont. from page 15
out any benefits. Even if no changes are
made, the program by 2041 would still
be collecting enough in payroll taxes to
pay 78 percent of current benefits.
While some experts believe the goal
should be to get Social Security solvent
for 75 years, Astrue believes that may be
bridge in Twin Brooks Park.
This year, town officials decided to dedicate the available funds to the council chamber. As they were browsing through furniture
catalogs they learned of Schlechtweg by word
of mouth.
“Any time you can make an improvement
to the town, without cost to the town, I’m
in favor of it,” said council member Matt
Reale.
For Schlechtweg, a peppy 61-year-old
former telephone company executive, it
was a perfect opportunity to take on a big
project.
“They were huge,” he said of the four
oak tables that measure 11 feet long by 30
inches each. It took him eight or nine weeks
of mostly full-time work to fashion the tables,
which have raised paneling on the front, and
fluting on the legs. “It’s a traditional style,”
he said.
In the garage workshop of his Madison
Avenue home, Schlechtweg usually crafts
cabinets ordered by interior designers or
reaching too high. He urged reform that
would guarantee solvency through 2065.
He wants to see enough progress “that
the young people of today have confidence in the system in the future.”
As for how specifically the administration will address Social Security’s shortfall, Astrue said he isn’t sure.
“This administration is still too new
for it to really be clear to me which way
they’re going to go,” he said. — AP
Trumbull’s Town Council chamber features
tables made by Schlechtweg.
others who know of his skills.
In a nearly four-decade career that took
him from Southern New England Telephone
(SNET) to Lucent, he hadn’t expected to
return to the profession he had studied as
a teenager at J.M. Wright Technical School
in Stamford.
After a couple of years doing rough carpentry after graduation — mostly framing
houses — he went into the U.S. Coast Guard
Reserve and then joined SNET, eventually
becoming a national accounts manager that
required frequent travel. Carpentry was left to
tinkering around the house, where he and his
wife, Joann, who teaches in Stamford, raised
their three children until he took a buyout
amid corporate restructuring in 2001.
“If you asked me how I was gonna make
a living after I retired, I would have said you
were crazy,” he said of his return to carpentry.
But, he reflected, “they must have taught me
a lot because it sort of stuck there.”
He started to make a few small cabinets,
which were sold in a Kennebunk, Maine,
consignment shop his sister worked in. He
expanded to selling around Connecticut,
fostering relationships with designers who
would come to him with special requests he
would accept if the projects interested him.
“I like to be creative. I like to have some
flexibility,” he said.
“I never did things to make a lot of money,”
he continued, adding that his own satisfaction
and “exceeding people’s expectations” were
important to him.
Although projects like this require fresh
lumber, Schlechtweg is not a wasteful sort,
making use of pieces he may find discarded
on the street or at the town dump. “If it’s real
wood I’ll take it and put it in my car,” he said.
And he makes use of pieces that may need to
be reworked. For example, someone wanted
a new base for a table, and Schlectweg plans
to use its teak base in something else.
The town paid $10,128 for the tables,
which was less than the prices quoted from
companies, officials said. They also avoided
a delivery charge since public works simply
picked up the finished product. Meanwhile,
the tables give Schlechtweg, who otherwise
displays some of his pieces at Fairfield Marble,
at 157 West Ave. in Stratford, a public face.
He never knows what’s just around the
corner. “I haven’t done any real built-ins,”
he said.
“I might like to try that.” — AP
www.fiftyplusadvocates.com
17
Viewpoint
Confessions of a Facebook junky: Or how I learned to embrace my inner coolness
By Sondra L. Shapiro
B
arack and I have some things in common. We like
writing, and our favorite movies are Casablanca
and Lawrence of Arabia, according to our Facebook
profiles.
The big difference, besides the obvious, is while I
scan the network for long-lost friends and family, the
president is seeking “supporters.” When
you are president, supporters are more
important than friends, I guess.
Just My Opinion
That I’m not in the president’s tight
circle-of-“friends” registers as a small
disappointment. It would have been really cool to have a “friend” in such a high place.
OK, time to come clean. I knew I had to write a
column, but I was having a very difficult time pulling
away from my newest addiction, Facebook. So I decided
that by writing about it, I would have an excuse to play
around with the site and still get some “work” done.
I place blame for my new fixation on Time magazine
and my friends Deb and Angela. The seed was planted
after I read Time’s irreverent piece, “Why Facebook is for
Old Fogies.” After reading the story, I felt as if the train
had left the station without me onboard. I struggled my
way into opening a Facebook account ages ago after
receiving an invite from a long-lost acquaintance. After
that, I never went to the site again. Because Facebook
has become part of the social lexicon, I was always
aware of it. But much in the same way that I was initially
disinterested in the term “blog” or “text messaging,” I
saw no useful reason to spend any time exploring things
further.
Then over dinner recently, Deb started singing
Facebook’s praises as a professional network site. How
could my friend of 30 years, a 50-something contemporary, be contemplating such sophisticated application for
something that intimidated me? As she went on and on
about its usefulness in using e-mail alerts to promote her
business and how she could feature professional oriented
material on her page, I began to empathize with the
shear terror my in-laws felt when we introduced them to
telephone answering machines and VCRS.
Deb drove away promising to share information from
a class about Facebook she was about to take.
Then, less than a week later, I received an e-mail
from my friend, Angela, inviting me to be her Facebook
“friend.” Oh, no, not her, too! Angela, who won’t be
upset when I divulge that her technical prowess is a half
a level up from that of my in-laws’. But there she was
with the best of them, posting pics of her son. “We can
learn together,” she kindly offered.
So I began learning. I set up my profile, uploaded
some pics of family and friends, posted messages to the
“walls” of other friends. I even conducted a little business from my site. Take that Deb!
Now I can brag that I’m part of Facebook’s fast- growing over-30 demographic.
The most fun has been foraging for long-lost acquaintances and famous people that I can feel closer to by
virtue of their “sharing” personal details under their
Facebook profiles. (I was reminded of those movie magazines of my youth that disclosed the favorite colors and
foods of movie and TV stars.) I began feeling as though I
belonged to a club where the famous and nobodies like
me were at the same social level. It was way cool.
As I was zealously plugging in names of everyone I
know, I stumbled upon Barack Obama’s page.
It’s rather encouraging to finally have a president that
is into technology. We’ve come a long way from George
H. and his perplexity with regard to supermarket scans.
Since Barack has had his site up for a while, I hoped
to get some useful tips. While his page is attractive and
organized, mine is a hodgepodge, so I’ll have to work
on that. He has some cool videos and blogs on his site,
too. Oh, and through his page, visitors can connect with
Michelle’s. Wow! Maybe I should link up some famous
people to my site.
Facebook has come a long way in just the five years
since Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg and some classmates founded the site as a social network for college
students. The concept caught on like wildfire with the
nation’s youth. Just as we “oldsters” have a proclivity
for just about anything geared toward our kids — like
the P.T. Cruiser and Wii — it was just a matter of time
before we “stole” Facebook for our own use.
Time magazine’s piece delved into the reasons our
demographic is so enamored with Facebook:
•We can find people with whom we lost touch or
become “friends” with people who may have rejected us
in our youth.
•It’s great for business networking.
•It’s tantalizingly easy to judge people when we hear
how other people’s lives stink.
•Because our pictures from grade school or summer
camp look nothing like us, we need Facebook tags to
identify us to long-lost acquaintances.
•The captured audience allows us to subject others
to pictures of our kids and grandkids.
•We’re too old to remember e-mail addresses so the
site becomes a one-stop message center.
•And because we no longer care about our “image,”
we aren’t the least bit embarrassed that Facebook is no
longer cool since our kids have already abandoned it for
the newest playground. Twitter anyone?
OK, enough work; gotta go play with my friends.
They are waiting for me to “buy” them a “margarita.” As
for the rest of you, sign up for Facebook if you want to
know what that means.
Sondra Shapiro is the executive editor of the Fifty Plus
Advocate. She can be reached at sshapiro.fiftyplusadvocate@
verizon.net.
4.5 million tax payers didn’t get their stimulus payments last year
By Al Norman
I
n early 2008, Congress authorized
the IRS to issue “Economic Stimulus
Payments” (ESP) to help boost the
economy and help struggling families.
By September of 2008, 114.8 million
Americans had received ESP totaling $93
billion in payments.
Included in this number were 16 million
low-income elders, disabled veterans and
other individuals with disabilities who ordinarily would
not have been required
to file a tax return. But
in order to get their ESP,
they had to file a return.
According to the Center on
Budget and Policy Priorities,
there were as many as 4.5 million
elderly and disabled individuals who did not
get an Economic Stimulus Payment because
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18
Fifty Plus Advocate
MAIL TO:
131 Lincoln St., Worcester, MA 01605
March 12, 2009
they didn’t file a 2007 IRS tax form by the
deadline of Oct. 15, 2008.
Most people
received the maximum Economic
Stimulus Payment
in 2008. But if you did not, the IRS is
giving you a second chance. You may be
eligible for a first time credit or for a larger
payment than you were eligible for last
year. The ESP is now called the Recovery
Rebate Credit (RRC). This payment can
be claimed in 2009 by filing a 2008 tax
return. If you didn’t file a 2007 tax return
by October 15, 2008 to get the ESP, you
can now file a 2008 tax return. Or, if you
didn’t qualify for an ESP in 2008, but based
on your 2008 return you qualify now, you
can apply. If your ESP in 2008 was less than
$600 ($1,200 if married filing jointly), you
can apply for a Recovery Rebate Credit on
your 2008 IRS return. People with $3,000
or more in income can qualify for the RRC.
Income includes not just earnings, but
Social Security, Social Security Disability
Insurance, Veterans Disability and Railroad
Retirement.
The IRS has a Recovery Rebate Credit
worksheet that explains how to fill out the
credit on line 70 of the 1040 tax form for
2008. Your 2008 tax information is used to
figure the RRC.
You need to claim the Recovery Rebate
Editorial
Credit on Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ.
The instructions for these forms will show
you which lines to use. Unlike the ESP, the
Recovery Rebate Credit will be included in
your tax refund for 2008 and will not be
issued as a separate payment. Since the RRC
payments are not taxable, people with no
tax filing requirement who received an ESP
in 2008 are not required to file an IRS tax
return in 2009 to report the RRC.
If you need help filing your tax return, or
figuring out how to calculate the Recovery
Rebate Credit, and you earn roughly $40,000
or less, you can get free tax help through the
IRS-sponsored VITA. You can also get free
tax help from the Tax Counseling for the
Elderly (TCE) program. The TCE program
is sponsored by the IRS and the AARP Tax
Aide Program, open to low- and middleincome taxpayers with special attention
given to those 60 and over. Volunteers from
your community are trained by the IRS to
help people with their tax returns. Call the
IRS at 800-829-1040 to find the nearest
VITA location and hours of operation near
you. To find your local TCE program, go
to www.aarp.org/money/taxaide and enter
your zip code.
Al Norman is the Executive Director of
Mass Home Care. He can be reached at 413773-5555 x 295, or at: info@masshomecare.
org.
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Pre-planning guarantees your wishes are met.
T
he loss of a loved one, young, old, expected,
or unexpected is traumatic. Making the final
arrangements with your funeral home and
choosing the cemetery and the final resting place adds
more trauma to a very sensitive time. At that time
we are asked to make decisions very quickly. All this
being said, we can be of assistance in the pre-planning
portion and extend to all families an opportunity to
benefit from our experience along with easy payment
plans and burial options.
The benefits of pre-planning are significant. Our office will
be happy to assist you in your family pre-planning process.
Pre-planning is practical and economical.
• Spares loved ones the agony of making hasty decisions while under
great emotional stress
• Avoids inflation by purchasing at today’s prices
• Avoids the tendency for emotional “overspending”
• Selections are less limited than in the future
• Affords the piece of mind that comes with the knowledge that
everything will be handled according to your wishes
A message from the director…
I have worked with many families during
the difficult time of the loss of a loved
one and know the importance of
pre-planning. You will reduce your
family’s anxiety and make sure your own
wishes are carried out by scheduling a
no-obligation, information meeting with
my office.
— Robert Ackerman, Director
St. John’s Cemetery and Mausoleum
260 Cambridge Street, Worcester, MA 01603 • 508-757-7415 Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm; Saturday 8:00am - Noon
www.fiftyplusadvocates.com
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