55+ Life Magazine Spring 22

BACKYARD LIGHTING • SKIN CARE TIPS • MAKING YOUR MONEY LAST

SPRING 2022

|

55PLUSLIFEMAG.COM

tiptoe... through the garden! (or, creating an

ENGLISH GARDEN of your very own)

plus!

MINDFUL AGING

Living and appreciating the present

COLLECTIVE WISDOM Words of advice from women over 50

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Cover photo by Don Paul Shannon.

19

13

47

FEATURES 13

TIPTOE THROUGH THE ENGLISH GARDEN How to create a garden oasis in your backyard

19

WORDS TO THE WISE Women over 50 share their life lessons in a new book

28 MINDFUL AGING

What it is and why you might want to try it now

TRAVEL 32 A WALK THROUGH HISTORY Charleston, South Carolina, offers new understanding about America’s past

39 INTERESTED IN HASSLEFREE TRAVEL? Travel advisors may be just the ticket

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

FOOD AND DRINK 47 DID SOMEONE SAY DESSERT? New takes on standard recipes to wow your friends and family HEALTH AND WELLNESS 42 FOODS TO LIVE BY Nutrients everyone over 50 should consider adding to their diets

54 TOP SKIN CARE

TIPS AS YOU AGE Taking care of your skin is a lifelong project

50 WHAT A PICKLE

Pickleball is great exercise and a great way to make friends

LIFESTYLE 59 LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE Clever ways to easily add lighting to your yard without breaking the bank

RETIREMENT 62 5 RETIREMENT SHOCKS THAT CAN BREAK YOUR BANK Tips for making sure your money lasts as long as you do COLUMNS 10 EDITOR’S NOTE

57 BEST YOUR BEST

Benita Zahn’s tips for spring cleaning your health routine

66 THE VINE

Tales of cousins and car envy

G E T

M O R E

O N L I N E

Visit 55pluslifemag.com for more recipes and stories, including our new local profiles feature Living Inspiration.

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Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Alison Michael alison@55pluslifemag.com

Consulting Editor Janet Reynolds Sales Consultant Teresa Frazer teresa@55pluslifemag.com

Consulting Art Director Tony Pallone

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Contributing Writers Joanne Cleaver Rebecca Gatto Rod Michael Sheryl Nance-Nash Traci Neal Tony Pallone Janet Reynolds Brianna Snyder John Torsiello Benita Zahn Visit us at

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Embracing

Life A

Photo by Kris Qua Photography.

s I celebrate turning 56 this month, I confess that over the past several years my thoughts about aging have changed. Maybe it was coming to terms with my own mortality after losing my father several years ago, losing a dear friend to COVID, or making the difficult decision to move my mother into a long-term care community.

Maybe it’s simply coming to terms with the fact that I’m middle-aged, which has forced me to look at my own life and how I choose to live it.

Growing older has opened up my thinking in many ways. I try to be more present, looking for joy every day. I continue to evolve into the person I am destined to become and create new experiences and adventures for myself and with those I love.

Andrea Brandt’s new book Mindful Aging: Embracing Life After 50 to Find Fulfillment, Purpose, and Joy, looks at how we can all bring more joy to the way we age, no matter what your age. (We talk about the book and the benefits of mindful aging in our article on page 28.)

While there are downsides to aging, I’m choosing to set my sights on the many positives. We all have the power to change how we grow older, and that’s empowering rather than limiting. It’s a choice to live in the present—to find purpose and joy in what you do, in each new day.

Mindful aging gives us an opportunity to live life on our terms. You get to define it. Use it to create your best life. It’s Your Journey.

Alison Michael

editor@55pluslifemag.com

“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.”

— Thich Nhat Hanh

10

55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

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LIFESTYLE STORY BEGINS ON 14 

Tiptoe Through the

English Garden How to create a garden oasis in your backyard

Photo: iStockphoto.com/LeeYiuTung.

BY REBECCA GATTO

SPRING 2022 | 55PLUSLIFEMAG.COM

13

CONTINUED FROM 13

I

f you’ve ever dreamed of creating a lush, bountiful garden that looks plucked from a children’s storybook, the style you’re after is probably that of an English cottage garden.

This romantic, informal approach to gardening invites each plant’s character to shine through as your flowers take turns blooming throughout the summer and into autumn.

Helen Dolan has been a master gardener through the Cornell Cooperative Extension for 20 years—and has visited England three times to tour the legendary gardens there.

“They’re free-flowing, and you see kind of a riot of color,” she says, describing the grounds that have captured her imagination for decades.

While it may sound intimidating, bringing a piece of the English countryside to your own yard—or even your patio— is attainable with the right strategy.

In Albany’s Pine Hills, visitors often remark to Don Paul Shannon and his partner and co-gardener, Aleph Ashline, that their landscape has the personality of an English cottage garden. The pair started planning the plot 30 years ago, researching roses that would grow in the Capital Region and ordering them from catalogs. They would arrive as tiny stems in pots, just waiting to be coaxed into bloom.

After planting an enormous collection of roses in their urban side yard—at one point they had 160 plants—Shannon and Ashline realized they had a splendid burst of color in June, followed by mellow greens for the rest of the season. So they changed their approach and swapped in some perennials, annuals, grasses, and even a couple of trees.

“In a cottage garden, it’s kind of organized chaos, and that’s what we have,” says Shannon, who has also visited and admired cottage-style gardens in Ireland. “We plant what we like, and we try to blend colors as best we can.”

Photo: iStockphoto.com/LeeYiuTung.

BRINGING THE ENGLISH GARDEN UPSTATE

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

It’s easy to fall in love with cottage gardens abroad or through pictures, only to have your heart broken upon discovering that England’s warmer, moister climate is hospitable to different plants than our own.

“There are so many [cottage gardens] in England, and as gardeners, you write down all these notes and you want to come home and do it,” Dolan says. “And then you find out, well, they don’t really grow as well here.”

Her solution is to seek out native plants that can provide the same effect. Native plants—the ones that grow naturally in fields and forests—require less water, are heartier, and tend to resist diseases and pests better than imported varieties. Dolan says she is working on adding more of them to her garden to cut down on the amount of pesticide she has to spray. “Who wants to do that your whole summer—killing stuff ?” she says.

Experienced gardeners also suggest not getting hung up on specific varieties of plants but focusing instead on the essen-

LIFESTYLE

Don Paul Shannon, a resident of Albany’s Pine Hills, has tended a cottage-style garden with his partner Aleph Ashline for the past 30 years. Shannon describes it as “organized chaos.”

— Photos by Don Paul Shannon.

tial visual elements you’re hoping to recreate. For example, choose a variety of plants that will bloom at different times, so you always have something beautiful to view. Repeat colors all around the garden to help unify a landscape that, in time, should take on a life of its own. And consider the heights of your plants, placing the tallest ones in the back and the shorter plants and annuals near the edge, where they can be seen.

PLANNING YOUR GARDEN

Beginners have plenty of local resources to help with the task of selecting plants. Experienced gardeners often gather inspiration by admiring other people’s work—and strolling through gardens is a rewarding kind of research. The Rensselaer County branch of the Cornell Co-Op Master Gardeners maintains several public demonstration gardens at the Robert C. Parker school in East Greenbush. Visitors can learn about fragrant flora, thriving grasses, and plants that attract pollinators. Then there’s the annual Garden Tour, in which Dolan’s garden has been featured twice. It has been virtual recently but is always a good place to take notes, whether online or in person.

Once you’ve got a mental picture of what you’d like to create, your next stop should be your local nursery. The staff there are often a rich resource, and many are gardeners themselves. Susan Platania has been a buyer at Faddegon’s Nursery in Latham for 22 years, and has an uncanny ability to rattle off a list of plants that match just about any characteristic. For an English cottage-style garden here in the Capital Region, she too recommends buying native plants.

“With native plants, you don’t pick where they want to be and what they’re going to do,” she says. “You’ve got to leave it up to the garden.”

That said, she has plenty of ideas to help coax your garden in the right direction. Milkweed, for example, is a perennial that attracts butterflies, which then pollinate everything around.

“You’ll get more plants by planting milkweed,” she says.

And if you plant black-eyed Susans, they’ll bloom all summer long and into the fall. But don’t deadhead the plants— leave the heads on for natural bird feeders that will regenerate themselves all around your yard.

And, finally, try to start small. Gardens take an enormous SPRING 2022 | 55PLUSLIFEMAG.COM

15

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

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LIFESTYLE

amount of labor, and it’s easy to accidentally overcommit yourself. Shannon, who is now retired, recalls putting on a headlamp after a full day at work so he could transplant rose bushes in the dark. Dolan suggests starting with a manageable, 15-foot plot.

FINISHING TOUCHES

For a truly whimsical cottage garden, don’t be afraid to add in a few odds and ends. Seating, like benches painted in bright colors, invites visitors (and you!) to rest and enjoy the view.

Outdoor art, like whimsical sculptures and gazing balls that catch the light, add to the fairytale magic.

Larger-scale gardens often include iron gates, winding paths, trellises with climbing plants, and water features.

Shannon and Ashline have a small fountain for birds, a wooden shelter they’ve covered in mosaics, and hanging sculptures placed throughout.

Finally, once you have your garden planned, be ready to welcome the natural direction it takes. Shannon remembers that when he and Ashline first began working on their garden back in 1992, he was hesitant to let go of formal, orderly elements. But Ashline, who is an artist, had some advice.

He compared the garden to a coloring book, suggesting that maybe it wasn’t necessary to color inside the lines—and that a more relaxed approach could echo the beauty of nature.

“He said, ‘At the edge of a forest you’re looking at layers and layers,’” Shannon recalls, “so I got used to that, and it’s fun.” n

Photos: iStockphoto.com.Butterfly, Liliboassage, LianeM; rose, coneflower, subjug; tulip, VIDOK; nasturtium, pixhook.

THINKING BIG IN SMALL SPACES The English cottage garden philosophy is the same whether you’re gardening in a backyard, on a patio, or along a balcony.

• Think bountiful. Fill overflowing containers with plants of various heights and colors that will take turns blooming throughout the growing season.

• Put tall plants, like grasses, toward the back and let shorter

plants have the front-row seat.

• Make sure everything that shares a pot also shares the same growing conditions—sun and water requirements should be the same, so everything can thrive.

• English gardens often include whimsical sculptural elements, so don’t be afraid to choose bold, colorful containers to plant in.

PLANTS TO CONSIDER FOR YOUR ENGLISH COTTAGE GARDEN • Bulbs: Crocuses, tulips, and other bulbs start blooming earliest, in spring.

• Perennials: Milkweed attracts butterflies, helping other plants thrive through pollination.

• Grasses: Tall, spiky clusters add interest, even in winter.

• Annuals: Cosmos, cleome, sweet peas, coneflower, sages, salvias, blackeyed Susans, nasturtiums, sunflowers, and morning glories all provide color.

• Roses: If you want to include this classic English garden staple, be strategic. Most roses need a lot of sun—and pruning them is labor-intensive.

Research which roses grow best in our climate and can resist disease.

SPRING 2022 | 55PLUSLIFEMAG.COM

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

LIFESTYLE

Excerpted from Collective Wisdom by Grace Bonney (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2018. Cover and book design by Shubhani Sarkar.

Words to the Wise Women over 50 share their life lessons in a new book

BY JANET REYNOLDS

W

hen Grace Bonney became the guru of DIY and affordable design as the creator of Design Sponge, a wildly popular blog on all things home, she never thought she’d do anything else. But 15 years into that project, Bonney realized she was tired of living her life out loud on social media.

CONTINUES ON 21  SPRING 2022 | 55PLUSLIFEMAG.COM

19

Grace Bonney photo by Natalie Chitwood.

LIFESTYLE

We need to remember across generations that there is as much to learn as there is to teach.

— Gloria Steinem

Clockwise from top left: Grace Bonney, author; Albany County legislator Carolyn McLaughlin; Unity Church pastor Brigid Beckman; Anne Saile, founder and CEO of The Saile Group,

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

CONTINUED FROM 19

Her first stop toward making a change was the book In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists and Entrepreneurs. A bestseller, the book featured portraits of 100 women in various creative industries across ethnicities, religions, sexual preferences, ages and disabilities.

While feedback on the book was positive, Bonney, who lives in Accord in the Hudson Valley, heard from readers who wished more women from rural areas and more women over 50 had been featured. They also wanted to hear from women who were not necessarily part of the creative community.

Bonney took the feedback to heart, and the result is her new bestseller Collective Wisdom, Lessons, Inspiration and Advice from Women over 50. The stunningly photographed book features profiles of women from around America who share their life lessons. Some, like author Sara Gilbert and cosmetic guru Bobbi Brown, are famous. Others are folks none of us may have heard of, like Cecilia Chiang, a Chinese restaurant owner who walked across China before immigrating to America; Margo Real Bird, the Apsaalooke Tribe matriarch on the Crow Reservation in Montana; and the members of the Washington Wizdom, the dancing team for the Washington Wizards NBA team who are all over 50.

“One thing I took away from the book that was not expected as someone who is on the younger end of the equation,’’ says Bonney, who is 40, “is that I was insecure, thinking older women wouldn’t want to be a friend of mine. It turns out older women feel the same way. I was shocked. You have this incredibly full life. To me, you are the person who has everything to offer.”

The book has inspired Bonney, who realized it was time to begin a different chapter in her life, too. “I was having these one-on-one personal conversations. That was missing for me [at Design Sponge]. It’s wonderful to have large numbers of followers but you don’t get to talk to them in person. I missed smallness and intimacy. This book, for me, is a closing of a door for now that’s media related.” Bonney is pursuing a degree to become a therapist. “I picked a field where you are forced to be private. Every single part of my life has been lived publicly for 20 years. There is so much good from that, but it’s also a real challenge.”

Bonney hopes people will read Collective Wisdom and find pieces of advice that they can return to over and over again.

One of the biggest lessons she learned in creating the book, she says, is “that the longer you live, things will not stop being hard but that’s OK. I naively went into the book thinking there would be a secret age where you don’t care about what people think about you but no, that’s not it. These are lifelong things. It’s OK not to have them figured out by a certain age.”

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21

LIFESTYLE

CONTINUED FROM 21

The book is a series of Q&As. So with that in mind, we asked Bonney a few of the same questions she and her writers asked those who were profiled. We also interviewed three Capital Region women about their life reflections.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I wanted to run a newspaper. I used to line up Barbies and create offices on every step of the stairs. I would check on their work. I am an only child and I got a typewriter when I was little. It was my primary toy. I would pretend to write newspapers.

What role did your ancestors play in your life and development?

My grandmothers died when I was young, and my mom has two sisters.

We are an incredibly opinionated set.

They have no fear of sharing strong opinions. They taught me that not only can you have strong opinions; you can share them and share them loudly.

They taught me to defend [my ideas].

to share it with, it doesn’t mean as much.

What advice would you give your younger self ?

How has your sense of self-acceptance changed over time?

I wish I could tell myself to stop caring what other people care about me.

I wish I had come out as queer when I was younger. I wish I had let myself be a lot weirder. I cared so much about being best-dressed and never wearing jeans to school. In hindsight I was so uncomfortable. I had the same interests then as now. I wish I had let myself be myself. I think a lot of people struggle with the desire to fit in.

It’s ongoing. I think I’ve always had no problem being confident in myself professionally. I found an area I could excel in and did it to the nth degree. But learning to love myself and like myself—that’s taken time. When I was asked “Who are you?” I would lead with work. I have been trying to figure out who I am outside productivity and achievement and other things. It’s a constant process.

Is that different from the advice you would give younger women today?

I would tell younger women to invest in your real community as soon as possible. Not only are we taught to compete with each other, but I really think that ageism and sexism play into this siloing of each other. I now understand we have to lift each other up. ... You can achieve all you want, but if you don’t have people

Can you describe a turning point in your life and how it changed you?

When I came out at 30. There is my life before that and my life after that. Not only did it end relationships in my life, but it was a moment when I needed to make decisions for myself. The turning point was when I came to realize it’s OK to let people down. As a woman, you’re trained to be a people pleaser. I’m still working on that. I realized I have to be myself.

Photo by Natalie Chitwood.

CONTINUES ON 24 

GRACE BONNEY

Author Collective Wisdom, Lessons, Inspiration and Advice from Women over 50

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

LIFESTYLE

CONTINUED FROM 22

Anne Saile spent her career helping businesses and executives operate more efficiently. Her resume includes a stint as director of the Office of Professional Medical Conduct, where she brought New York from its position as the worst state in the nation for disciplining physicians to the strongest. “It had a real impact on patient care and safety,” she says of that position. From there, Saile joined what was then called Bellevue Women’s Hospital, and completely turned around the hospital’s finances.

Saile, 67, formed the Saile Group in 2009, where she used her national and international consulting expertise to help companies and executives reach their maximum potential. She has been a national speaker on leadership, effective business models, and ethics and challenges for women in the workplace.

She was the chapter chair of Albany Women Presidents’ Organization, an international nonprofit whose members are entrepreneurial women whose businesses generate at least $1 million in annual sales. She has served on numerous boards, and was founder and chair of the Forum for Executive Women and founding chair of Advisory Board of Women@Work magazine.

What was a turning point in your life and how has it shaped you?

The biggest turning point for me in my life was when I started getting comfortable with learning how to say no and set limits. That made me use the currency of my time in a more intentional way so that it really resulted in a richer life.

One of the things I’ve felt about jobs and positions people hold—whether politically or in business—is that it’s important to know when to leave the party. I don’t know that I was always as good about that with boards and volunteer work, for instance. It was hard to say no. The defining moment was seeing the number of boards and that I was the chair of every single one.

That was when I realized I was saying yes too much and that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

People want your expertise. That’s really sometimes intoxicating. That makes people feel needed.

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

ANNE SAILE

Founder/CEO of The Saile Group, retired Albany When do you feel your most powerful?

I feel most powerful when I follow through on a commitment that I made to myself, when I’ve done what I said I would do. Perhaps it’s something I’ve dreamed about doing. When I realize those goals, that’s when I feel the most powerful.

The other one is when I’ve been able to be of service, even to one person.

That’s very gratifying to me. At the end of the day I want someone to say that I served, that this is what I’m known for. It wasn’t what a job paid, but about what I was involved with—was it meaningful and did it have an impact.

What misconceptions about aging would you like to dispel?

Just because you’re not getting paid somehow you transition into another category in life. That’s not true. I still do many of the same things I did when I was in my 30s, 40s, 50s. Only now I have made the conscious decision to put my value of being of service to intentional use. What I am doing is working with women who have businesses or who are starting businesses or selling businesses. I help them make

their transition for free. … That’s a service I’ve honed throughout my career—to give business insights to other people. I have learned from lots of ups and downs how to turn businesses around, how to raise millions of dollars for organizations. To be able to pass that on, I want to do (that) for a long time.

What role do you feel your ancestors or the women in your family who came before you (or both) play in your life? How have they shaped you?

I came from a long line of women in my life as role models. My mother, grandmother, and aunts were optimists. I am grateful to them for their optimism and instilling that sense of “anything is possible” in me. That’s a gift that will never go away. It made me brave and gave me courage when I actually didn’t even know that I needed it. I was 23 when I realized that not everything is technically possible. My mother always told me you can do anything. I still have that voice in my head. Every child needs to hear that.

CONTINUES ON 26 

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Albany County legislator Carolyn McLaughlin has been living a life of public service ever since she returned to her native Albany after living in California for a decade. She served three terms on the City of Albany Common Council, beginning in 1997, and eventually became president of the Common Council in 2009. McLaughlin recently retired after 29 years working for the state, most recently as assistant manager in the Human Resources Department of the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System. She also worked with the New York State Division of Budget and the Department of Civil Service. McLaughlin ran successfully for county legislator in 2019 after a failed bid to become Albany’s first female Black mayor in 2017.

Now 68, she working on her Ph.D. in executive leadership. “It’s taking my life’s experiences and taking it to the ultimate level for me,” she says of this new path.

“It’s a credential that will open more doors for me.”

What was a turning point in your life and how has it shaped you?

When I made the decision to move back here [from California], that was a turning point for me in terms of where I saw my life going after that. When I came back here, I got invested in my community I grew up in. I never saw myself in public service, particularly in the political arena. I thought my skin wasn’t thick enough. Politics is not for the faint of heart. It’s not some high school student council that you ran for.

When I was approached first, I didn’t do it. Two years later I was ready. I didn’t want to be somebody that just lived off the community. Politics is taking that volunteer work to the next level. I was involved in NAACP, Urban League, Girls Inc. [and more], and then I just took it to the next level.

When do you feel your most powerful?

There was a day last week when I counseled my niece on something and another young lady on something and I was on a Zoom where I wasn’t leading but felt it was important to speak up on the part of other people. At the end of that day I felt really good. I felt fulfilled

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

At this point in your life, what have you made peace with that used to be a struggle for you?

CAROLYN McLAUGHLIN

Albany County legislator, 1st Legislative District Albany in that I had helped somebody. When I do something that moves someone else’s life forward and I can see it visible, that’s when I feel most powerful.

At this point in my life, I have been blessed in many ways. I’m one of those people who doesn’t think you sit on your blessings. You pay them forward.

When I’m doing for other people, that’s when I feel empowered.

What misconceptions about aging would you like to dispel?

That as you get older you have no usefulness. That is so not true. Life experience is the most valuable asset that you have. If people don’t see that, you’re missing out on so much. Millennials: the earth didn’t start spinning when you were born. You will spin a lot faster if you learn from the people who began spinning before you. Don’t disregard people after 50 …That’s the main reason I can help you is because I am older and I’ve been where you’re trying to go. Take the benefit of my wisdom and the pain I went through so you don’t have to go through it.

I have never admitted this to anybody. I can see myself in my eighth grade class at my desk. I thought I would graduate high school, go to college, and get married the day after college graduation.

That was the vision I had. I’ve never been married. I’ve made peace with that, that maybe I never will. It doesn’t make me any less of a person. [The choice] has made public service doable.

What role do you feel your ancestors or the women in your family who came before you (or both) play in your life? How have they shaped you?

My mother didn’t graduate from high school but there was no stronger, more competent woman in my life. [She was] an entrepreneur, mother, wife, and a confident woman in herself. My parents bought a grocery store when I was in sixth grade. My mother ran it.

I remember watching her around the dining room table counting money to make sure she wasn’t slow or would make mistakes. She was practicing.

She ran the store for 25 years and put five kids through college. My father worked outside of that. Because of that I have no choice but to be who I am.

I’ll never forget that. I know how to dress because of my mother. I know how to wear a hat because of my mother. She taught me how to be a lady but also how to be an independent woman.

Dad died in car accident when she was 57 years old. She still ran this business.

The resilience she demonstrated for the rest of her life … the strength, dignity and pride she had in herself laid a foundation for me and my siblings.

LIFESTYLE

Brigid Beckman, 59, didn’t begin her working life thinking she would be a pastor. A stay-at-home mother in her 20s and 30s, she went back to college to finish her degree and become a public school English teacher in her 40s. After eight years, she left that job and her marriage to reimagine what her life could be.

A random request by a friend to officiate at her wedding brought Beckman back to her spiritual roots as she completed a two-year program at One Spirit Seminary in New York City. From there she spent four years as a high school English teacher and director of spiritual life at a private girls’ high school in Massachusetts. Today she is pastor of Unity Church in Albany.

to that in my adulthood. I also have a real sense of being connected to family. Now that I’m a grandmother, I feel my own understanding of having some sense of who I come from … We’re part of something as a human family.

How have your ideas of success and happiness changed over time?

If you had to give your younger self advice, what would you say?

One of the things that strikes me when I look back on my adult life, which I did not know in the moments that felt really full of change and upheaval and stress and grief, is that it all works to be soil for the present moment if I let it be. I would like to tell my younger self to trust that not everything is going to work out OK but to trust listening to my own inner wisdom. I feel I silenced my inner voice for a long time. I might have saved myself a little bit of spinning into worry.

What misconceptions about aging would you like to dispel?

That life stops at 40. My life between 40 and now almost 60 has transformed in every possible way and in ways I would never have anticipated.

The personal growth I experienced, how I would learn to face challenges

G E T

T H E

BRIGID BECKMAN

Pastor at Unity Church in Albany with grace and humility and fierceness—I feel more myself in so many ways at 59 than I have at almost any other time of my life. Also that gray hair rocks! That’s one of things I wish I had known younger. Just let your hair be gray.

What role do you feel your ancestors or women have played for you?

My heritage is not all Irish but there is a big strain of that in there. I feel a deep connection to the Celtic legends of Brigid—maiden, mother and crone—and understanding that a woman’s life evolves in different passages of time. I feel a real connection

I didn’t do a traditional career path. My sense of self as successful in my 20s and 30s really revolved around family life. When I went back to school in my early 40s, success meant kicking butt as a student and growing into my self as a career. Yet I was questioning married life then and had a lot of feelings of failure about not making it work in ways that seemed important to me. Finding ways of tapping into a deeper sense of joy that was not dependent on the outer experiences was not part of my life.

I did a lot of spiritual soul searching and staying open to opportunities that were completely unexpected. My new job feels like a success. It puts a lot of pieces together that have felt important to me. My inner world matches my outer expression of who I am and what I want to do. It’s the epitome of happiness and success now. n

B O O K

Collective Wisdom:

Lessons, Inspiration, and Advice from Women Over 50

by Grace Bonney | Artisan Books | available at gracebonney.com

SPRING 2022 | 55PLUSLIFEMAG.COM

27

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Mindful

Aging What it is and why you might want to try it now

BY TRACI NEAL

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

Photo: iStockphoto.com/adamkaz.

I

f you’re exhausted and overwhelmed as we navigate an uncertain future—thanks to the pandemic, climate change and world issues, to name just a few—you’re not alone.

“For many, the current reality encompasses a daily web of risk assessment, upended routines and endless news about the state of COVID-19 in the world, America and our individual communities,” write the authors of a survey conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association in August.

Aging can sometimes exacerbate these feelings. As we age, the losses—of people, our jobs, our routines, our vacation plans or lunches with friends—become more profound. Uncertainty about the future can be crippling.

But psychological experts say there’s a way out of the “hamster wheel” of grief and regret over the past and fear of what’s to come. It’s called mindful aging, and with a little practice, mindfulness can help you put aside your anxieties and live your best life going forward.

“You can become happier with yourself and your life, engage more in the world around you, and feel more fulfilled when you age mindfully,” writes Andrea Brandt, a psychotherapist, speaker and author of the book, Mindful Aging: Embracing Your Life After 50 to Find Fulfillment, Purpose, and Joy, in an email.

“People don’t often see it this way, but aging offers you a

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Mind e c i t ful c a r

ss ne

P

HEALTH & WELLNESS

There’s more to aging mindfully than the three steps below, but experts say they’re a great way to practice being “in the moment” anytime you feel yourself ruminating on the past or hand-wringing about the future.

Photo: iStockphoto.com/shapecharge.

Step 1: Ground yourself

profound opportunity. You both know yourself a lot better than you did when you were younger, and it’s very likely you have more free time to pursue activities you love,” she says.

The first step, says Brandt, is to explore what brings you joy mindfully—in the present moment.

“Craft a vision for a life you would love and then adopt an approach and the strategies you need for bringing that vision to life,” she says.

“Society sends us this message that older age means retiring from the world and your life. But it doesn’t have to be like that,” Brandt says. “When you age mindfully, you accept the realities of aging and then focus on the opportunities your age provides. It means pursuing your dreams and being your authentic self.”

Mary Gallant, a professor in the school of public health at the University at Albany, says embracing joy as we age can be difficult for older adults of a certain generation, who grew up largely seeing aging depicted in media and movies as a disability.

“In our society, there are a lot of negative stereotypes about aging, and as people age, they internalize those negative stereotypes, and that causes them to have negative experiences in aging,” says Gallant, whose work and research focuses on promoting a more positive aging experience.

Mindful aging, she says, is about accepting the negative, but looking for positive aspects of aging as well and “recognizing that as people age, they can accomplish new things,

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

Step 2: Breathe Step 3: T hink about something that brings you joy

learn new things and have a good quality of life.”

Research suggests that on average, happiness and life satisfaction increase as we get older, says Gallant. “That’s very consistent with this mindful aging concept, of living in the present, not regretting what has happened in the past, not worrying about the future, and kind of embracing and accepting [the right now].”

Mindfulness is not a new concept, adds Gallant. “As it applies to aging, it really means accepting the changes that come with aging, not focusing solely on the negative changes but recognizing and embracing the positive aspects as well,” she says.

For Allie Middleton, an Albany-based transformational mind-body coach and consultant who’s about to turn 70, that means a focus on staying “young at heart, or lifted in a heart-centered way, knowing we can shift the way we feel in every moment.”

“I’ve watched other people not being very happy in their minds, bodies and spirits even in their 50s,” she says, “so it’s become this very interesting new view that everything is possible.”

In practice, Middleton says, mindfulness is simply being more present to each and every moment. “Mindfulness means not only being present to what you’re thinking about— both those habitual (unconscious) thoughts and those lovely, present thoughts—but also those sensations in your body and the feelings that arise from those sensations,” she says.

“The easiest way to do that is to notice that we are a body

and we’re connected to the space we occupy as a body,” Middleton says. “So each of us gets to have an awareness of our particular spot on the planet, right now.”

The next step, she says, is to place your attention more carefully on your breathing, focusing on each breath as it goes in and out.

“Extending the exhale, breathing out longer, will naturally relax the body, and the reverse, extending the inhale will energize the body,” Middleton says. “No matter whom I’m with, breathing is the most predictable change practice for people to settle into a more mindful awareness. Sometimes I say, ‘Let’s take a moment and pause. Take a breath, look around and see what gives you pleasure.’”

The third step, she says, is to bring to mind something you love. “As we extend our attention into the world, we should be very careful to make sure they’re positive influences we’re paying attention to,” she says of what we allow to enter our thoughts and dwell there.

“We try very much, in any kind of mindfulness arena, to have an awareness that we can shift away from the negative and toward the positive. … Once that starts to become a habit or a practice, then the whole day, the whole world is shifted.”

Middleton points to a growing trend of aging activists. One example is Third Act, a national movement started last year to rally people over age 60 to campaign on issues such as climate change, racial equity and the protection of democracy.

Co-founded by Bill McKibben, a former New Yorker columnist and climate activist, and Vanessa Arcara, an environmental activist and president of Third Act from upstate New York, the organization aims to harness the skills and resources of older adults to bring change. “[Mindful aging] becomes also about ‘meaning-making,’ or how we can be in service to the world,” says Middleton, “rather than spending our years as we age protecting our memories and our belongings.”

It’s easy to fall back into “that hamster wheel of agitation and anxiety,” she says, “and we forget that, ‘Oh, if I just took a deep breath and a long exhale, look at all I could be paying attention to.’

“When you let go of thinking [things] should be different, you are creating space in your conversation for more awareness, more mindfulness, more capacity to open” and shift into a more compassionate place, she adds.

Brandt says her book, published in 2017 by PESI Press, offers tips and “a lot of step-by-step activities to help you figure out what you can do to build a life you will love and build loving relationships or put a spark back in your marriage (or whatever romantic partnership you have).

“I wanted to show people how older age can afford them a huge opportunity—the ‘opportunity of a lifetime,’ as I put it,” says Brandt. “Your life can expand and become this big, thrilling, adventurous thing no matter how old you are.” n

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31

TRAVEL

Walking Through

History

Photo: Charleston Area CVB.

in South Carolina

Charleston offers a new understanding of America’s past

N

BY JOANNE CLEAVER

ortherners steeped in Colonial history might be forgiven for wondering what they might see and learn in Charleston, South Carolina, that’s new. The short answer is a lot. While the generally held view is that Colonial America developed in two parallel cultures—the free North and the slavery-based South—the truth is more nuanced, especially through the prism of Charleston’s historic sites.

Consider this: Northern states were the first to abolish slavery, but that also means they allowed it. And the Southern economy was diversified, with only a small percentage of large plantation owners retaining a high proportion of the slave population.

In any season but midsummer, Charleston offers history and botanic walks that complement a Northerner’s perspective on Colonial and Civil war events. (Midsummer is famously swampy and buggy, but from October through early May, the climate is what those in the North term “sweater weather.”)

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

Charleston faces its history head-on. From nearly its start in 1670, the city established itself as a Colonial powerhouse on the backs of the slave trade. The historic French Quarter encompasses the famed market, art galleries and the Old Slave Mart Museum. Pastel townhouses framed by palm trees are frosted with lacy iron gates and fences, many marked with round placards bearing the date of construction. But right to the bitter end of the Civil War, slaves built Charleston, hammered iron into its gates, crafted wood into its moldings and stitched Carolina cotton into curtains and clothes.

Every visitor to Charleston has to stroll the four-block market, located appropriately enough at the intersection of Meeting and Bay streets. Sitting in open-air stalls, local artisans weave grass into baskets, some round, some boatshaped. This is the place for prints of Charlotte scenes and watercolors of magnolias. Pick up Southern spice mixes, bags of grits and sugar-crusted praline pecans.

For genteel souvenirs, turn on to Meeting Street and head

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to the shop of the Historic Charleston Foundation at 108 Meeting Street. Chances are good a local basket weaver will greet you on your way in, as she turns a heap of light-green grass into braids, and braids into baskets. This is the spot for filigree earrings that replicate the architectural ironwork that is the city’s signature writ in metal; for reproduction blueand-white Colonial china; and for Christmas ornaments fashioned into tiny building facades, complete with gates and multi-paned windows. Knowledgeable staff and volunteers can also help you decide which of the historic houses run by the foundation best suit your interests.

Continue down Meeting Street and turn left onto Chalmers Street. Amidst townhouses whose windowboxes drip with flowers and vines, you’ll find the Old Slave Mart Museum at 6 Chalmers St (oldslavemartmuseum.com). The museum is on the actual site of a high-volume slave trade operation—essentially, the Wall Street of human bondage.

Thoughtful exhibits outline the mechanics and culture of the slave economy, including little-known details about slave rebellions and how slaves could gain autonomy and, in rare instances, freedom.

While the historic and waterfront districts could occupy you for days, some of Charleston’s other highlights are found on its perimeter and suburbs.

CONTINUES ON 36 

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Since 2009, the community has been home for more than 1,500 retirees. Its Life Care program allows residents to enjoy retirement in an inspiring and supportive environment, with access to a full spectrum of the highest rated supportive care options, if ever needed. Woodland Pond residents find it easy to engage, build friendships and lead a socially vibrant, active lifestyle.

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TRAVEL CONTINUED FROM 33

Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park Monument & Visitor Education Center 340 Concord St., Charleston · nps.gov/fosu

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens magnoliaplantation.com

Suburbs have grown up around Magnolia Plantation (), the 500-acre remainder of a once-sprawling rice operation. Impoverished after the Civil War, the plantation’s owner slowly rebuilt, gaining traction when he hit upon the idea of positioning the gardens he installed for his wife as a tourist destination, hosting picnics for daytripping city dwellers who cruised up the Ashley River. Today, the complex offers tours of the historic mansion that show how local gentry found new ways forward after the Civil War, along with an informational guide to former slave quarters, and a swamp garden and walk. Throughout, visitors stroll under huge oak trees trailing veils of gray Spanish moss, hanging from trees like forgotten nightgowns. Paths wind through arching rhododendrons, tree peonies, hibiscus and the occasional rose that just couldn’t resist blooming, even off-season.

CONTINUES ON 38 

Photo: iStockphoto.com/JNevitt.

South Carolina started the Civil War and isn’t afraid to say so.

The flashpoint was Fort Sumter, which occupies an artificial island where the Charleston Harbor meets the open sea. Building a state-of-the-art brick fort bristling with formidable cannons was a federal priority in 1829. Sea trade in and out of Charleston was critical to keep cotton, lumber, rice and other Southern crops headed up the coast and to Europe. The laborious project wasn’t even complete when rebellious South Carolinians fired on the federally occupied fort on April 12, 1861, igniting the war between the states. The federal troops—immediately rechristened as Union troops—fled, but for the next four years, the fort was pummeled into rubble. In the following century, after several waves of excavation and rebuilding, the National Park Service created a museum and walking tour of the site.

The national park, museum and pier to the ferry that goes to Fort Sumter are located in Liberty Park, adjacent to the South Carolina Aquarium. Faded signs make the site hard to find, so allow extra time to get oriented. Parking is across the street in a deck mainly used for the aquarium. The ferry

required to get to Fort Sumter is operated by a private company that operates from two departure points. Confirm the departure point for the tickets you can purchase in advance via FortSumterTours.com. Allow three hours for the round trip, from embarking the ferry, taking the half-hour sail to the island, strolling around the fort and returning.

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

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TRAVEL

The Charleston Tea Plantation charlestonteagarden.com

In the South, tea is a religion, which makes the tea plantation a pilgrimage. Drive into rural South Carolina to Wadmalaw Island, southwest of Charleston, through pine groves and near wetlands. At the plantation, hop onto the trolley for a tour past hedgerows of waist-high tea plants with wide, shiny leaves. The evergreen plants wake up in April and from then till October they send up fresh crops of leaves that are promptly subjected to a crew cut. Freshly cut leaves are chopped, dried, oxygenated and packed in the onsite plant.

Tours in those months offer an overview of tea production and processing, leaf-to-box.

district hotels are expensive—typically over $300 a night. If your plans include the Fort Sumter tour and destinations in the surrounding Low Country, staying in a chain hotel near the airport or major highway exchanges will stretch your travel budget, especially if you fly in and rent a car.

WHERE TO EAT

WHERE TO STAY

It’s all about crab, shrimp and fish in Charleston. Shrimp and grits is a local specialty: a pool of savory, thin gravy poured over grilled shrimp, vegetables and a mound of creamy grits (similar to polenta). Or, start your day with crab cake Benedict, served at locally popular diners like Sunrise Bistro in Mount Pleasant, about a 10-minute drive to the Fort Sumter departure point at Liberty Square (sunrise-bistro.com) or Sunflower Café, 2366 Ashley River Road, just down the street from Magnolia Plantation (sunflowercafecharleston.com).

The French Quarter and waterfront are studded with boutique hotels. Staying downtown makes for easy access to the museums, restaurants and nightlife. But, know that central

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CONTINUED FROM 36

TRAVEL

Interested in

Hassle-free Travel?

Photo: iStockphoto.com/Joel Carillet.

Travel advisors may be just the ticket

BY SHERYL NANCE-NASH

R

ecent winter storms left thousands of airline passengers stranded when flights were canceled, but not everybody got stuck.

“We got a call from a panicked client about flight cancellations during the ice storm. We were able to quickly look in our system and see what flights were available. We told them to check out of their hotel immediately and get to the airport, and if not, they would likely have to stay where they were for two more days,” says George Balogh, a travel advisor and president of Blue Skies Travel in East Greenbush.

Balogh took care of the new arrangements, and his client was not among those at the airport searching airline websites on their cell phones and waiting in long lines scrambling to sort out their travel woes.

It’s not just Mother Nature’s increasing unpredictability that is complicating. COVID and the rules and requirements around it have complicated travel. “There is also a whole new

demographic of traveler that is looking to get more out of their experiences. Whether that be connecting more meaningfully with the destination, breaking out of their comfort zone or having a personal transformation, these people understand the value that a travel advisor brings to the table,” writes Jenn Dolan, owner of her own agency, Travel Awakened in Long Beach, New York, in an email. These are just some of the reasons travel advisors are seeing a boost in their business.

Traditionally, travel advisors, formerly known as travel agents, were the go-to when you were ready to hit the road.

Then came the internet with its online travel resources that ushered in the era of DIY travel. The internet nearly ended the travel advisory business. Now, travel advisors are again being turned to for globe trotting advice, primarily as a result of travelers seeking help to navigate COVID and all its issues.

So while COVID wreaked havoc on the travel industry overall, there’s a silver lining for travel advisors.

In fact, in a research study last year from the American Society of Travel Advisors and Sandals Resorts, 44% of those surSPRING 2022 | 55PLUSLIFEMAG.COM

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

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TRAVEL

veyed said after the pandemic is over they will be more likely to use a travel advisor. That’s already happening as many travel advisors report an uptick in business, particularly among people who say they are using a travel advisor for the first time.

“Last year was interesting, with a younger-than-usual guest profile, and more people taking their first trip through a travel advisor or agent. So many people told us things like, ‘I usually book all my own travel, but this made everything so easy.’ They turned to an expert because of concerns over solving any problems that might come up due to changing regulations,” writes Charles Neville, marketing director of JayWay Travel in New Rochelle, New York, in an email. “Our bookings are at pre-pandemic levels.”

WHY USE A TRAVEL ADVISOR?

Travel advisors are a major timesaver, as they can handle as much or as little as you require for a memorable trip. They’re also available 24/7 if a tour is canceled, you get sick, a connecting flight is canceled and more.

“It’s nice to have someone in your corner to talk you off the cliff when something goes awry,” says Balogh. “A travel advisor can navigate you through the chaos.”

Helen Papa, principal of TBH Travel in Dix Hills, New York, says more travelers are partnering with a travel advisor since COVID after suffering through canceled trips, long hold times, and confusing and ever-changing policies and restrictions from the travel suppliers they previously booked with directly. “Keeping up with the changing rules for international travel, forms, and protocols can cause aggravation and frustration for travelers,” she writes in an email, “but with the guidance and expertise of an advisor who has early knowledge of updates and more resources, navigating travel during COVID is less stressful.”

It’s not just COVID hurdles that a travel advisor can help you overcome. Nothing beats a good chat about what you want from your vacation to help the advisor create a plan that suits your preferences, interests and budget. You’ll benefit from their experience and knowledge. There are travel advisors who specialize in certain segments, be it family travel, adventure destinations, or particular regions of the world, for example. Because they are industry insiders, you’ll benefit from their connections with perks such as complimentary room upgrades, daily breakfasts

and other goodies you may not get on your own.

“The amenities you’ll receive on a hotel stay working with an advisor are often valued at more than $500 per stay,” says Papa.

Travel advisors often have access to experiences you never even dreamed were possible. They can secure VIP access to exclusive entry to events, private tours, and other experiences not available to someone booking on their own.

WHAT’S IT GOING TO COST ME?

Fees vary, depending on the scope of your vacation. Kim Parizek, of Boutique Travel Advisors in Carlsbad, California, typically charges from $250 to $500 for a week of curated travel to a destination. “For a custom trip with prearrangement of guides, the $500 comes into play. The $250 might be in a booking to find the right tour or cruise for that client,” she writes in an email. “The $500 curated weekly trip includes custom research into getting the client there with entry into each country, visa requirements, finding the right hotel with amenities. We also spend a lot of time finding the best air within our contracts, prearranging activities, private tours, restaurant reservations, transfers to/from the airport, travel insurance and any other personal needs a client might have, i.e. allergies to feather beds or pillows,” she says. For frequent travelers, Parizek offers a yearly plan for $1,950.

Balogh says his firm is different in that they don’t have a price list for a menu of services. Fees vary. “We have a guarantee. If you don’t believe our fee was worth it, it will be refunded.”

IS A TRAVEL ADVISOR FOR YOU?

For sure it’s empowering when you create your own travel plan.

But there’s something to be said for having someone else do the heavy lifting. “People like to think they can do things themselves and sometimes when things line up, they can get complex things done,” writes Mitch Krayton of Krayton Travel in Denver, Colorado, in an email. “But the nature of complex things is that all the pieces of the puzzle keep moving and change shape and if you don’t have the inside contacts and professional clout and respect, you are in for a long and anxious experience. If you use a hairdresser, mechanic or electrician, you could do all of those things yourself too, but most people don’t because they would rather go to a trusted and skilled person to get the job done quickly and correctly. It’s the same for travel.” n SPRING 2022 | 55PLUSLIFEMAG.COM

41

Live By Nutrients everyone over 50 should consider adding to their diets

BY TONY PALLONE

A

healthy diet is important at any age, but it’s especially important at transitional periods in our lives. Newborns need extra fats to support brain development, kids need protein to build muscle mass, and young adults that stick to high-nutrient foods may find it easier to juggle the many stresses of their early careers. But what about the over-50 crowd? If we’ve settled into diets that served us well throughout our middle years, is there any reason to make changes now?

The short answer is yes. Decreasing bone and muscle mass, an increased risk of chronic conditions and changes in metabolism that translate to decreased calorie requirements are all part of the picture of aging. Yet what we eat today does not have to be radically different from what we ate when we were younger. What’s most important is making informed choices that allow us to optimize our internal engines.

EAT A RAINBOW Raya Ioffe, a functional nutrition and lifestyle practitioner based in Latham, offers some simple advice: “The more colorful we can make our plates and the more variety, the better.” Ioffe notes that the colors of plant-based foods offer a key to the types of nutrients they contain.

In particular, she’s talking about phytonutrients: substances that plants use to protect themselves from environmental hazards. These can stabilize the free radicals formed by

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

stressful conditions, and when consumed they can offer the same kinds of protections to us.

One example is lycopene, a carotenoid that gives tomatoes their red color and offers cardiovascular benefits and cancer-fighting properties. Orange foods like carrots contain alpha- and beta-carotene that can be converted into vitamin A for immune system support. Leafy greens such as spinach and kale also contain carotenoids that may help protect from cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

This is just scratching the surface. There are literally thousands of phytonutrient types, and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other beneficial properties are evident in the handful that have so far been isolated and studied. Sources like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs suggest eating aiming for one daily serving from each color group, while Healthline suggests incorporating two or three different colors at each meal. Ioffe doesn’t have a specific formula, but says that it’s important to add variety if possible. The general advice from all corners is “eat a rainbow.”

FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU It’s not surprising that the immune system stars of the plant world are beneficial for human health: Ioffe says that 75% of our own immune systems reside in and around the gut.

Cleaning the gut, she says, is the place to start addressing immune problems, for which she takes a very individualized

Photo: iStockphoto.com/fcafotodigital.

foods to

HEALTH & WELLNESS

approach when working with clients.

“It’s not a one-size-fits-all,” she stresses. While nutritional advice is often framed in general terms, it’s important to note that different people process foods differently. Those leafy greens might not be right for someone with digestive issues, for example. Some people will digest cooked foods more easily than raw foods, even though interest in the latter has garnered quite the following.

Schenectady-based health coach and certified Whole30 coach Laura Gregg also stresses the importance of taking an individualized approach—one that draws upon an awareness of what is and isn’t good for you, in contrast to the typical fad-diet promise of permission to eat whatever you want as long as it lines up with prescribed numbers.

FOCUS ON PROTEIN Gregg is an advocate of setting targets for protein intake that might seem quite high, for a good reason. “People in this country massively under-eat protein. And there’s nobody who needs protein more than the aging population,” she says, noting the hormonal changes that begin to break down muscle and the increased danger of falling. “Bone is simply mineralized protein. Muscle is protein. If you want to be strong and healthy, you have to eat protein.”

What works for Gregg is a low-carbohydrate, meat-centric diet. She thinks of fruits as meant to be enjoyed seasonally and she’s not a big fan of vegetables, citing their relatively low nutrient density compared to animal-based sources. “I know this sounds crazy,” she says. “But I’ve lived it.” She and her husband, she says, are thriving in their 40s on a diet that is 90% meat.

Gregg calculates individual protein targets by first determining an appropriate body mass, then aiming for daily consumption of one gram of protein per pound of body weight.

For example, if you’re aiming to weigh 150 pounds, you should be eating 150 grams of protein every day; since protein has 4 calories per gram, that translates to 600 calories coming from protein. That could include choices like bacon and eggs for breakfast, salmon or tuna for lunch, a snack of sardines and a lean cut of steak for dinner.

WHAT ABOUT CHOLESTEROL? Despite their varying approaches, neither nutritionist is overly worried about the body’s ability to handle cholesterol.

“Cholesterol is not our enemy,” says Ioffe, noting that healthy levels are used to synthesize vitamin D and build cell membranes and hormones. In the absence of underlying pathology, Gregg adds, cholesterol coming from natural, unprocessed food sources “is going to sort itself out.”

When it comes to eating eggs, both nutritionists are pro. Ioffe calls them a “perfect, complete food,” containing all the nutrients needed for starting a new life. Some of the same antioxidants and vitamins found in leafy greens are found in egg yolks, which also contain healthy fats that help our bodies to absorb those additional nutrients. Ioffe avoids eggs herself, because they trigger her immune system—underscoring again the importance of an individualized approach. Gregg, who avoids seed oils (including most vegetable oils, such as soybean, corn and canola) and recommends that all fats come from animal-based sources, says she eats seven to 10 eggs per day.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

TOP FIVE T H E

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THE BIG PICTURE Perhaps most importantly, both nutritionists strive for a holistic view that considers the interaction of all our internal systems. “None of these systems are separate within our body,” says Gregg. “Everything is connected. Nothing works in isolation,” Ioffe agrees.

Both also avoid processed foods. “Don’t eat things that come out of bags and boxes and factories,” Gregg says. “If nature didn’t make it, then don’t think you should be eating it.” Ioffe follows the tried-and-true advice to “shop the perimeter” at the grocery store—the produce section, nuts and seeds, fresh meats and fish. “If it has artificial anything in it, it’s an automatic ‘no’ for me,” she says.

“I don’t just look at what we eat. I look at what the body can do with what we’re eating,” Ioffe adds. “We want the body to be in a state where it’s working at its optimum. Not just surviving, but thriving.” n RESOURCES • Laura Gregg, Certified Whole30 coach based in Schenectady peakwellnesswithlaura@gmail.com • Raya Ioffe, Functional nutritionist based in Latham (518) 229-3033 | rayawellness.com

E X P E R T S

C H O O S E

Laura Gregg 1 Pasture-raised beef 2 Seafood 3 Organ meats, such as liver 4 Eggs 5 Animal-based fats, such as butter, ghee, tallow and bacon fat

Raya Ioffe 1 Leafy greens, like kale 2 Nuts and seeds 3 Mushrooms 4 Berries, for their antioxidant properties 5 Avoid processed foods, sugar, dairy and grains in general, for an anti-inflammatory diet focus

Both Ioffe and Gregg have offered classes through Honest Weight Food Co-op.

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

stramcenter.com

4-Way Cilantro Avocado Dressing (or Dip!) SERVES 16 Ingredients: 1/2

Ripe Avocado from Mexico, peeled and pitted

3/4 cup

Fresh cilantro, packed

1/2 cup

Stonyfield® Organic 0% Fat Plain Greek Yogurt

2

Scallions, chopped

1 clove

Garlic, quartered

1 Tbsp.

Lime juice

1/2 tsp.

McCormick® Coarse Ground Black Pepper

Optional: Pink Himalayan sea salt, to taste Additional water, as needed, to create desired thickness Directions: 1. Add avocado, cilantro, yogurt, scallions, garlic, lime juice and black pepper to a blender. Blend to desired smoothness.

2. Add salt to taste and water two tablespoons at a time, until desired thickness is reached.

Avoid unnecessary salt, oils and thickeners by making your own dressing. Surprisingly easy and versatile, this cilantro avocado dressing is loaded with healthy fats and protein and complements your appetizer, dinner or lunch on the go.

Dietitian Recommended Serving Options: 1. Use as dressing on top of your favorite salad or in place of mayonnaise on a sandwich.

2. Mix with salsa for a thicker dip. Slice Cedar’s® Whole Wheat Wraps into triangles and bake in the oven until lightly toasted and crispy.

3. Use as a sauce to top salmon during the final two minutes of cooking.

4. Serve over brown rice and black beans for a flavorful side.

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Visit hannaford.com/dietitians to learn more.

Nutritional Information (dressing only): Amount per serving: Calories 15; Fat 1 g; Saturated Fat 0 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 5 mg; Carbohydrate 1 g; Fiber 1 g; Sugar 1 g; Added Sugar 0 g; Protein 1 g

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

Open 7 Days a Week

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FOOD & DRINK

get the recipe for this (amazing)

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Did Someone Say

Dessert?

Photographs for this story copyright © 2021 by Johnny Miller.

New takes on standard recipes to wow your friends and family

RECIPES FROM JENNIFER SEGAL OF ONCE UPON A CHEF

W

hen it comes to desserts, many of us reach for the same tried-and-true recipes time and again. Mixing it up can literally add a bit of panache to your desserts and earn you oohs and aahs from your favorite foodie fans. Here are a few variations on some dessert standards from Jennifer Segal’s new cookbook Once Upon a Chef Weeknight/Weekend.

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CONTINUED FROM 47

C H E W Y, G O O E Y G O L D E N R I C E K R I S P I E S T R E A T S MAKES 18

INGREDIENTS 1 cup (2 sticks/8 ounces/226 g) unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the pan 2 (10-ounce/284 g) bags mini marshmallows 3 cups (120 g) Golden Grahams cereal ¾ tsp vanilla extract Heaping ½ tsp salt 5½ cups (154 g) Rice Krispies or crispy rice cereal INSTRUCTIONS 1. Line a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) of overhang, and lightly grease it with softened butter or nonstick cooking spray. Set aside 2 cups of the marshmallows.

2. Place the Golden Grahams in a resealable freezer bag. Using a rolling pin, the bottom of a dry measuring cup, or your fist, pound the cereal into smaller pieces. Don’t pulverize it—some pieces should be Rice Krispies-size, some should be larger, and some should be crumbs.

3. In a large pot, melt the butter over

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

to

24 TREATS

medium-high heat (save a wrapper for pressing the mixture into the pan). After the butter melts, it will begin to bubble, foam, and turn golden. Swirl or stir the butter as it continues to brown; eventually it will turn a dark golden color and smell nutty—watch carefully, as it will go from golden brown to burnt quickly. (You’ll see bits of brown sediment forming; that’s okay.) This whole process should take just a few minutes. Once the butter is browned, immediately remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining marshmallows, the vanilla, and salt.

4. Place the pot over low heat and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the marshmallows are completely melted. Remove the pot from the heat and add the crushed Golden Grahams and the Rice Krispies. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir until evenly combined. Add the reserved marshmallows and stir until they are softened and partially melted (don’t let them melt completely; you want pockets of goo).

5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and, using the butter wrapper or damp fingers, gently press the mixture into an even layer. Let cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

6. Use the foil overhang to lift the treats onto a cutting board, then use a sharp knife to cut them into 18 to 24 bars, depending on how large you’d like them.

MAKE-AHEAD/FREEZER-FRIENDLY INSTRUCTIONS

These can be made up to two days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container on the counter or frozen for up to six weeks. To freeze, place the bars in layers separated by wax paper in an airtight container. Let stand at room temperature for a few hours before serving.

PRO TIP

When you transfer the cereal/marshmallow mixture to the pan, press it down using only light pressure to spread it out evenly. If you pack it down using too much pressure, the bars will be hard.

FOOD & DRINK

C H E R R Y R I C O T TA C A K E SERVES 8 to 10

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Heat the oven to 350° and set an oven rack in the middle position.

Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour (alternatively, spray with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour).

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 cup (200 g) of the sugar, the baking powder, and the salt.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, ricotta, vanilla, and orange zest. Gradually add the melted butter, whisking constantly, until evenly combined.

4. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and fold with a rubber

spatula until just blended. Quickly fold in 1 cup (135 g) of the cherries; don’t overmix or the cherries will bleed and turn the batter pink.

5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and scatter the remaining ⅓ cup (45g) cherries over the top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.

6. Bake the cake until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for about 30 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan.

Serve warm or room temperature.

Recipes reprinted with permission from Once Upon a Chef: Weeknight/Weekend. Copyright © 2021 by Jennifer Segal.

INGREDIENTS Nonstick cooking spray with flour, such as Baker’s Joy or Pam Baking 1½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (225 g) sugar 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 3 large eggs 1½ cups (360 g) whole-milk ricotta 1 tsp vanilla extract 1½ tsp (packed) grated orange zest (from 1 orange) ½ cup (1 stick/4 ounces/113 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled 1⅓ cups (180 g) frozen sweet cherries (do not thaw)

G E T

T H E

B O O K

Once Upon a Chef Weeknight/Weekend

by Jennifer Segal | Clarkson Potter | available at onceuponachef.com

SPRING 2022 | 55PLUSLIFEMAG.COM

49

HEALTH & WELLNESS

t a a h W

Pickleball is taking over courts indoors and out

BY JOHN TORSIELLO

A

ndrea Schnieter says joining a pickleball club was “the best decision I’ve made since retiring.”

A resident of Latham, Schnieter joined the growing ranks of individuals who have turned to perhaps the fastest growing recreational sport in the country. According to the U.S. Pickleball Association, the sport grew in 2020 to 4.2 million players in the U.S., up 21.3 percent from 2019. The average age for core players is 47.5 and casual players 33.6, with 60 percent of core players 55 or older.

“The social aspect is what originally attracted me,” says Schnieter. “I played racquetball in my 20s and 30s and then kids came along. Pickleball is terrific and for people in their 50s and up, it offers an instant network of friends, a great way to work out six to 10 hours a week and phenomenal health benefits.”

Schnieter plays with the Colonie Pickleball Club and her primary place to play is Milton Pocket Park which has four dedicated pickleball courts.

A pickleball court is 20-feet-by-44-feet compared to tennis courts, which are 60 feet wide, 120 feet long. The net is hung at 36 inches at the ends and 34 inches in the middle.

A non-volley zone extends seven feet back from the net on

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each side, commonly called “the kitchen.” The game is played with a perforated plastic ball and composite or wooden paddles about twice the size of ping-pong paddles. It can be played indoors or outdoors.

The five basic rules of pickleball—games of which can consist of singles or doubles—are that the ball must stay inbounds, there should be one bounce per side, serving must be done at the baseline, the serve can’t land in the no-volley zone, and the game ends at 11, 15, or 21 points. There are minor rules, including one in which the ball can’t bounce twice.

According to the USA Pickleball Association (USAPickleball.org) the game with the silly name (no one really knows where it came from) was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, Wash., by three dads—Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum. Their children were bored with their usual summertime activities.

Colleen Springborn runs pickleball leagues for the Capital District YMCA in Clifton Park on Saturdays. She also teaches the game at the Y on Tuesdays and Thursdays and, she says, “people keep coming.” She also helps manage a Facebook page—Pickleball of the Capital District—that has over 550 members. She has been playing herself for about 10 years.

Photo: iStock.com/BHPix

!

k l c e i P

“The game is easy to learn, has a smaller court size, is a very social game, anyone can play and it is competitive. Most players I see are in their 60s and 70s with some people in their 50s picking up the game. We even have an 87-year-old gentleman that plays with us.”

Ron Kuhl, owner of The Hockey Hut in Clifton Park (myhockeyhut.com), picked up on the popularity of the sport and decided he would jump into the action. “We now have three pickleball courts that I’m 58 and was we installed this year. We looking for a game have between eight and 12 people using them each I could enjoy, have day and they are mainly 50-and-up years of age. fun, and get some We have a unique facility exercise. I became that becomes an ice rink from December 1 through hooked.”

March 20 and then it is pickleball the rest of the year.”

Andy Rumpelt of Albany has been playing the sport for about four years. “When I first heard of pickleball from my older sister who said I’d like it and should try it, I thought it sounded like some made-up game by a guy and had a small following. I met some people, pickleball came up and I was invited to join them to try it.

“I’m 58 and was looking for a game I could enjoy, have fun, and get some exercise. I became hooked,” he adds. “After a brief year off from COVID, I’m back playing pickleball and having more fun than ever because, although I’m competitive, the social aspect is just as important to me at this stage in my life.”

CONTINUES ON 52 

“

GETTING STARTED One of the great things about pickleball is its low start-up costs. Here’s what you will need to play pickleball once you find a court and some friends to play with.

• A paddle: Pickleball paddles are smaller than a tennis racquet but larger than a table-tennis paddle.

Today’s paddles are made from several materials, including wood, graphite and aluminum.

• A ball: Similar to Wiffle balls, pickleballs are lightweight with holes. There are differences between indoor and outdoor pickleballs, so make sure you get the ones you need.

• Apparel and footwear: Standard athletic apparel like T-shirts, shorts, polos and sweatpants are standard options. Comfortable tennis shoes are essential.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

CONTINUED FROM 51

everyone. I travel all around the Capital District to play. The Greg Diedrick of Cohoes plays pickleball at Impact Athletcrowd definitely tends to trend towards people in ics in Halfmoon where he helped start a league and their 40s and 50s. I’ve played with people in their drop-in play. “When my friend first introduced me to pickleball, I really only did it because ONLINE RESOURCES 60s and have even played with a guy in his 70s.

You’re beginning to see more people in their it was a sport, but I got hooked. It’s low pickleballrush.com 20s and 30s come around now. Generally impact, tactical, but can get moving fast. if you can get someone on a court to try it Anyone can play and excel and adjust their Facebook: Pickleball of the they’re going to keep coming back.” game to their own limits. I’ve played douCapital District “There is so much that is attractive to bles where I and a very athletic friend lost globalpickleball.network pickleball,” says Gina Family, a certified to two women both in their 60s and then albany.com/things-to-do/ paddleball instructor who lives in Clifton the next game we beat two guys in their 20s pickleball Park. “It is so much fun. Once people put a padwho’ve been playing for much longer than us.” dle in their hand and start hitting the ball, they get Diedrick says the game attracts a mix of ages. “Evthis huge smile on their face.” n erywhere I go it’s men and women and everyone plays with

WHERE TO PLAY

Here are just some of the places where you can play pickleball in the Capital District: • Shuttleworth Park, Amsterdam: In addition to pickleball courts, the park offers a variety of amenities.

• Elm Avenue Park, Delmar: Pickleball can be played at the tennis courts, and the town’s Parks and Recreation Department typically hosts a dropin pickleball program for beginners

during the summer.

• Clifton Knoll, Clifton Park: One of the tennis courts doubles as a pickleball court.

Other options: • Capital District YMCA in Clifton Park • The Hockey Hut in Clifton Park • Impact Athletics in Halfmoon

Photo: iStock.com/kali9.

• Milton Pocket Park, Albany: The park has four dedicated pickleball courts.

• Palma Park, Albany: The park’s two pickleball courts are shared with tennis courts.

• Collins Park, Scotia: The park has six pickleball courts that share nets with tennis courts.

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SKIN CARE

as you age Taking care of your skin is a lifelong project

BY BRIANNA SNYDER

hese days, the au naturel look is in. Which is great news for young, smooth-faced, dewy-cheeked 20-somethings.

The rest of us are adjusting.

But the truth is, having healthy, luminous skin is in at every age. Minimalist makeup and skincare companies like Glossier and Undone are including models in their 50s and older in their marketing, celebrating moisturizer and cosmetics in tandem, for everyone.

That means today there are more options than ever for nailing down the best skin care routine based on your own skin type.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD), skin can feel dry and irritated during our 60s, 70s and beyond. “This happens for many reasons,” the AAD notes, “including skin that is thinner and loses water more easily.” Medications and medical conditions can also play a role, the association says.

Kelly Pacifico, master aesthetician at Dr. Lucie Capek Plastic Surgery and MedSpa in Latham, explains what happens to our skin as we get older. “Collagen and elastin give the skin structure and fullness; we lose these compounds as we age,” she says. “When we lose collagen and elastin, wrinkles around the eyes, forehead, and mouth appear. The skin becomes thinner, and you may notice more pigmentary changes like brown spots or red spots. However, we should always treat our skin based on the current state, not necessarily by our age. Professional advice is the best way to choose the best skin care for you at any age.”

So here are a few best practices.

dripping water, but leave yourself a little moist before applying lotion. That will help to hydrate.

TAKE CARE IN THE BATH

DON’T FORGET TO INDULGE YOURSELF FROM TIME TO TIME

The AAD suggests that some simple changes to your bath time can reduce or alleviate dry, itchy skin and prevent it from becoming a serious problem. Wash yourself with a gentle, fragrance-free, moisturizing soap and use a washcloth instead of a sponge or loofah. Look for moisturizing ingredients such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid and lanolin in the products you purchase.

Also try to use warm water instead of hot; hot water can strip skin of its natural oils, increasing dryness. When you step out of the shower or tub, gently pat your skin to sop up

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USE A HUMIDIFIER

Especially in the winter, dry air can be a killer. A good humidifier in the bedroom can go a long way toward keeping your skin from getting dry or lackluster. The AAD recommends keeping indoor humidity between 45% and 60% to reduce dryness and itchiness. The best way to measure the humidity in the air is with a hydrometer, which you can buy at a hardware or home-improvement store.

STICK TO THE BASICS

“The most basic skin care routine should include a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen, and this is for both men and women,” Pacifico says. “As we age, we may notice changes in pigmentation or fine lines and wrinkles. To address these concerns, use products designed to treat and target these concerns. An aesthetician can help you develop a plan of action and recommend products.”

Use creamy, fragrance-free moisturizers formulated for dry skin within three minutes of bathing or washing your face—and even throughout the day, if you feel the need. When your skin feels especially dry, the AAD says, dermatologists recommend using an ointment instead of a cream. An ointment will do a better job of retaining water in your skin.

“Various MedSpa treatments can help improve your skin and make you feel pampered,” Pacifico says. “Choosing the right treatment depends on what type of results you are looking to achieve with your skin.”

One treatment Dr. Capek’s office offers is the HydraFacial, which is good for all skin types,

Photo: iStockphoto.com/insta_photos.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

genders and ages. The HydraFacial is a medical-grade facial that deeply cleanses, extracts, and hydrates the skin to help improve its overall health and quality.

Treatments like these also use “power booster” serums to treat more specific concerns like pigmentation, redness, fine lines, and

dehydration, Pacifico says. You can also get treatments like LASER Genesis, a popular treatment that improves premature signs of aging. Other laser treatments can be used to treat brown or red spots from acne scars, age spots, broken capillaries, port-wine stains, and minor fine lines, she adds.

“The gold standard facial rejuvenation procedure for older patients is a face-lift, if you are looking for a more dramatic, fully rejuvenated result,” says Dr. Lucie Capek. “This in no way replaces skincare and treatments to improve skin quality but rather restores volume and lifts sagging tissues back into a more youthful contour.” Dr. Capek says her goal with face-lift surgery is “to turn back the clock, but not to make you look like a different person.”

BE VIGILANT ABOUT CHECKING FOR CANCER

The AAD recommends regularly examining your skin for signs of skin cancer. After you turn 50, your risk of developing skin cancer increases and keeps increasing as the years pass. So if you notice a spot that’s different from others, or that changes, itches, or bleeds, you should make an appointment to see a board-certified dermatologist.

AVOID THESE MISTAKES

You knew it was coming: Pacifico says the most common mistake people make is forgetting to use sunscreen. “The sun causes the most damage to our skin over our lifetime,” she says. “Protecting our skin year-round with SPF can help prevent signs of premature aging and protect the skin while we treat that damage and problem areas.” n

SPRING 2022 | 55PLUSLIFEMAG.COM

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6

BE YOUR BEST

Ways to

Spring-clean Your Health Routine!

A

How to lose those winter doldrums

BY BENITA ZAHN

s we cope with the lingering effects of the pandemic, it may feel difficult to get out of our Groundhog Day mentality. You know, the same Zoom meetings, remembering to grab a mask as we head into a store, wondering if we’re making the best health choices for our loved ones. Yes, the research is clear that it’s all taken a toll on our emotional well-being. But the longer, warmer days are arriving and that means we can bust our way out of the winter malaise.

For starters, sunshine is an elixir. We feel better when it’s sunny outside. So put a dose of sunshine at the top of your six ways to spring-clean your health routine.

Yes, I know prolonged exposure to the sun brings its own risks, but sunscreen on exposed skin provides protection.

So make a plan to get outside every day. Research finds the sweet spot is 20-30 minutes. Sure, a walk in the woods is tops, but a stroll around your neighborhood also does wonders for your mood and subsequently for your overall health as well. It’s been shown that time spent in nature helps lower blood pressure and stress hormones, and it can also reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease.

Number two on the spring-cleaning list: Check the expiration dates on not only your sunscreen, but all prescription and over-the-counter medications. Ditch them, responsibly, when they’re out of date because they lose effectiveness.

Third on the list: Create a morning routine. Too often we get going with no plan, which means we may fritter away time better spent another way. Set an intention before your feet hit the ground, as in “Today I will answer all email by noon” … or “Today I will pause before eating to appreciate and really taste my food.” And here’s a thought about that: Too often we rush through a meal and overeat because our brains can’t catch up with our stomachs. Yes, there’s a lag between the stomach being filled and the brain recognizing what’s happening. That’s why you can experience that “I can’t believe I ate all that” feeling. Simply put, it went in faster than

your brain could register.

Fourth on the list for spring-cleaning your health routine: Schedule time to move. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of the two. It doesn’t have to be anything fancier than walking. The key is to do it and be consistent.

Fifth on the list: Review and amend what you eat. Take a close look at your sugar consumption. Sugar is hidden in many processed foods in the form of corn syrup, rice syrup and words ending in “ose” like fructose, sucrose, maltose and dextrose. Too much dietary sugar has been linked to an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. As you trim your sugar consumption, you’ll find your desire for sweets decreases. Replace that sugar with the sweetness of fresh fruit.

And while you’re at it, it’s recommended that we fill half our plate with vegetables, limiting carbs and protein to one quarter of the plate each.

Sixth on the list, revamp your nighttime routine to get your ZZZs. Adults should get seven to nine hours nightly.

So power down your life at least half an hour before bedtime.

Make sure the bedroom is cool and dark. Avoid alcohol. It may help you fall asleep, but it can prevent you from reaching the deep-sleep stage and make you more easily awakened during the night. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, avoid it at least four hours before bedtime. Go to bed at the same time every night with the intention of waking at the same time every morning.

And let me throw in a bonus seventh item for your list: Practice mindfulness. That means slowing down and being in the moment, fully experiencing what you are involved in. In short, smell the roses. Their scent is wonderful in springtime. n BENITA ZAHN is a certified health and wellness coach working in the Capital Region. Visit benitahealthcoach.com.

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Y0019_22_16003_M

LIFESTYLE

A chandelier in your gazebo?

Why not? Just make sure it’s safe for moisture, heat and cold. You’re going to want to leave it up year-round.

— Photo provided by Maria Bortugno

Light Up Your Life Clever ways to easily add lighting to your yard without breaking the bank

S

BY BRIANNA SNYDER

ometimes small things really can make a backyard space pop. Hanging fairy lights in Mason jars from the trees, for example. Solar light mobiles. Or a portable fire pit.

The great news is that backyard lighting can be as simple or elaborate as you want it to be. So first, let’s strategize.

ing light across the ground, Maurer says. “Vertical lighting adds dimension and helps identify objects and faces.” Here’s where taller stake lights can play their part, as well as sconces, pendants and other hanging lamps and lights.

START WITH PRACTICALITIES

“Rope lights and string lights were a big thing for years,” Bortugno says. “They’re simple to use, especially if you have a gazebo, but I’m kind of tired of them!”

Bortugno prefers LED-lit umbrellas instead. “It’s such romantic lighting,” Bortugno says, and is especially great for yards without gazebos. “Natural woven pendants, rattan, grasses and wicker? They’re all in. And that’s fun because they go so well with nature.”

Maurer says the tone of light can also make a big difference: “Use warm lighting over cool lighting for a sense of intrigue,” she says.

And while rope lights on gazebos may be tried and true, Bortugno says a lovely alternative is to drape them throughout tree branches, which adds elegance and romance to the space.

The first step to lighting a backyard with pizazz is deciding what places make the most sense to light. Footpaths through the yard, steps and other perimeter lights are an obvious priority. As with all great design—interior and exterior—function should guide your approach.

For footpaths, avoid a straight line out into the yard or else “it’ll look like Project Runway,” says Maria Bortugno of B Designs Interiors in Latham. Chart your path along the foliage and features of your yard to give a winding-path look. Flank the path with solar-powered LED stake lights, Bortugno says, which are inexpensive and can last a long time.

“Safety first!” says the now-retired Denise Maurer, formerly of Denise Maurer Interiors, based in Troy. “Light entrances, steps and walkways using a combination of horizontal and vertical lighting.”

Which brings us to the next practical areas you’ll want to light: tables, sitting areas and the faces of your family and friends.

Horizontal lighting is used to mark footpaths by cast-

RATTAN IS IN. ROPE LIGHTS ARE (KIND OF) OUT.

MOVE THE INSIDE OUTSIDE

“You want to keep in mind the architecture of your home and the design of your interior,” Bortugno says. “Your exterior and your interior need to go together.”

If your interior is midcentury modern, take the same apSPRING 2022 | 55PLUSLIFEMAG.COM

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Photo: iStock.com/bauhaus1000.

LIFESTYLE

proach outside. “It doesn’t need to be a matching set,” Bortugno says, but the styles should complement each other. Don’t pair midcentury with colonial, for example. “If you have all black lighting in your mudroom and all chrome outside, it’s not going to look pretty and it’s not going to flow,” she says. “So you want to take into consideration the feeling you get when you walk from outside into your home. You’re creating what I call outdoor rooms, so make sure there’s continuation.”

Bortugno loves outdoor chandeliers for a glitzy approach.

But she warns about making sure they’re safe for moisture, heat and cold. “Look at the temperature settings to make sure it’ll work,” she says. “You don’t take these down. They stay up for 365 days a year.”

WHAT ABOUT BUDGET?

“You don’t have to have a lot of money if you have good taste,” Bortugno says. “There is a light in every budget to solve the same problem. If you want patio pathway lights you’ve got the same type of light in every type of range to solve your problem—from Target to Restoration Hardware. And the

LEDs are the cheapest, but look magical.”

Maurer agrees, especially about the LEDs. “There are many decorative styles available,” she says. Plus, she adds, you can fill Mason jars with battery-operated tea lights, which are more affordable and can be suspended from tree branches and set on tables. Or “you can retrofit old weliers with solar lights.”

Bortugno says glass lanterns are also a nice touch, and are less expensive than fully hooked-up lanterns. “Keep it simple,” Bortugno says. “Less is more.”

KEEP THE LIGHTS LOW

When plotting your lights—in the front and in the back— it’s important to note where they’re pointing. You don’t want lights shining into the windows of neighbors or into your own windows.

Maurer also cautions against high voltages. “Use low-voltage and LED lighting for highlights and to minimize the impact on our nighttime sky and reduce energy,” Maurer says.

“Birds and stargazers will thank you.” n

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More joint replacement surgery patients today are back home by night

BY DIONISIO ORTIZ III, M.D.

O

Advances in surgical technique, which include implant design, more specialty-trained surgeons performing total knee and hip replacements, and the development of robotic- and computer-assisted surgery, have also greatly contributed to the success of hip and knee replacement in the ASC. How do you know if you are a candidate for outpatient total joint replacement? The vast majority of patients can safely undergo hip and knee replacements today in the ASC. Most common medical problems (e.g., high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, etc.), as long as they are well controlled by your primary care doctor, can be successfully navigated throughout the process. Lastly, a good family/friend support system and a motivation to avoid a lengthy hospital stay are key to a successful outpatient hip or knee replacement. A discussion with your surgeon about all these factors will help determine if hip or knee replacement in the ASC is right for you.

ver one million hip and knee replacements are performed in the United States every year. By 2030, that number is expected to grow to over four million. In the past, hip and knee replacement surgery meant spending many days in the hospital. In many cases, patients would also spend additional days to weeks in a skilled nursing facility or rehab hospital. In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted the strain placed on traditional hospitals and skilled nursing facilities, the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) has become an increasingly popular option for surgeries, such as hip and knee replacements. Modern techniques in anesthesia, pain control, and therapy have led to outpatient joint replacement becoming an increasingly “routine” procedure, where patients can be home in their own beds the night of their surgery.

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5

RETIREMENT

Retirement

Shocks That Can

Break Your Bank

Tips for making sure your money lasts as long as you do

BY TRACI NEAL

Y

Photo: iStock.com/franny-anne.

ou know what they say about “the best-laid plans,” right?

Well, that goes double in retirement.

Often, despite sensible, careful preparation, the plan for a financially secure retirement can go awry. All it takes is one major retirement “shock” or unexpected expense, says Anna Rappaport, chair of the Society of Actuaries Committee on Post-Retirement Needs and Risks and the organization’s past president. The committee, says Rappaport, has been working for 20 years to identify and understand the way Americans manage their finances after retirement.

“When we first looked at this, we did some work to understand how people were planning for retirement. We did focus groups and figured out that most people were preparing for things like monthly bills but not for major expenses,” says Rappaport. “A lot of people hadn’t set aside money for these major unexpected expenses or catastrophes or what we called ‘shocks.’”

Here are some potential expenses that can undermine the best-laid retirement plans.

1

LONG-TERM CARE One of the most obvious issues that can derail retirement finances is the need for long-term care, says Kathleen Godfrey, president of Godfrey Financial Associates in Glenmont.

“Medicare pays for a lot but they don’t pay for things like dementia care,” says Godfrey. “If you needed a home aide, for instance, that’s a huge expense and that can bankrupt retirees.”

According to New York’s Department of Financial Services, nursing home costs upstate range from $264 to $308 a day—or about $96,360 to $112,420 a year. Downstate, they’re even higher, from $124,100 to $142,350 a year.

Home health care is also expensive, averaging about $20 an

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hour, according to an industry survey, the department says.

“Some people are financially prepared for a long-term care event, but a lot are not,” says Rappaport. “Families often help out, but the individual who may need help has not planned together with their families, so people reach the stage that they need help and the family suddenly is in a mess because they’re trying to help a parent who hasn’t planned.”

For couples dealing with a spouse in need of long-term care, “it can lead to financial ruin,” Rappaport says.

Godfrey agrees that although long-term care insurance is pricey, it may be worth the expense if paid during working years. “My father had Alzheimer’s and my mother eventually could not take care of him,” says Godfrey. “He ended up having to go to a nursing home and she liquidated quite a bit of their retirement nest egg to pay for that.”

2

OTHER HEALTH EMERGENCIES

People over age 65 are generally covered by Medicare, with a variety of choices and supplemental insurances that include most medical expenses, says Rappaport. But beware the surprises, she advises.

“If you go to an emergency room or in for a surgery, you may think you’re in-network and the hospital is in-network, but that emergency room physician may not be in-network, the anesthesiologist may not be in-network. We hear all kinds of stories like that, anecdotes about how people think they’re staying in-network but then there’s a huge surprise bill afterward.”

Congress recently enacted legislation, effective in January, aimed at protecting consumers from excessive out-of-pocket medical bills. There can still be significant hidden expenses, such as prescriptions that aren’t covered, deductibles and copays, that could upend a budget, Rappaport says.

CONTINUES ON 65 

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Photo: iStock.com/FluxFactory.

RETIREMENT

CONTINUED FROM 62

3

DENTAL EXPENSES

Routine dental care is usually fairly inexpensive and out-of-pocket costs for a simple cleaning, for instance, generally won’t break the bank. It’s when teeth need more—a crown or bridge or tooth replacement—that the bill can reach into the thousands.

“It’s important to plan for some of these expenses in retirement and have a fund set aside,” Rappaport says.

Medicare doesn’t generally cover most dental care, dental procedures or supplies, like cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, dentures, dental plates, or other dental devices. “If you have problems with your teeth already as a younger person and you’re retiring,” says Godfrey, “you should definitely look into getting supplemental dental insurance.”

4

HOUSING AND HOME REPAIRS

Housing costs are most people’s biggest expense, says Rappaport, and depending on the home size and location, they can vary drastically. “So if you have somebody who has really out-of-balance expenses, one thing to look at is housing,” she says. “That’s a tough issue but can make a really big difference.”

While most standard homeowner’s insurance covers damages caused by a fire or theft, for instance, not all policies will kick in for roof repairs, cracks in the foundation, termites, mold, or plumbing issues.

“A lot of people, when they’re younger, do an awful lot themselves,” says Rappaport. “But people need to think about, as they get older, ’Is this a suitable house for me?’ One of the things to think about is how much trouble is it to maintain? What kind of money will be needed?”

Rappaport says retirees may want to consider downsizing or moving to a condominium, “where someone else is responsible for repairs.”

Godfrey adds, “Even if insurance is covering the expense, if you have a high deductible it can break your budget.”

5

FAMILY EMERGENCIES

“I think a big one that people generally don’t prepare for is when their adult children move back home,” says Godfrey. “Maybe they’ve lost their jobs or have gotten divorced; many times they bring their kids.

“I’ve seen retired people raising their grandchildren,” says Godfrey. “Usually that follows some sort of tragedy, but it’s a huge, huge unexpected expense.”

Quite a few seniors end up helping family members for many reasons, says Rappaport, advising, “It’s important to have a balance so you don’t destroy your own financial security.” n

FOCUSING ON CHANGE One key takeaway from the Society of Actuaries’ report, “Shocks and the Unexpected: An Important Factor in Retirement,” is that people tend to avoid focusing on change.

“They need to be planning longer term,” says Anna Rappaport, who chairs the SOA committee that’s been studying how retirees plan for their financial futures.

During focus groups, Rappaport’s group asked participants how they plan for potential changes. “What we found is that they didn’t focus on longer-term change at all,” she says. “Budgeting and managing debt—these are some fundamental things that we found were lacking in retirees.”

She recommends a retirement budget: “(If you’re) going out to dinner, going to Starbucks every day, spending on cell phones or cable TV, budgeting would be a really big place to start,” she says.

The Thinking Ahead Roadmap, developed through a grant from AARP with foundational research sponsored by the Society of Actuaries, offers easy-to-use retirement planning tools online at thinkingaheadroadmap.org.

SPRING 2022 | 55PLUSLIFEMAG.COM

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THE VINE

My Uncle’s

White Convertible

BY ROD MICHAEL

W

One would think that I would have learned a lesson from this story, but I did not. After joining the military, I was traveling back to base one evening through the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire. I fell asleep and crashed into a stump. Luckily I had no broken bones, but my blue Corvair was left with only two forward gears. Thinking back, I may have hit my head.

I went on emergency leave, followed home by my best buddy Joe in his car to make sure I made it home safely.

Back through the mountains of New Hampshire and then Vermont, two forward gears, doing about 25 mph the whole way. My mother said she had found me a nice red Corvair and the price would fit my budget. I was excited until I saw it was a convertible—red with a white top! I bought the car, washed and waxed it up. By the way, Corvair engines were air-cooled and in the winter that car was the coldest thing you can imagine. I struggled with it for two years and was never so glad to say goodbye.

So, if there is a moral to this story it should go like this.

Buy a car with air conditioning—a good heater, too—and tell your cousins that your mother said you cannot go on vacation with them. n

Photo: iStockphoto.com/Different_Brian.

hen I was a kid, my family and my cousins Rich and Kenny’s family were always involved in a car feud.

Their family drove Buicks and they looked down upon those of us who drove a Pontiac. We washed and waxed our car to the nth degree, but that made no difference to them. My stepfather had his fill of the snobbery and decided the only way to beat them was to buy a Cadillac, a nice gold-colored one. We kids had the unenviable task of once again washing and waxing that car to outshine our cousins. That only lasted a few months when my uncle could not take it anymore and went out and bought a new Buick convertible, white with a red top. As you can imagine, the war waged on.

My aunt asked my mother if I could go with them on a trip to Maine to visit my uncle’s family and show off their new beauty. My mother consented and we all headed off on the 10-hour drive. Through the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire and then up the coast of Maine—the whole way with the top down! My aunt was curled up in a blanket on the front seat and we kids huddled together on the floorboard in the back. My uncle refused to put up the top.

That trip turned out to be the memory that has haunted me the most from my childhood. I remember thinking, as I was shivering, what is wrong with my uncle?

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55+ LIFE MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022

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