WINTER 2020
Keep Your Identity Safe This Holiday Season
Celebrate the Season Local Holiday Festivities
Enriching Elders Virtual Philanthropy For Tangible Services
Screen to Sunshine:
Senior Care Facilities Reopen Visitation
Nina Fritz
An Exclusive Interview PRESENTED BY COUNCIL ON AGING OF WEST FLORIDA
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[ FROM THE EDITOR ] Boy, how about that (insert election, hurricane season, pandemic, racial tension, etc.), huh? What a crazy year! My how glad I am that 2020 is about over and our world can return to peace and tranquility in just a couple weeks. I’ve been telling myself that the chaos of this year will end with this year. In my heart, I know it’s not true. You probably know it, too. After all, 2019 wasn’t all sunshine and roses. It featured some tragic school shootings, political violence and more. We are aware that the anxiety of 2020 won’t come to an end with an arbitrary turnover of the Gregorian calendar, but we need hope, a light at the end of the tunnel, and so we give ourselves the year as an endpoint.
Josh Newby
Marketing Communications Director and Editor-in-Chief
Who knows what 2021 will bring? So many things are out of our control that perhaps it’s helpful to focus on what is inside our control: how we treat one another, what we post on social media, the causes we volunteer
for, how we eat, sleep and spend our time. 2021 could be a great year, if not for the world, then for you and yours. So let’s control what we can, spread a little cheer, and let the chips fall where they may. We’ve got a couple ways to help you do that, including a photo feature on what seniors are most looking forward to about 2021, an overview of nursing home and assisted living facility status in the wake of COVID-19, a story on holiday events and even a deep dive into the Social Security Cost of Living Allowance. Thanks for all you do for our agency and elders in our community, whether it’s volunteering, donating and or even just looking out for your neighbors. Give me a call at (850) 266-2507 if you’d like to chat about anything in this issue, or just to chat! And until next time, enjoy life—you’ve earned it!
Readers’ Services SUBSCRIPTIONS If you have questions about your subscription, call Josh Newby at (850) 432-1475 ext. 130 or email jnewby@coawfla. org. Please do not hesitate to contact Josh with any questions or comments about your service, and thank you.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS When calling or emailing us your change of address, please provide Council on Aging of West Florida with both the old and new addresses to expedite the change.
4 COMING OF AGE WINTER 2020
BACK ISSUES Is there an issue of one of our magazines that you just have to have? Was your relative seen in a recent issue and you lost it? Give Ballinger Publishing a call at (850) 433-1166 ext. 26, and they will find one for you.
LETTERS Council on Aging of West Florida welcomes your letters and comments. Send letters to Council on Aging c/o Josh Newby at 875 Royce St., Pensacola, FL 32503, emails to jnewby@coawfla.org or contact editor Kelly Oden at Ballinger Publishing, P.O. Box 12665 Pensacola, FL 32591 or kelly@ballingerpublishing.com.
WRITING OPPORTUNITIES We are always willing to consider freelance writers and article ideas. Please send queries and/ or suggestions to Kelly Oden at kelly@ballingerpublishing.com or Josh Newby at jnewby@coawfla.org.
Council on Aging of West Florida 2020 Board of Directors Officers Chair: Kathleen Logan First Vice Chair: Lois Lepp Second Vice Chair: Malcolm Ballinger Secretary: P.C. Wu Treasurer: J.M. Novota Immediate Past Chair: Sonya Daniel Board Members DeborahCorbin DeeDee Davis Joel Fleekop Donna Jacobi, M.D. Escambia County Commissioner Lumon May Tammy Hardy-Fauber Sean Magerkorth Rick McClanahan Thomas Pace Jr. Jan Pacenta Tara Peterson Diane Scott, Ph.D Caron Sjoberg Sue Straughn Edgar Turner Dona Usry Marie Young Members Emeriti Joe Black • Zola Lett Charles H. Overman III • Malcolm Parker President/CEO John B. Clark Marketing Communications Director and Coming of Age Editor-in-Chief Josh Newby Published for Council on Aging of West Florida by Ballinger Publishing 314 N Spring St • Pensacola, FL 32501 850.433.1166 • Fax 850.435.9174 Owner Malcolm Ballinger Publisher Malcolm Ballinger Executive Editor Kelly Oden Editor Gina Castro Art Director Guy Stevens Graphic Designer & Ad Coordinator Garrett Hallbauer Editorial Assistant Dakota Parks Editorial Intern Hunter Morrison Account Executives Paula Rode • paula@ballingerpublishing.com Becky Hildebrand • becky@ballingerpublishing.com Homemaker and Companion AHCA Registration #4941
Disclaimer: Coming of Age magazine is published quarterly by Ballinger Publishing for Council on Aging of West Florida, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents herein is prohibited. Comments and opinions expressed in this magazine represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and/or the person identified as the author of the article, and they are not necessarily those of the publisher or Council of Aging of West Florida, Inc. This magazine accepts no responsibility for these opinions. The publisher and Council on Aging of West Florida reserve the right to edit all manuscripts. All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser. Appearance in this magazine does not necessarily reflect endorsement of any products or services by Ballinger Publishing or Council on Aging of West Florida. ©2020
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What's Inside 12
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Features
Nina Fritz: An Exclusive Interview 24 Departments 10 Enriching Elders 12 The Cost of COLA 14 Keep Your Identity Safe this Holiday Season 16 Celebrate the Season
In Every Issue 8 Advocacy: To Everything, There Is a Season 30 Thank You to Our Donors Stay Connected!
20 Screen to Sunshine: Senior Care Facilities Reopen Visitation 22 2021: Seniors Looking Forward Cover: Nina Fritz photo by Guy Stevens 6 COMING OF AGE WINTER 2020
Council on Aging of West Florida, Inc, is compliant with the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance Standards for Charity Accountability.
STAR LANGE-RICHEY
Advocacy
To Everything (turn, turn, turn) There Is a Season (turn, turn, turn) and a Time to Every Purpose under Heaven by John Clark
I am sure many of you remember the song written by Peter Seeger and made famous by The Byrds: “Turn, Turn, Turn.” Maybe it will help us to better understand 2020—and then again, maybe not. Certainly 2020 is one for the record books. Pete
Seeger’s song also has a basis in the Old Testament Book of Ecclesiastes, and we are reminded that there is a “time” for everything. Gosh, it seems that 2020 was a year that covered the gamut of a “time for everything:” a pandemic, wars, fires, hurricanes, an angry electorate split with each side convinced of its own righteousness—many of us have seen loved ones or friends die (sometimes suddenly and sometimes expected). Yet, as we neared the end of 2019, none of us could have predicted what 2020 would bring us, and, frankly, it is my personal belief that we are blessed that we CANNOT see, or predict, the future. For some, it would be too painful to know. For this reason, I am not among those who say it will be good to ring in 2021; although, like most, I won’t be sorry to see 2020 behind us. One of my favorite books is The Book of Choices: A Treasury of Insights for Personal and Professional Growth by Mike Magee, MD who is an author, lecturer and philosopher. Dr. Magee reminds us that the “future will arrive without our prodding and without our overplanning for a rainy day.” He notes that dwelling on an imagined tomorrow almost
8 COMING OF AGE WINTER 2020
always compromises our handling of today; the best we can do is consider the lessons of the past and see if they apply to the present: “We live forward, but understand backward.” Sort of like what the famous hockey player, Wayne Gretsky said, “Skate to where the puck is going, NOT where it’s been.” So, what have we learned from 2020?
Well, we learned again (like we didn’t already know) that hurricanes are bad, and that COVID-19 is real. Death comes to our friends and relatives, like it or not. Bad things do happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. Life ain’t fair. Old age ain’t for sissies. Time honored truths. As CEO of the Council on Aging, I was reminded again during the nightmare that was 2020 of the importance of what we do and why we are truly an essential service. Council on Aging could not just shut our doors until the pandemic was over. We had to do the best we could to continue serving elders in need, whether it was home-delivered meals, in-home services, case management assistance and so on. Elders depended on our agency. We had to depend on our frontline workers and volunteers to make those essential services happen. Boy did they all rise to the challenge, putting others before self. I am proud to be part of an agency which has consistently put service above self. How on earth do you say thank
you to those who helped during 2020, our frontline staff and volunteers, our board of directors? And yes, our donors. They have been so important also. In 2020, we were not able to have inperson fundraising events, a huge blow to our fundraising efforts, resulting in a significant loss of donated funds. I would like to say we met that loss dollar for dollar, but we didn’t. However, we were still able to raise tens of thousands of dollars through the generous efforts of hundreds of donors, large and small. So, as we look over our shoulder and 2020 recedes into the distance, let’s remember all those who helped the Council on Aging make it through the year. Volunteers of all stripes, donors (large and small), staff (from our dining site managers who saw that meals were delivered/served and to our fiscal staff who saw that bills were paid), our program participants whose patience and understanding we so appreciated. To all of you—know that we love you, appreciate you and THANK YOU!!! •
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Enriching Elders
Virtual Philanthropy for Tangible Services written by Lauren Clark photos by Guy Stevens
have push notifications turned on 24/7 for my emails to come to my cell phone. I am a strong believer of work-life balance, but as a professional fundraiser, there is one notification that I am hooked on— online donation notifications. Whether Council on Aging recently hosted a virtual fundraiser, Enriching Elders. Focusing on various media channels and peer-to-peer fundraising, this event raised $80,000. Ideally Council on Aging would have been able to hold our annual fundraising gala, the Rat Pack Reunion, and celebrate the agency and our supporters in person. Though we could not party together and enjoy an elegant 10 COMING OF AGE WINTER 2020
it is a Saturday night or before the sun comes out on a weekday morning, I read every word of the notification as it rolls in. Each message comes with an exhale that we can provide for our clients and we have friends out there to help us do so.
evening, the community still rose to meet the needs seniors have more than we could have hoped for. Over the past few months, my weekends and nights have been filled with my favorite notification coming through. My absolute favorite part of an online donation is the dedication notes that some donors leave for their loved ones. Many of our board members stepped up to create
personal fundraising pages and reach out to their family and friends. Our fundraising site was covered in sweet notes full of pride not just towards the individual the donation honored, but to Council on Aging for giving them the opportunity to support something meaningful. I had the pleasure of talking to an aunt of a board member on the phone while walking her through
I don’t know what I would have done when my husband was so sick those last few years and I was trying to keep him at home if they had not come to my rescue.” the donation process. Once I realized who she was dedicating her donation to, I could not help but praise her niece and brag about the work she does for us. I could tell by her voice that she was beaming and on the brink of tears as she told me how her niece has always blown her away and been a shining star, and that she hopes she knows how proud she is. How lucky was I to be a part of the warm embrace of family and support in that moment?
recipients of services reached out to a board member after Hurricane Sally caused $8,000 worth of damage to her home. “I don’t know what I would have done when my husband was so sick those last few years and I was trying to keep him at home if they had not come to my rescue. When he died, I asked that any donations
spark the most hope. Times are hard and resources are tight, but the passion and love to serve is waiting in the wings, growing stronger until it can take the stage with more force than ever. Notifications are a little fewer and further between in 2020, I won’t lie. It has been a tough year to be in fundraising and ask for money
Peer-to-peer fundraising can help an organization raise funds that feel like love letters to their clients and advocates. Council on Aging could not do it on our own; it takes passionate advocates sharing their own love stories about their time serving the community alongside an organization. We have been blessed to have those in donors, board members, volunteers, staff, and clients. In a year when there are so many tragic stories to be told, we are grateful for those who help us share ones of beauty. It has been a hard year financially for all of us. The most touching moments as a fundraiser are not receiving a check with lots of zeroes, but the $25 donations that is all someone has to spare, and they choose to share it with our seniors. Still moving are the hearts of donors who wish they could renew their gifts and reach out with their commitment. One long-time supporter and prior
be sent to the Council of Aging and was so pleased that many people responded. I still try to send them a donation every few months when I can. I hope I can do more later when I get past all my Sally expenses. I hope you understand.”
in a time when everyone has less. There are less notifications for online donations, but the love letters through the community supporting our seniors and each other only grow. From all of us, thank you. •
It is these sentiments from those who reach out wishing they could give more to charities that LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR SENIORS 11
The Cost of COLA: Does it raise seniors out of poverty or keep them in it? By Josh Newby
F
or most of us, getting a raise is a welcome acknowledgement of our contributions in the form of some extra cash every month. Oftentimes, a raise is an increase meant to keep pace with the rising costs of living. Seniors living on Social Security—which they’ve paid into for decades— need and deserve these raises too in the form of the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA). As its name implies, the COLA is meant to ensure that Social Security continues to do what it was meant to do: keep elder adults out of poverty, even through inflation. To a large extent, Social Security is doing its job, but is the COLA?
The Cost of Living Allowance is based in large part on the Consumer Price Index, a measure of the average change over time in prices paid by urban consumers. Once a year, the Social Security trustees meet to assess the Consumer Price Index, its effect on seniors 12 COMING OF AGE WINTER 2020
and whether they should make a comparable increase in the amount of Social Security benefits elder adults receive. There is also an effort made to ensure that as Medicare premiums increase, so too do Social Security benefits. Most years do receive an increase (2016 was the last year without one), but there is controversy about the amount rewarded. This year, the increase is 1.3 percent. If, for example, you are receiving $1,000 in Social Security benefits per month, you would begin receiving $1,013 a month beginning January 2021. If that does not seem nearly adequate to you, consider why. The Consumer Price Index is based on prices paid by urban workers on consumer goods, not by elderly, often retired adults spending large portions of their money on healthcare. “For that reason, we’ve been pushing to adopt a new framework for calculating the COLA: the CPI-E, or Consumer Price Index for the Elderly,” Jeff Johnson, AARP Florida state director, said. “Doing that, however, would create solvency problems quicker.” Many solutions to adjust for those solvency problems have been suggested, including lowering the average benefit by increasing the
number of average working years the benefit is based on. Right now, Social Security benefits are based on your 35 highest-paying years. If that were expanded to 40, for example, it would include years at the very beginning of one’s career, thus likely bringing down the average. Just like with many government programs, tinkering with one thing to make it better can often make something else worse. The COLA is also thought to be a generally regressive award system. Those who receive low Social Security benefits also probably have less retirement savings, because they earned less throughout their career. Those who receive higher Social Security benefits are able to reap those rewards because they had a higher-paying career, and thus likely have retirement savings. Since COLA is a percentage, low earners are given a low increase and higher earners are given a high one. Legislation in 1983 attempted to correct this lopsidedness by taxing Social Security benefits for those with ongoing incomes of more than $25,000. “The COLA still does not have the intended impact on low earners,” Johnson said. “The Social Security program is meant to keep seniors out of poverty, and to a large extent it is successful at that. The bottom 10 percent still live in poverty, however, despite the COLA.” A more progressive COLA system would allow for bigger CPI-E awards for those that need it most—the bottom rung of lifetime earners. Such a move would be good for the economy as well. Social Security benefits tend to immediately circulate into the economy, as opposed to being
used as savings, leading to production and labor increases even for other age groups. Right now, Florida generates about $6 billion in consumer spending thanks to Social Security. A COLA increase of 1.3 percent increases that by $78 million. Image what a more aggressive COLA would mean for the state’s economy, one that is largely supported by seniors and snowbirds.
In addition, a more aggressive and/or progressive COLA is just the right thing to do, especially as retirement savings dwindle across the country and the gap grows between the haves and the havenots. When you hear of or know someone on Social Security alone, what is the picture you conjure
in your mind? Is it someone who is enjoying life, free of worry and positive about the future, or are they barely scraping by, cutting medications in half and relying on SNAP and other benefits? Changing COLA would change what getting older looks like, and is something that nearly everyone who relies on COLA supports. •
Photo by Matthew Bennett
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Keep Your
Identity Safe
this Holiday Season Your Better Business Bureau Serving Northwest Florida By Tammy Ward Communications Director BBB of Northwest Florida
T
he holiday season is in full swing as consumers are shopping for friends and loved ones. COVID has created the opportunity for many to shop online while others still enjoy the ‘hunt’ for that special gift by visiting a store in person. Whether you choose to use a keyboard or feet on the ground to search for the best deals on the hottest items this year, scammers are also ‘on the hunt’ for unsuspecting victims. Your BBB would like to offer the following tips to ensure that your identity is not compromised this holiday season. Look for the lock When shopping online or anytime you’re entering personal information on the web, make sure the website is security enabled. Look for the lock symbol and that the URL starts with https://. The “s” stands for secure.
Use credit cards, not cash or debit Credit cards offer shoppers the most consumer protection, as long as you can keep credit card debt in check. Check your account statements Keep a close eye on your statements; the sooner you 14 COMING OF AGE WINTER 2020
recognize an unauthorized purchase, the easier it is to recover lost funds. Ask about return policies Stores and website policies vastly differ. Some stores have a time limit on returns/exchanges, websites may charge you additional shipping and handling fees for unwanted items and some items may be nonreturnable. Keep your receipts For big ticket items, keep your receipts for warranty purposes. Receipts should be kept in case of return/exchange needs and to check against your account statements to verify you haven’t been overcharged (especially if a tip is involved). It’s also a good idea to ask for gift receipts. These can be included with the gift you give so that the recipient can return the item to the store if needed. Check out businesses on bbb.org If buying from a company you’re unfamiliar with or shopping from a new website, check a company’s record on www.bbb.org. Basic company information will be listed, if known by BBB, plus any complaints that have been filed against the business in the past three years. Give wisely Ask questions about how your donations will be used
and verify the legitimacy of a charity or organization on www. give.org. Be careful of unsolicited calls for donations, you cannot be sure who is actually calling you. Know contact information Before handing over money or personal information to a business, charity, website or individual, always verify contact information. Request a formal name, phone number and physical address. Use secure Internet connections While on-the-go, using WiFi at your favorite coffee shops and restaurants is a real data-saver. But if you’re shopping online, checking your accounts or entering personal information, you’re safer using a password-protected WiFi signal or a cell signal. Your BBB would like all consumers, especially those that are on fixed incomes and/or rely on limited income like social security and retirement funds, to enjoy the holiday season and tell the would-be scammers Bah Humbug! Following these helpful tips will keep them from putting presents under their tree with your money this year. Your Better Business Bureau has already done the homework for you. We have over 24,000 business profiles on businesses in the 14 counties that we serve. If you have questions about a business or organization, please visit bbb. org to see their business review. Our office is open Monday-Friday for those that do not have internet access and inquire about a business. Please call 850.429.0002 between 9 am and 4 pm (M-Th) and 9 am-12 noon on Friday.
12 SCAMS of Christmas
Look-Alike Websites
Fake Shipping Notifications
When stores sell out, you may find the items online on different websites than the official retailer’s. Remember, It’s easy to mimic a real website. Some sellers will take your money and run, leaving you without the gift or money to buy it elsewhere.
These can have attachments or links to sites that will download malware on your computer to steal your identity and your passwords. Don’t be fooled by a holiday phishing scam.
Social Media Gift Exchange
Phony Charities
Purchasing one gift and receiving 36 sounds like a great deal, but this seasonal scam is actually a pyramid scheme, which is illegal.
Everyone is in a generous mood during the holidays, so scammers take advantage of that with fake charity solicitations in email, on social media sites, and even by text. Check out charities at give.org before donating.
Grandparent Scams
Letters From Santa
Seniors should be cautious if they get a call from a grandchild claiming to be in an accident, arrested or hospitalized while traveling in another country. Never send money unless you confirm with another family member that it’s true.
Several trusted companies offer charming and personalized letters from Santa, but scammers mimic them to get personal information from unsuspecting parents. Check with bbb.org to find out which ones are legitimate.
Temporary Holiday Jobs
Unusual Forms of Payment
Retailers and delivery services need extra help at the holidays, but beware of solicitations that require you to share personal information online or pay for a job lead. Apply in person or go to retailers’ main website to find out who is hiring.
Be wary of anyone who asks you to pay for holiday purchases using prepaid debit cards, gift cards, wire transfers, third parties, etc. These payments cannot be traced and cannot be undone.
Free Gift Cards
Travel Scams
Pop-up ads or email offering free gift cards are often just a ploy to get your personal information that can later be used for identity theft.
With busy holiday travel, bargains may be tempting. Be cautious when booking through online ads, never wire money to someone you don’t know and ask for references.
E-Cards
Puppy Scams
Electronic cards can be great fun, but be careful. Two red flags to watch out for are: the sender’s name is not apparent; you are required to share additional information to get the card.
Be very careful buying pets online, especially during the holidays. You may get a puppy mill pooch with problems, or you may get nothing at all because it was a scam.
For more information on these scams, go to bbb.org
Celebrate the Season By Hunter Morrison
As musician Andy Williams once said, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year. There’ll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting and caroling out in the snow.” It truly wouldn’t be the holiday season without festivals and events to celebrate it. Fortunately, Pensacola will be hosting a variety of fun events this holiday season. And yes, some of them will include snow (even though it may be artificial). So set down the milk and cookies, put on your snow boots and celebrate the holidays at these fun and, most importantly, COVID-19 safe events this holiday season.
Christmas ZOObilee
Winterfest
The organizers of Winterfest have been working all year to find creative solutions to bring joy to the Pensacola community in the safest way possible. Their hard work has paid off, as Winterfest is set to take place at 223 Palafox St. on Dec. 5, 11, 12, and 18-24. Just like in years past, Santa Claus and The Grinch will still be available for photos. This year, instead of waiting in a crowded line to get your picture taken, guests will be required to make a reservation time for photos either online or on location. You can also expect to see snow at Winterfest, no matter what the weather may be. On Dec. 12, be prepared for a special snow day, with icy treats, snowy activities and an artificial blizzard. While you’re there, be sure to catch a ride on the Winterfest Express, giving all passengers a delightful ride through Santa Plaza. Winterfest is even allowing the kids to write a letter to Santa in the annual Santa letter contest. Winners of this contest will receive a special prize at the Santa send-off ceremony, which takes place on Christmas Eve at 8 p.m. In an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19, hand sanitizing stations will be placed throughout the event. Staff will also be required to wear masks. For more information on Winterfest, go to pensacolawinterfest.org.
Christmas ZOObilee includes winter-themed bounce stations, live music and entertainment, a Candy Cane Market full of gifts, sights, smells, and tastes of the season, including unique gifts from local artists and delicious holiday treats. Fun for the entire family, Christmas ZOObilee wouldn't be complete without a visit from the jolly man in a red suit. Sundays with Santa is the perfect opportunity to hand-deliver lastminute Christmas letters while snapping a treasured photo with Saint Nick in his sleigh. The event will be held December 12, 13, 19 and 21. 16 COMING OF AGE WINTER 2020
Photo by Laura Bogan
First City Lights Festival
Experience the awe and beauty the holiday season has to offer at the First City Lights Festival. Working alongside Winterfest, the First City Lights Festival will showcase half a million twinkling lights in downtown Pensacola. “We work with a company to get Christmas lights put up and as many trees as possible up and down Palafox Street,” said Walker Wilson, executive director of the Downtown Improvement Board. “Those lights will stay on through the middle of January.” The lights from this festival will stretch a total of ten blocks from Wright Street to Cedar Street. While at the First City Lights Festival, be sure to check out Winterfest, which is set to occur on Dec. 5, 11, 12, and 18-24. For more information on the First City Lights Festival, go to visitpensacola.com.
Junie B. In Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!
Pensacola Little Theatre presents Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!, December 11–20. Junie B. Jones, First-Grader, is super-excited about the upcoming Holiday Sing-Along and Secret Santa gift exchange at her school. Too bad tattletale May keeps ruining all of Junie B.'s fun. So when Junie B. draws May's name for Secret Santa, she comes up with the perfect plan to teach her nemesis a lesson! But will the Christmas spirit of peace and goodwill interfere before she can give you-know-who what she deserves? A hilarious and endearing tale based on the best-selling book series by Barbara Park.
LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR SENIORS 17
Miracle on Palafox at Old Hickory Whiskey Bar
Beginning in New York in 2014, Miracle pop-up bar has grown into an internationally known event that partners with bars and restaurants to offer masterfully crafted Christmas cocktails in a holiday-themed setting. Miracle will be returning to Old Hickory Whiskey Bar on Nov. 24 and will run until Dec. 31. Guests can expect to see this bar transformed with over the top holiday décor to get everyone into the holiday spirit. “The bar is going to be completely reimagined and redecorated,” general manager of Old Hickory Whiskey Bar DC Campbell said. “We will have holiday giveaways, ugly sweater Christmas parties and movies playing on certain days, so we will have themes throughout the month.” In an effort to keep guests safe from COVID-19, Old Hickory Whiskey Bar will be operating at 50 percent capacity. All employees will also be wearing masks. Seasonally inspired cocktails to be served at this event include Fruitcake Flip, Bad Santa and several others. Holidaythemed cocktail glasses will be available for purchase at this event, with a portion of the sales going to COVID-19 relief efforts of independent restaurants and bars. For more information about Miracle on Palafox at Old Hickory Whiskey Bar, visit miraclepopup.com or oldhickorywhiskeybar.com.
Onbikes Winter Wonder Ride
It's never too early to get into the holiday spirit. Join Onbikes this December 19 for the fifth annual slow ride (a little less than 5 miles) through downtown Pensacola and a showing of The Grinch, after. Proceeds raised will be used to purchase new bikes for children in need in the Northwest Florida area.
Nutcracker Ballet Pensacola
Annually selling out, the Ballet Pensacola company brings joy, excitement and consistent surprises to dance audiences across the panhandle and into the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This production has been hailed as the best Nutcracker from New Orleans to Miami. The classical ballet will enthrall audiences as the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky accompanies the story of Clara and her journey through the Land of the Sweets. The captivating scenes of a battle between toy soldiers and mice, a pas de deux of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier and a serene snow scene have made “The Nutcracker” a Pensacola family tradition, December 18–20!
18 COMING OF AGE WINTER 2020
Ice Flyer’s Home Game
The Ice Flyers will be joined in an All-South Division season by the Birmingham Bulls, Huntsville Havoc, Knoxville Ice Bears and Macon Mayhem. Each team will have a schedule of 21 home, 21 away games as opposed to a 56-game schedule that has existed since the league was founded in 2004. The Ice Flyers first home game at the Bay Center will be Dec 30. Season tickets are on sale now and single game tickets will be available by late November.
New Year’s Eve Fireworks Display
What better way to ring in the new year by watching fireworks? Provided by the Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Santa Rosa Sound will be lit up by a dazzling light display this New Year’s Eve. The festivities begin at midnight where spectators can watch the fireworks along the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk or the Quietwater Beach and Soundside area, where there is plenty of room to social distance. Be sure to bring the whole family because this is a free event. For more information on the New Year’s Eve Fireworks Display, visit pensacolabeachchamber.com.
LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR SENIORS 19
Residents enjoying a game of hallway bingo.
SCREEN TO SUNSHINE: SENIOR CARE FACILITIES by Dakota Parks REOPEN VISITATION
From the onset of the global health crisis, protecting vulnerable and high-risk populations in nursing homes and assisted living facilities became the upmost priority. Daily life for senior citizens drastically changed as facilities implemented social distancing procedures, closed guest visitation and created new programing and activities to keep residents occupied. Face-to-face visits with family members changed to FaceTime and Zoom calls and weekly outings were replaced with grocery and pharmacy delivery services. After nearly six months in lock-down, nursing homes and care facilities across the state of Florida are now reopening to guest visitation following CDC guidelines and Emergency Order 20-011. To better understand the way COVID has impacted senior care across the state, Coming of Age spoke to a local care facility and a representative from LeadingAge Florida.
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Around mid-March, when COVID-19 was first categorized as a pandemic, Emergency Order 20-006 set out to restrict and close visitation to senior care facilities in the state of Florida and slow the spread of the virus. As the director of communications at LeadingAge Florida, Nick Van Der Linden explained, around this same time senior care facilities across the state began implementing new procedures to protect residents. “Shortly after the news broke about the first Coronavirus case in the United States, our members quickly instituted screening protocols at their entrances,” Van Der Linden said. “They established COVID-19 response teams, instituted mask policies, restricted visitation, closed dining rooms, pools, gyms, common areas and all group activities. They also set up COVID-19 isolation units to prevent the spread if it broke through.” LeadingAge Florida, a leading advocate in the state of Florida for senior living, represents over
250 communities, consisting of more than 500 facilities and 80,000+ senior citizens. The not-for-profit organization provides representation before legislature and education and training opportunities for members. As Van Der Linden explained, in early March, LeadingAge Florida also began coordinating with several health organizations to streamline a single source of information in daily conference calls with members. “I can’t say enough about the resiliency and dedication of our members to fighting the virus and keeping residents and staff safe and healthy,” Van Der Linden said. “They have optimized the use of technology to keep
residents connected to their neighbors on the campus and their loved ones to avoid any detrimental effects of social isolation. They have modified normal living activities such as in-home dining, grocery and pharmacy pickups to door delivery, and they have been innovative in launching home fitness programs through in-home television sets and wellness care services through telehealth.” Facilities and members of LeadingAge Florida across the state have even created social distanced activities like hallway bingo played from the safety of resident’s doorways, virtual learning art classes and virtual guided museum tours. As the CDC publicized early-on, isolation and loneliness can pose serious health detriments such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression and cognitive decline. Outside of COVID-19 mandated isolation, a study from National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that elderly populations are also at a higher risk for loneliness and isolation with nearly onefourth of adults aged 65 and older considered to be socially isolated. Therefore, these safe activities and video chat visitations were paramount to fight-
connected with family.”
A Cypress Cove resident enjoys seeing friends and family through the use of technology.
Another day, another opportunity to serve residents! While maintaining social distancing and practicing safety measures, staff at Harbour’s Edge delivered ice cream treats to all of their residents.
ing detrimental side effects to resident isolation. Amanda Waddell, a liaison for Southern Oaks Care Center, in Pensacola expressed the same dedication to maintaining the morale and mental health of senior residents. Southern Oaks is a 210-bed long term care and short-term physical therapy rehabilitation nursing center with a secured memory
Care packages made by providers at Harbour’s Edge being distributed for their employees.
care unit for Alzheimer and Dementia residents. Early into the pandemic, Southern Oaks utilized an outdoor three-walled plexiglass structure for visitations, however Hurricane Sally destroyed the structure and moved visitation to video or appointment only. “Southern Oaks Care Center was the first skilled nursing facility in our county to test our residents in Mid-March,” Waddell explained. “We wanted to be proactive and try to get ahead of this virus by determining who was infected and isolating them. We have been COVID-free for several months now, and we attribute that to the dedication and excellent care provided by our staff. We are very concerned about resident morale and understand the importance of keeping them
The daily life for residents changed from group activities, communal dining, going out to restaurants, trips to the beach, fishing or shopping trips to being restricted to meals in their rooms and social distancing. Southern Oaks, like many facilities, soon created six-foot distanced communal dining and indoor distance activities like bingo, cooking club, Family Feud nights, movie and popcorn events, drive-thru lunch outings, fun n’ fitness, jewelry making classes, manicures and spa days. Southern Oaks has currently reopened scheduled visitations and is prepared to make adjustments in the case of a positive COVID case. “Everything is constantly changing. We all learn more [about the virus] each day and try to do best we can possibly do with the information we have at that moment,” Van Der Linden said. “I think that amidst the uncertainty and doing everything possible to keep residents and staff safe, there are a lot of really good stories out there about the resiliency and strength of people.” As COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the state of Florida, senior care facilities are continuing to adhere to health administrative guidelines while monitoring residents and ensuring their overall mental and physical well-being. Whether it’s on a Zoom screen, six feet across a table or sitting out in the Florida sunshine, family and guest visitation remains an imperative part of senior wellness and care.
LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR SENIORS 21
S E N I O R S LO O K I N G F O R WA R D “I hope that people learn to love, whoever for whatever. Every soul matters. Everybody has a soul and believes in something. When we return to reality or normal, I hope we look for love in unexpected places.”
Gloria Robinson
“I’m hoping to stay in my home through the new year. We’ve looked at some nursing home options, but I want to wait on that. I’d like all this virus stuff to go away first before I have to disrupt my life in different ways.”
Mary Taylor 22 COMING OF AGE WINTER 2020
“I want all this Coronavirus stuff to get over with, so we can go back to being together. I miss people, I miss events in the community and I miss gathering with friends and neighbors to eat and have fun.”
Anna Hornsby
“I miss my Spanish class and my exercise classes. I hope we can get back to normal. There’s so much good stuff out there and I miss it all.”
Frances Cooper
LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR SENIORS 23
24 COMING OF AGE WINTER 2020
photo by Guy Stevens
Nina Fritz An Exclusive Interview
by Kelly Oden
P
ortraits, Pensacola and the Blue Angels— these themes feature prominently in the work of local painter, Nina Fritz. Nina’s uniquely intimate and whimsical style has garnered her fans around the world. Her portraits capture both the physicality and the personality of her subjects, while her beach scenes, landmarks and landscapes capture the beauty and joy of life on the Gulf coast. Born in Philadelphia, Nina’s family moved to a farm when she was very young. After graduating high school, Nina went to work for RCA Records where she met her husband of 62 years, Norman Fritz. Norm served in the Air Force and the couple traveled all over the world, most notably a two-year stint in Japan where Nina fell in love with painting. Nina credits the support of her husband and mother for her long painting career. Norman insisted she go to college to study art—at a time when many husbands may have resisted. He also supported her frequent overseas travels to study with the great masters of painting around the globe. After decades of painting, Nina Fritz isn’t slowing down. In fact, she’s painting more than ever and she’s having the time of her life.
Where you were born? I was born in Philadelphia. I was the eighth of nine children. When I was three and a half, my dad bought a farm in New Jersey and moved us all there. We all had to work on the farm. Being the youngest one, I got off pretty easy. I got up in the morning before I went to school to milk the cows and feed the animals. We worked very hard. A lot of that work ethic is still with me today because I love producing. All my friends in school thought I was living a dream life on the farm. I always thought they were living a dream life because they were in town. My friends would come to the farm. They loved riding the horses and milking the cows
and feeding the animals. To them, it was play, but to me, it was work. Of course, they were there for only a few hours at a time. Did you have a favorite animal? A horse of course, but I even loved the chickens. I had chicken pets. They follow you around. We always had pets, and it hurt me when my dad would call the vet and he would have to shoot a cow or a pig. That was always a sad thing for me. What were you like as a child? Shy? Outgoing? I have to admit, I was a very good kid. I really was a good kid. I always wanted to please my parents and they would
LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR SENIORS 25
Nina Fritz An Exclusive Interview How did you and Norman meet?
Nina and Norman's wedding day
even say to me, “You never gave us any trouble.” I was pretty quiet. Were you creative as a child? My teachers always called on me to do anything artsy because they knew I had maybe a little something. But I want you to know this—that little something doesn’t mean anything, if you don’t use it. And through the years, I’ve taught some very talented students. Some with much more ability than me. But, they never did anything with it. It never blossomed. So, beside the talent, you must love it. No talent will survive the blight of neglect.
What did you do for fun? In grammar school, not too much. When I got into high school, I was a cheerleader. I went out for sports. I was even on the basketball team—as short as I am. But I never played. I always kept the bench warm during games. I came out of my shell when I was in high school. It is one of my favorite times of my life.
What did you do on your first date?
somewhere and he said, “Will you marry me?” I just laughed. I was 21. And Norman was 24. He had to leave in about six weeks. Before he left, he asked me again. He said, “Will you marry me?” I said, “No way.” So, he left and then we wrote back and forth. He was stationed in Washington State. He asked me to come to Washington and marry him. I said, “No.” So, he said, “Well, can I come there?” I said, “Yes” He left in August, and we wrote until January when we got married. I have five older sisters, and they put together our wedding overnight. We got married at the Catholic Church, and then we had the reception at the farm.
He took me to a movie in Philadelphia—The Man of a Thousand Faces with James Cagney. The first night, on the way coming home, he stopped
The next day we had to fly out because he had to be back in Washington. He had the house and everything ready. It was so cute. About a month
Norman was going to school there. He was in the Air Force, and they sent him to school at RCA. I was walking down the hall at work, and he stopped me to ask for directions. So, I gave him the directions. And then the next day, he said, “Can I take you home from work?” Well, my mom and dad were born in Italy, and my dad very strict—especially with my older siblings. I told Norman, “I have to ask my family first.” I did, and then he took me home and met everybody.
What did you do after high school? I went right to work at RCA Records. I was secretary there. That’s where I met Norman. I worked in the blueprint department in the factory in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The Landolfi farm
26 COMING OF AGE WINTER 2020
Nicole, John, Norman, Sr., Nina, David, Paul, Norman, Jr.
later, we drove down the West Coast to Santa Ana, California, to meet his family, and they gave us a wedding reception. So now you are married and you’re an Air Force wife. How was that? I loved it and I miss it. I miss the travel and the people. For 20 years, we were in the Air Force. It becomes a family of sorts. How long did you stay in Washington? Where did you go from there? Now this gets complicated. We stayed in Washington for a little over a year, and I was very homesick. I’d never been out of the state of New Jersey, practically. But we stayed there
for about a year. Then Norman got called to go on this traveling team where he taught a six month course on radar systems to students. So, every six months, we would move. We did that before we had children. What were you doing during that time? Were you working? I never worked outside the home. I was a mother and a wife. I started painting when we went to Japan. Tell me about that. Were you excited? Oh, yes. We were stationed near Tokyo. We had two children then, and we had two more children in Japan. I made announcement
cards with a little naked baby, and they said “made in Japan.” It was in Japan that you became interested in painting. Tell me about that. Well, at that time, everyone had a maid in Japan. When the maid came, I would go out. I was interested in ceramics, so I went to the school on base. One day, I was there doing my ceramics, and I peered into this room where they were all painting. It was so quiet and peaceful. They were all just painting, and a light bulb went off. It seemed like a turning point for me-just watching them paint. I joined that class, and I never stopped from that day on. The first contest
I entered was there at the base, and I won an award. I even forget what the painting was, but I still have the little, silver cup. Did you eventually go to school for painting? How did you decide to do that? Well, we came back to the states, and we no longer had a maid. I thought, “I’m probably going to have to quit painting.” If it wasn’t for my husband, that’s what would have happened. He insisted I go back to school. So, I enrolled in school everywhere we moved. That’s how I got my education. I also studied with the greatest masters in the world up until a couple years ago. I had to stop that. But everything I learned, I learned from the best. And I’m still learning.
LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR SENIORS 27
Nina Fritz An Exclusive Interview How many children do you have? We have 5 children-Norman, Jr, John, Paul, David and Nicole. Our oldest son, Norman, passed away. He would have been 61. He passed at Auburn University. He was running track there. He just collapsed and it was a huge shock. When Norman passed, Auburn accepted John and they wanted him to take Norman’s scholarship. It was very touching. Auburn is very close to our hearts. You moved here in 1974, right? Why did you choose to come to Pensacola? Norman had to finish his schooling here. We were in Panama City. We bought a home there and we thought we would be there forever. But then we came to Pensacola. We loved it here so much more. We sold our home in Panama City and moved here. We are so happy we did. When did you discover that portraits would be a focus for you? When I was in grammar school, I loved drawing people. I always was drawn to doing figures and portraits. Is there a part of the body that is hardest for you to draw? Hands. But, I just love doing the eyes, nose and mouth. This one master 28 COMING OF AGE WINTER 2020
from Austria told me to have all the fun in the eyes. Do them as detailed as you want. Maybe a little less detail in the nose. Then the mouth, you leave it out. Now, that’s an exaggeration. But you don’t put too much detail into the mouth. What artists do you admire? Who are your inspirations? My biggest inspiration is Sorolla. He died in 1925. He painted figures and people on the beach. He is from Valencia, Spain. I love his work. You’ve been married for 62 years. What’s the secret? Well, we kind of like each other, and we kind of like being around each other. I don’t know if there’s any secret to that. We still like holding hands. Tell me about the work you do with inmates. For the past 10 years, I’ve been going to the jail once a week—before COVID. I would paint the inmates and give it to them. I was asked to come teach. I was at the point where I didn’t want to create a lesson plan. So I told them I would come and do a demonstration. I just wanted to paint. So that’s what I did. They would all sit around and watch, and they would choose a person to sit for a portrait. It took about an hour. That was
Nina and Norman's 40th wedding anniversary
it. They were absolutely wonderful. Whenever I had to miss a day, they would always have a little gift for me when I came back—always something that they made. One time, I did a painting of this young man. He was about 19 or 20 years old. He was about to get out and he wanted to take his painting with him, but there was some sort of red tape that he had to go through to bring his painting out with him. He said, “Well, I am not leaving unless I can bring my painting with me.” His friends, the other inmates,
were saying, “Dude, just go. You can get that painting anytime. Just get out of here.” He said, “I am not leaving without my painting.” The next day they gave him the painting and told him to go. He was walking down the street and the guys were all looking out the window and he was dancing around with his painting. You donate a lot of your work to local charities. Why is that important to you? I feel like painting is not work. It’s a joy—and to whom much is given,
much is expected. We are so blessed. Also you can’t out give God. It seems like the more you give, the more that comes back. You just cannot give enough. How did you get into teaching painting? Well, when our son passed away, I didn’t paint for seven years. My friend was a long time artist here in Pensacola who has since passed away. She was teaching at the college, and she called me and she said, “Nina, I am sick. Would you take over this class?” And so I said, “Sure.” It was all a plan for her to get me back into painting. That was the only time I’ve taught at the junior college level. From then on it was always private classes. I did that for a while, but then I got to the point where I just wanted to paint. I wanted to pull all the stops and just paint. I feel like this is the best time of my life. I can paint anything I want, whenever I want. After seven years of not painting, how did it feel when you picked up a brush again? Scary. I’ve always told my students that if you don’t paint or draw for one week, you notice it. If you don’t paint or draw for one month, your patrons will notice it. If you go for over a year, you have to start all over again.
photo by Guy Stevens
Norman, Nina and their dog, Peanut
Losing a child is the worst kind of grief. How did you travel through that grief and get to a place where you can live again and be at peace with his memory? At the time, you feel like your whole world is shattered and it will never be back again. You look out at the world outside and you think, “Why are they doing that? Don’t they know? Don’t they know?” And you sort of bear it. I thought I was going to lose Norman because of his grief. It’s hard to verbalize. It’s very difficult. You just put one foot ahead of the other. Then time is your friend— because time does heal. It’s hard to tell that to anybody who is grieving because it doesn’t seem that way. But it’s true. Today, I’m able to talk about Normie. When his
friends come over, we talk and laugh. I love it when they talk about him. You’ve just finished illustrating a book. Tell me a little bit about that. Angie Taylor and I have been friends for 40 years. She wrote some lovely prose, and she asked me to illustrate it. I’ve done things through my illustration that I’ve never done before. I’ve had to really think about what I’m painting in order to portray a message. I’ve never had to really delve that deep before. It was nothing but pure fun. The book is called, The Crab Dance. What else are you working on? Any special projects? Well, I just finished a project last summer with Trident Mortgage in downtown Pensacola.
The owner, Marty, called me in the spring, and he said “I have all these white walls. I need you to fill them up.” So I did. I painted all summer, and I did nine large paintings of local scenes. I also show my work now at Just Judy’s. She’s a dear friend of mine. She handles the ornaments, cards and paintings. We have a signing session every Monday. I go down there and sign work for people. Do you have any advice for young people interested in art? You have to love the act of painting. You have to stay with it and nurture it. You can’t neglect it. I think that’s the key. I feel like I’m having a love affair with painting because I just have to paint.
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LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR SENIORS 29
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Council on Aging of West Florida is a local independent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that has served seniors and their families since 1972. Council on Aging of West Florida helps seniors in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties live healthy, safe and independent lives in their own familiar surroundings by providing communitybased, in-home programs and services such as Meals on Wheels and Alzheimer’s respite care. For more information, call 432-1475 or visit www.coawfla.org. A COPY OF THE OFFICAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING 1-800-4357532 TOLL FREE WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. THE REGISTRATION NUMBER ASSIGNED TO COUNCIL ON AGING OF WEST FLORIDA, INC BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL AND COSUMER SERVICES IS CH817. COUNCIL ON AGING OF WEST FLORIDA DOES NOT USE A PROFESSIONAL SOLICITOR OR PROFESSIONAL FUND RAISNG CONSULTANT FOR THE PURPOSES OF SOLICITING FUNDS. 100% OF DONATIONS GO TO COUNCIL ON AGING OF WEST FLORIDA, INC. 30 COMING OF AGE WINTER 2020
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