PrimeTime - February 2017

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health & wellness get started exercising • benefits of drinking water • stay young at heart

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Dry, with notes of apple, banana and thyme, this crisp sparkling wine works equally well in refreshing the palate either before or after a meal. | PrimeTime 2

February 2017

Pr i m e Ti m e

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Health&wellness

February 2017 1944 Warwick Ave. Warwick, RI 02889 401-732-3100 FAX 401-732-3110 Distribution Special Delivery

PUBLISHERS Barry W. Fain, Richard G. Fleischer, John Howell MARKETING DIRECTOR Donna Zarrella donnaz@rhodybeat.com Editor/ Creative Director Linda Nadeau lindan@rhodybeat.com WRITERS / CONTRIBUTORS Don Fowler, Elaine M. Decker, Danielle Zarrella, Larry Grimaldi, Mike Fink, Tessa Roy

4

Total Body Approach

5

Get Moving

Getting Healthy

Start Exercising with risk of injury

Senior issues Retirement Sparks.....................................12 RIIHA..................................................................17 Alzherimer’s Association.......................17

LIFESTYLES

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Donna Zarrella – donnaz@rhodybeat.com Jeff Smith, Lisa Mardenli, Janice Torilli, Suzanne Wendoloski,

6

Energy

Classified ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Sue Howarth – sueh@rhodybeat.com

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Benefits of Water Start drinking more!

8

Professional Perspective

Stay Young

Your Taxes.......................................................15

PRODUCTION Brian Geary, Lisa Yuettner A Joint Publication of East Side Monthly and Beacon Communications.

Get more energy from certain foods

at heart, mind and body

PrimeTime Magazine is published monthly and is available at over 400 locations throughout Rhode Island. Letters to the editor are welcome. We will not print unsigned letters unless exceptional circumstances can be shown.

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A Must Read: Forks, Knives & Spoons..............................10 Larry Grimaldi...............................................13 What Do You Fink......................................14 No Judgement............................................16 Puzzle Page!..................................................18

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February 2017

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Total Body Approach New Year’s resolutions typically focus on reactive goals like losing weight or getting back into that workout routine. By February, many have forgotten or given up. However, thinking about resolutions in a more proactive, longterm way can give you more motivation and the willpower to stick with it.

A commitment to proactive total body care, including these tips from Massage Envy, can keep your body and mind tuned up, allowing you to do more of what you love in 2017 and beyond.

(Family Features)

Feel confident by upping your skincare Skin is an organ - the body’s largest organ, in fact. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to it. Regular skincare can help you feel good on the outside by reversing signs of aging, improving skin tone and texture, moisturizing skin and reducing blemishes and breakouts, and better on the inside, as feeling good about how your skin looks can boost your confidence.

| PrimeTime

A daily hydrating moisturizer with SPF does double duty to protect and hydrate. Regular facials that cater to your skin’s unique needs can also help minimize wrinkles, cleanse pores, encourage skin cell renewal and improve overall tone and texture.

Live happier and stress free The Statistic Brain Research Institute reports that 77 percent of people regularly experience physical symptoms caused by stress. Spending time with friends, meditating and practicing mindfulness can help, but there are also physical ways to soothe stress. A quick walk can do wonders for clearing your head, and a single massage session can lower your heart rate and blood pressure, relax your muscles and increase the production of endorphins, your body’s natural “feel good” chemical. Stress relief is one of the benefits of regular massage therapy, and a key component for anyone trying to achieve a lifestyle that gives them the freedom to do more of what they love.

Veg out on the good stuff A healthy diet can help you maintain a healthy weight, feel good and boost your body’s immunity so you can stay well. Occasionally, indulging your sweet tooth or salty cravings is OK, but to really take care of your body, leading healthfocused agencies recommend piling your plate high with colorful fruits and veggies, lean meats like chicken and fish, and whole grains.

If you started off with a commitment to eating better in the New Year, push hard to stick to it. Before long, you’ll find yourself automatically making smarter choices when it comes to mealtime, and when you put good fuel in your body, you get better results.

Including total body care in your resolutions this year and beyond can create positive changes that last a lifetime. Visit MassageEnvy.com to learn more about steps you can take to boost your overall well-being.

February 2017

Exercise Getting Started

Exercise is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. Daily exercise can improve mood, promote an active lifestyle and reduce a person’s risk for a host of ailments, including diabetes and heart disease.

Despite the importance of exercise, many people live sedentary lifestyles into their golden years. Seniors who want to embrace a healthier way of life and get more physically active should first consult with their physicians before beginning an exercise regimen.

Certain medications may limit just how far seniors can push themselves, while preexisting conditions may make specific types of exercise off limits. After discussing their limitations with their physicians and developing a safe exercise routine, seniors can heed the following tips to avoid injury but still get healthy.

• Pick a partner. Whether it’s a spouse or a friend who is physically active or

wants to be, try exercising with a partner, at least initially. Doing so can provide the motivation you need and partners can serve as safety nets should you need assistance completing an exercise or suffer an injury and require medical attention. Personal trainers can serve as your partner, and many gyms offer discounts to seniors on personal training services.

February 2017

health & wellness • Start slowly. Seniors who have not been physically active for some time should take a gradual approach to exercise. Instead of heading right for the treadmill, exercise bike or elliptical machine, start walking every day. When it rains, find a treadmill you can walk on. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends seniors begin by determining how many steps they can take in a day and then gradually working toward 10,000 to 15,000 steps per day. Utilize step counting apps on your smartphone to track your progress. Apply the same slow approach to strength training exercises, lifting only very light weights at first before gradually increasing weight as your body acclimates to the exercises.

• Stretch. Bodies that have been inactive for lengthy periods of time are inflexible, and lack of flexibility increases your risk for injury. The AAOS recommends that seniors warm up their bodies before stretching with five to 10 minutes of low-intensity activity such as walking. Then stretch gently, remembering to relax and breathe during each stretch.

• Switch things up. When strength training, do not work the same muscle group

two days in a row. Muscles need time to recover. If you prefer circuit strength training where you exercise various muscle groups in one day, do not strength train on back-to-back days, leaving at least one day in between strength training sessions so muscles have ample time to recover. HM171742

Did you know?

Heart disease can affect just about anyone. While it was once widely and mistakenly considered a man’s disease, since 1984, more women than men have died each year from heart disease. According to the Harvard Medical School, heart disease is the leading cause of death in women over age 65, just as it’s the leading killer of men. Myths abound with regard to heart disease and heart attack risk. One such myth that prevails is that a person who has heart disease should avoid all exercise. However, cardiologists advise that physical activity can help to strengthen the heart, which will improve blood flow to the brain and internal organs. Those who want to exercise should speak with their doctors about which types of exercise are right for them. In the interim, begin with some low-intensity walking, as this is usually a safe, low-impact way to improve personal health. TF172799

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health & wellness

Boost your energy

Diet can go a long way toward increasing or lowering energy levels. No one wants to consume foods that will make it harder for them to get through the day, so the following are a handful of foods that pack an energetic punch.

1. Cashews Cashews, which are high in magnesium, help to convert sugar into energy.

Magnesium deficiency can lead to low energy levels, so nuts that are high in magnesium, including cashews, can provide that mid-afternoon jolt that some people are seeking. Cashews are high in calories, so it’s best for those looking to lose weight or maintain healthy weights to adhere to serving suggestion guidelines.

2. Skinless chicken A study from researcher Judith Wurtman of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Clinical Research Center found that alertness tends to increase when the brain produces the neurotransmitter dopamine and the hormone norepinephrine. Skinless chicken contains an amino acid known as tyrosine that helps in the production of both dopamine and norepinephrine. If skinless chicken is not available, other foods that may provide this same effect include fish, lean beef and eggs. In addition, lean meats like skinless chicken contain enough vitamin B to help ease insomnia.

3. Salmon Omega-3 fatty acids can help the body fight inflammation, which has been linked to a host of ailments, including chronic fatigue. Salmon is also high in protein, which can eliminate the mid- to late-afternoon hunger pangs that can derail healthy diets and contribute to weight gain.

4. Beans Beans are loaded with fiber, and that’s a good thing for energy levels.

Like magnesium, which can also be found in beans, fiber takes awhile to digest, extending the energy-boosting properties of foods loaded with fiber. In spite of the growing movement to eat and live healthier, many adults still do not include enough fiber in their diets. Men and women can consult with their physicians to determine how to make that happen, but eating more beans is a good start.

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health & wellness

Hidden benefits of water Dehydration is a dangerous condition that can cause a host of complications and even prove fatal in severe cases.

But as dangerous as dehydration can be, many cases are entirely preventable.

The best way to prevent dehydration is to drink enough water. When the body does not take in as much water as it puts out, it can become dehydrated.

People who live in warm climates or in elevated altitudes may lose more water than those who do not. In addition, water loss is accelerated during strenuous exercise, highlighting the emphasis men and women must place on drinking enough water during their workouts.

But water does more for the body than prevent dehydration. The following are a handful of lesser known ways that water benefits the body.

• Water can help people maintain healthy weights. Dieting fads come and go, but water is a mainstay for people who want to control their caloric intake in an effort to maintain healthy weights.

Water has zero calories, so reaching for a bottle or glass of water instead of a soda, lemonade or another caloric beverage can help people keep the pounds off. A

February 2017

study from researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center found that even diet soda enhances weight gain by as much as 41 percent. In addition, soda has been linked to conditions such as obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. No such association exists with water.

• Water helps to fight fatigue. The fatigue-fighting properties of water are another of its lesser known benefits. When the body is not adequately hydrated, it can experience muscle soreness. And fitness enthusiasts who do not drink enough water may notice their bodies require extensive recovery time after working out. Each of those consequences can be prevented by drinking enough water, and doing so can even improve performance, as studies have shown that just a 3 percent loss of body weight due to dehydration can cause as much as a 10 percent drop in performance level.

• Water can improve the appearance of the skin. Skin that does not get enough water can turn dry and flaky and feel tight. In addition, dry skin is more likely to wrinkle than adequately hydrated skin. Getting water to the skin can be tricky, as the University of Wisconsin-

Madison School of Medicine and Public Health notes that water will reach all the other organs of the body before it reaches the skin. But the school recommends applying a hydrating moisturizer within two minutes of leaving the bath or shower and drinking at least eight glasses of water a day to ensure the skin is getting enough water.

• Water helps the gastrointestinal tract. Water can help maintain normal bowel function. When the body lacks sufficient fluid, the colon will pull water from stools in an effort to stay hydrated. That can lead to constipation, a condition in which people experience difficulty emptying their bowels. By drinking enough water, people can ensure their colon will not have to pull water from stools to stay hydrated, thereby helping them stay regular.

Water helps the body in myriad ways, many of which might surprise people unaware of just how valuable water can be to the body. HM171695

PrimeTime |

health & wellness

Stay Young at Heart (and in Body and Mind)

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

W FAMILY FEATURES

hen joints ache and you don’t move as fast as you used to, it may seem that growing old is anything but graceful.

While you can’t stop the hands of time, there are ways you can keep your physical and mental well-being in tip-top shape for years to come.

Even if you’ve spent a lifetime practicing healthy habits, your senior years are no time to allow those practices to fall to the wayside. On the other hand, if you put off quality self-care for later in life, rely on your experience and maturity to know that taking care of yourself is as important as, well, life itself.

Eat balanced meals. It’s never too late to begin paying more attention to what you eat. Seniors may be prone to poor eating habits for the sake of convenience or because it’s not as much fun cooking for one or two when you once had a full house to feed. Actually, as you age, keeping your weight in check and continuing to fuel your body with essential nutrients is more important than ever.

Keep moving. It’s true that aches and pains may keep you from being as spry as you once were, but limiting your movement can actually create a snowball effect that results in even less mobility over time. Muscles that aren’t used regularly can weaken and restrict your movement even more, so work with your physician to determine an appropriate amount of activity for your condition.

Mind your mind. When you’re in the workforce, or while you’re tending to the needs of a growing family, you rely on your brain to power through, probably without even thinking about it. Yet over time, most people experience some degree of cognitive deterioration, partially from basic biology and partially from lack of “exercisingâ€? that vital muscle. Keep your mind sharp by communicating regularly with your family and friends, and seek out activities that put your brain to use, such as crossword puzzles or word games. %H D VRFLDO EXWWHUĂ€\ A common lament of middleage is the lack of time to nurture friendships. With an empty nest and an open calendar, there’s no time like the present to strengthen long-term bonds or seek out new companions who share life experiences and a desire to age with grace. Close connections with friends and family members will not only boost your emotional well-being, they can ensure there are others watching out for you on a regular basis.

Do as you’re told. When you’re younger, skipping an annual checkup here and there seems like no big deal. As you age, those regular assessments are more important. They serve an important role in identifying potential issues and introducing treatments before big problems arise. Honor your regular medical appointments and heed the advice you’re given – including taking any medicines as prescribed.

F

or 55 million Americans enrolled in Medicare, the New Year means any new Medicare Advantage or prescription drug plans, or any changes to your existing plans, take effect. If you signed up for coverage, it’s important to understand how your prescription drug costs may be affected.

Even if you did nothing to alter your coverage, some features of your plan may have changed for 2017.

A survey by Walgreens shows that even though prescription drug costs are among WKH WRS FRQFHUQV IRU 0HGLFDUH EHQH¿FLDULHV DSSUR[LPDWHO\ RQH RXW RI HYHU\ ¿YH EHQH¿FLDULHV ODFNV D JRRG XQGHUVWDQGLQJ of their insurance plan. Roughly the same percentage falsely believes that all pharmacies charge the same copay and onethird of respondents didn’t know they can switch pharmacies at any time, including outside of the annual enrollment period.

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potential cost savings for your prescription medications under your Part D coverage, here are three easy steps to get started: Use a less expensive brand or generic. The brand-name drug your doctor prescribed can do wonders for your symptoms but be worrisome for your budget. Many brandname drugs have generic or other brand substitutes. First, make sure your doctor considers generic options. If those options aren’t available, there may be lower-cost brand-name drugs used to treat the same condition. Ask your pharmacist if you have that option then talk with your doctor to see if switching brands makes sense in your situation.

Verify whether your plan has a preferred pharmacy network. Many prescription drug plans have a preferred pharmacy (preferred cost share) network where you can pay a lower out-of-pocket copay for the exact same

drug. Walgreens is in the preferred pharmacy network for many of the largest Medicare sponsors and, effective January 2017, offers copays as low as $0 on generic medications for select plans. Filling a generic medication at a non-preferred pharmacy could cost you $3, $5 or even $10 for the same drug.

Seek Medicare’s Extra Help program and other ways to save. Medicare offers an Extra Help program to help people with limited income and resources pay Medicare prescription drug program costs, like premiums, deductibles and coinsurance.

Make sure you’re taking full advantage of your insurance coverage, which may cover non-prescription items, like vaccinations and certain over-the-counter medications.

0HGLFDUH EHQHÂżFLDULHV VHHNLQJ KHOS QDYLJDWLQJ SUHVFULSWLRQ GUXJ FRVWV FDQ ÂżQG additional resources and a list of Medicare plan sponsors at walgreens.com/medicare.

Find more tips for living healthy as you age at elivingtoday.com.

| PrimeTime

February 2017

calendar

of

events

Providence Boat Show

February 3 - 5, 2017 Rhode Island Convention Center, One Sabin Street Providence, RI Find the latest in boats and gear; learn about boating from a full slate of seminars and lessons; meet mariners; shop for good deals in boats and equipment.

Friday, Noon-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Admission: Adults, $15-$25; family (2 adults and four children), $30; Women on the Water Seminar, Saturday, $45

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Mills & Mysteries Paranormal Investigations

February 3, 2017 Slater Mill, 67 Roosevelt Avenue Pawtucket, RI Join Slater Mill senior interpreter and nationally-known paranormal expert Carl L. Johnson for our popular, 90-minute Paranormal Investigation Tour of the Slater Mill historic site. This program explores the 1793 Slater Mill, the 1758 Sylvanus Brown House, and the Waterwheel Pit of the 1810 Wilkinson Machine Shop, 7:30 p.m. Admission: $20 401-829-3672

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Boyd Metcalf Duo

February 10, 2017 St. Matthew’s Church, 87 Naragansett Avenue Jamestown, RI Laura Metcalf and Rupert Boyd return to Rhode Island with a charming program “Boyd Meets Girl”for cello and guitar. Their program features music by Radamés Gnattali, Ástor Piazzolla, J.S. Bach, Ross Edwards, Manuel de Falla, Gabriel Fauré and Jaime Zenamon. The Friends of the Newport Music Festival will prepare a pre-concert reception at 6 p.m. followed by the concert.

T6-9 p.m. Admission: $35

Lincoln’s Birthday Celebration

February 11, 2017 11:00am–5:00pm. Eleazar Arnold House, 487 Great Road, Lincoln.

Tour the Arnold House in honor of President Lincoln’s birthday! The town of Lincoln, formerly part of Smithfield, was incorporated in 1871 and named in honor of the sixteenth President. Visit the house, tour the museum, and enjoy some birthday cake. Free. (401) 728-9696; www.historicnewengland.org.

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Newport Winter Festival

February 17 - 26, 2017 Join us for the 29th Annual Newport Winter Festival throughout Newport and Newport County. Featuring over 150 events, combining food, festivities, music, and fun for all ages. Highlighted events include the Children’s Fair, Chili Cook-Off, Princess Party and exciting, fun concerts by the Jimmy Buffett tribute band, Changes in Latitudes and more

Savoring Federal Hill: An Insider’s Culinary Tour,

February 18, 2017 9:00am–12:00pm. DePasquale Fountain or Cafe Dolce Vita, 265 Atwells Avenue. Join Chef Cindy Salvato on this fabulous three-hour walking and eating tour of Historic Federal Hill where you can: Learn the history, meet the chefs, savor the samples, get exclusive behind the scenes tours, enjoy a little wine, and become a paisono of Federal Hill! Tickets: $55. cindy@savoringrhodeisland.com; www.savoringrhodeisland.com.

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b y tessa r o y

lifestyles

Classifying the Guys A simply ‘delectable’ read When Leah DeCesare left for college, her father educated her on the three “types” of men she’d encounter; forks, knives, and spoons. The prodding jerks were deemed the “forks,” nerds the “spoons,” and nice guys with potential the “knives.” She brought that lesson with her to Syracuse University, and it never left her mind.

The “Utensil Classification System” (or UCS) grew “very organically” at Syracuse when she attended, DeCesare said. If men didn’t fit into one of the basic categories, they’d be put into subcategories like “steak knives,” “slotted spoons,” “sporks,” or “butter knives.”

The utensil comparisons became a normal part of everyday conversation for DeCesare and her floor mates.

“They would meet somebody and go ‘oh, he’s such a fork,’” she recalled.

Years later, DeCesare made the ever-evolving UCS the groundwork for her novel Forks, Knives, and Spoons, set for release in April 2017. Early reviews praise the book, with author and New York Times Well Blog columnist Dawn Lerman calling it full of “Imagination, highly relatable characters, and witty dialogue,” and author Nicole Waggoner describing DeCesare’s writing as “simply delectable.”

The book follows budding journalist Amy York, her roommate and best friend Veronica Warren, and all the people they encounter beginning with their freshman year at Syracuse. Amy and Veronica guide each other through young adulthood, sharing

10 | PrimeTime

everything from dorm rooms to sorority bids to heartbreak caused by the “forks, knives, and spoons” they date.

Forks, Knives, and Spoons obviously sounds geared toward readers who fit the bill of its young, female protagonists. But what’s fun about DeCesare’s book is that it’s set in the late 1980s (one of her younger agents apparently considered this “historical fiction”), making it identifiable for readers across generations.

“One of the cardinal sins is that you write for too many audiences. Then it’s too broad and doesn’t get anywhere. I just wrote the book that was in me without necessarily pinpointing that,” DeCesare said of the novel’s mass appeal.

There’s a bit of a personal angle as well as DeCesare’s oldest daughter is about to head to college herself.

Though it wasn’t presented as life advice, DeCesare said she had hoped to create an “honest portrayal” of what college-age women experience for both her daughter and others who read it. Above all, DeCesare hopes readers will learn to believe in themselves the way her characters do throughout the novel.

“I think the underlying theme was having young and older women alike to be able to believe in themselves.

That’s the theme and the lesson that I hope rings true,” she said. “[The book] is framed around this fun system of finding a great guy, but I also think the greater lesson is in valuing yourself.”

As a wife and mother of three, DeCesare typically has to put these empowering messages and ideas to paper when she can find the time - but when she can take a weekend to dedicate all her time to writing, she can do so for more than 15 hours at a time. Her inspiration comes not only from experiences, but from locations as well.

Bits and pieces of Rhode Island, where DeCesare has called home for more than a decade, are in the book as Veronica hails from Newport. Scenes in the story depict the girls traipsing around the city’s beaches and visiting Providence. DeCesare enjoyed putting Rhode Island into her work as there are many things she loves about it including the “neighborliness,” the tiny size, and the beaches - she also counts Pawtuxet Village as a spot she enjoys visiting.

“I always say it’s a small state with a quirky personality, and I say that with all fondness,” she said.

DeCesare is originally from neighboring Connecticut, which will be the setting for her next novel. Though she said she’s taking a much different approach (and hopes this book will take less time than the roughly three and half years she spent writing Forks, Knives, and Spoons), her beliefs in self-love and confidence remain the same.

“I really believe that women do need to believe in themselves, and I too often see women doubt themselves,” she said. “I just feel like that was such a gift that my parents gave me. I’ve been able to believe in myself, and I think that allows me to step out into the world with confidence and to be able to accomplish and pursue things that I want and care about. That’s the message I really wanted to share with this book.”

Forks, Knives, and Spoons is available for preorder now through Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Target, Books a Million and IndieBound. DeCesare also notes that it’s helpful for authors when readers rate books on Amazon or GoodReads.

Aside from Forks, Knives, and Spoons, she has also authored Naked Parenting: Guiding Kids in a Digital World and Naked Parenting: 7 Keys to Raising Kids with Confidence, written for other outlets, co-founded Doulas of Rhode Island, and spearheaded the Campaign for Hope to build the Kampala Children’s Centre for Hope and Wellness in Uganda.

More information on DeCesare and her “random and wacky work history” can be found at leahdecesare.com.

w Here’s ho e esar C e D h a e L a few d e fi i s s a l c notables Brad Pitt: Fork

Whether or not the rumors are true that he cheated on Angelina with Marion Cotillard, we know that he cheated on Jennifer with Angelina. If he’ll do it with you, he’ll do it to you = fork.

Anthony Weiner: Pitchfork The biggest fork possible.

Need I explain more?

Lincoln Chafee: Spoon

Spoons can be kind and sweet, but got to admit, Linc has no game. He ran for president on changing to the metric system.

He’s our local goof-ball spoon.

February 2017

lifestyles

Classical Pianist Lang Lang set to make RI debut The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra welcomes acclaimed pianist Lang Lang for a Gala performance and celebration on Sunday, March 5 at 5pm with Music Director Larry Rachleff conducting. The concert features the Orchestra performing Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, and Lang Lang’s captivating interpretation of Bartok’s 2nd Piano Concerto.

“Lang Lang is an inspiring artist who both elevates and transcends classical music,” remarks Philharmonic Executive Director David Beauchesne. “He performs with the world’s greatest orchestras and has opened the Olympic games and World Cup for literally billions of viewers.

Among his many collaborations, Lang Lang has worked with artists ranging from Placido Domingo to Metallica, Herbie Hancock and Jay Z. We are truly thrilled to have him join us for his Rhode Island premiere. This event, Larry Rachleff’s final gala as Music Director, promises to be a truly remarkable evening.”

Lang Lang recently released a recording of the Bartok Concerto with Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic, and he can be seen on RI PBS in the coming weeks performing his latest recording, “New York Rhapsody.”

Gala tickets include premium seating, valet parking, and the post-show celebration with Lang Lang. Single reservations are $800. Group reservations and sponsorships are also available. For more information, email Laurie Johnson-Carvalho at ljohnson-carvalho@riphil.org.

Performance-only tickets start at $35 and are on sale now from the RI Philharmonic Box Office at tickets.riphil.org and 401-248-a7000.

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PrimeTime | 11

senior

issues

retirement sparks b y elaine m . de c k er

At A Loss for Words My monthly column, Retirement Sparks, has appeared in Prime Time for more than five years. I’ve been blogging regularly for over six years. If you think that by now writing these pieces comes easily to me, you would be wrong. Toward the middle of last year, I was finding it more and more difficult to come up with ideas for my essays.

Then one night I had a strange thought (not unusual when I’ve had a late dinner of pizza). What if I’ve simply run out of words? What if we’re born with a limited supply, and once we’ve used them all up, “that’s all she wrote,” as the saying goes.

I’m not talking about the size of ones vocabulary; I mean just plain words we’ve ever used or ever can use.

This might not be as crazy as it seems at first blush. Women are born with a limited amount of eggs in their ovaries. Once they’ve all made their monthly trip down a fallopian tube, the cupboard is bare. There are some theories that we have only so many brain cells and that in time, they’re toast. This of course depends a lot on heredity, nutrition, exercise and (according to AARP) doing Sudokus and crossword puzzles. I’d like to add to that: regularly reading Retirement Sparks.

What if my word quota is running out already? I’m only in my seventies; I expect to live into my nineties. Will I be unable to communicate by the time I’m eighty? Is it just

Words

my ability to draw on the written word that is faltering, or will my spoken words dry up eventually as well? (Some who know me personally are probably thinking: “If only…”) If I find myself searching for a word, maybe it won’t be that the pathway to where the word is stored is clogged. Maybe the word will simply be gone—used up.

If I start writing shorter essays, will that conserve words so I can keep writing longer? Maybe I’m just in dry spell and need to collect more ideas for pieces. Once I begin writing, things usually flow quite nicely. It’s getting started that’s difficult. I used to come up with

s d r Wo Wo

topics from the morning talk shows, but they’ve been uninspiring lately, since I have no interest in writing about the recent Presidential election.

You can thank me for that later. I probably need to get out more.

I’ve decided that it’s time for a two-pronged approach. First, I’ll keep some blog posts close to 400 words (I usually write 600 – 800). These Prime Time columns need to be on the longer side, so they’ll require the second prong, which is that I’m going to set off in search of inspiration. New England is no doubt brimming with things I can write about; I just need to find them. Of course, the onset of winter is hardly the time to go wandering without a specific itinerary or extra blankets and bottled water in the car.

Wandering will present an additional problem for me now that I have cats again. I’m worried that once I’m out I’ll be tempted to spend more money on toys. It seems like every third time I go into Home Goods I bring home a new cat condo. Our felines have more new furniture than we do. If you saw the arms on our couch, you’d understand how pathetic that is.

Their Christmas gift is still in the garage because I haven’t yet figured out where to put it. It will probably wind up in the family room where the antique rocker used to be. This last sentence reminds me of how people in Rhode Island give directions. “You turn right at the corner where the Shell gas station used to be.”

Anyway, the rocker is now in the basement because its caned seat gave way when I sat on it during our holiday get together. And that was before all the gifts of candy showed up. It’s a cruel world.

I’ve now realized that there’s a third prong to the approach to my writing.

Just do stream of consciousness and let my thoughts meander all over the place.

If you’re wondering how that works, just reread the second half of this month’s Retirement Sparks column. It should make it all clear.

rd

s

s d r Wo

Copyright 2017 Business Theatre Unlimited Elaine M. Decker’s books—Retirement Sparks Redux, Retirement Sparks Again, Retirement Sparks and CANCER: A Coping Guide—are available at SPECTRUM-INDIA, on the East Side of Providence and on Amazon.com, including Kindle editions. One of her essays appears in the anthology: 70 Things To Do When You Turn 70. Contact her at: emdecker@ix.netcom.com.

12 | PrimeTime

February 2017

b y L arry G rimaldi

lifestyles

Sandwiched in a Football Rivalry On Sunday, February 5, tens of millions of people will turn on their big screen televisions, that may have been purchased just for this event, to join in an unofficial national holiday, Super Bowl Sunday. This year, the 51st Super Bowl to determine the National Football League champions will be held in Houston, Texas. No doubt, many fans of the winning team may miss work on Monday after celebrating victory and many fans of the losing team will proclaim “Wait until next year.”

For more years than I can remember, I have been sandwiched in the middle of a rivalry between my two sons. Matt is a New York Giants fan and Ben is a Dallas Cowboy rooter. I am a Giants fan. Since the teams are in the same division, they play each other twice every year. If they may meet in a playoff game, to determine which team goes to the Super Bowl, I will be faced with a dilemma. I face the same situation when my alma mater, URI plays PC, a team I have rooted for since the 1970s. Trying to stay almost neutral in either situation is difficult.

As of this year, Ben holds a slight

edge in Super Bowl bragging rights. The Cowboys have won five championships and the Giants have won four. In my case, I quietly revel in the two Giants two Super Bowl victories over the Patriots because I live in North Providence, the heart of Patriot and Tom Brady nation.

I became a fan of the Giants in 1958 while watching the NFL championship game between the Baltimore (at the time) Colts and the Giants on my uncle’s basement television. Although Alan Ameche’s touchdown plunge from the one yard line in overtime gave the Colts a 23-17 victory, that game made me a Giants fan. That epic battle was tabbed as the Greatest Game Ever Played and was instrumental in stirring interest in the NFL. After that, I watched every game that was broadcast in my area. The Giants were the closest NFL team to Providence. Most games were televised since the Giants sold out all home games in Yankee in Stadium and road games were always on television. The Giants were the closest NFL team. The Patriots did not begin play until 1960 in the upstart

American Football League. In 1969, the AFL merged with the NFL. By then, my loyalty was set.

During the 1960s, Shell gas stations would hand out free black and white reproduction drawings of a different Giants player each week if you bought eight gallons of gas. I remember collecting sketches of team stars Frank Gifford, Pat Summerall, Y.A. Tittle, Del Shofner, Bob Schnelker, and Sam Huff.

Matt began rooting for the Giants as soon as he became a football fan. We celebrated their first Super Bowl win over the Denver Broncos in 1986 and held our breath in 1991 as Scott Norwood missed a 48-yard field goal to seal a Giants victory. We also remember the infamous helmet catch by David Tryee to help the Giants win in 2008 and the pinpoint pass to Mario Manningham to set up the 2012 championship.

Ben’s history is a little more circumspect. He started out as a Tony Dorsett and Dallas Cowboy fan. When Dorsett went from the Cowboys to the Denver Broncos, he adopted the Broncos.

When Dorsett retired from football, Ben returned to rooting for the Cow-

boys. Christmas photos of years gone by show them wearing the new jerseys of each of the three teams at one point or another.

In later years, Ben switched is allegiance to the Dallas Cowboys and friendly rivalry, complete with the customary verbal jousting, was under way.

In fact, when the Cowboys and Giants meet twice a year, they usually observe what amounts to “radio silence” for a week until the details of the game are digested. This season, the Giants beat the Cowboys twice, but they were just a prelude to the playoffs.

For the first time in a few years, both teams are in the playoffs. Since they are in the same conference, they cannot both play in the Super Bowl, but they might meet in Dallas to determine which team gets to play in that pigskin extravaganza.

If that happens, I will be sandwiched between their two rooting interests once again.

Larry Grimaldi is a retired freelance writer living in North Providence. Comments can be e-mailed to lgrimaldi@cox.net.

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wHAT DO YOU FINK?

We

LIFESTYLES

by MIKE FINK

Of late I’ve been trying to change the singular “I” into a plural concern for my, I mean our, generation. Those of us born in the Great Depression, having our childhood throughout the Duration, our youth during the Great Repression. Our early middle age within the Radical Revolution of the Sixties.

I’ve been telling most of my tales in classrooms and coffeehouses ever since. I relive scenes from our communal commencements, weddings, and, inevitably, funerals, in my mind, as I stroll the sidewalks and watch those sparrows that His Eye is Upon among the urban trees, especially now when the branches are free of the veil of leaves.

Ghosts haunt my remembering mind as I pull into myself among my scarves and hats, collar up and hands in gloves. In our time parents took fewer pictures. Up to us to recall, without such helpful evidence. My facts therefore may blur. Souvenirs are useful. I hoard tiny reminders of enormous adventures, and if there is a theft of a valued thing--a ring, a pin, an heirloom, a saved coin , the phantom of the fondly recollected scene or event the stolen prize represented, visits me, awake or asleep, busy or idle.

I take this occasion to play with a few anecdotes, ones that I don’t think I have ever previously penned and pinned down or recited to an audience. Here go a few: The day in grammar school on Summit Avenue that I arranged a cave underneath the classroom display table, to illustrate, dramatize, and model the womb-like life of Neanderthals, huddling by a candle-like fire against the cold and the fierce--or friendly--creatures beyond. I was moving from the faith in Torah tales to the Enlightenment, in person! I guess. Something like that, anyway.

I wanted to be like the other boys, or like my elder brothers, but I had a bookish belief in the life of the mind, wherever its adventures took you. I biked among the garage sidewalks where the usual block gang bounced their balls and then shot them up to the net baskets. Oh, they greeted me amiably enough, more or less, but my nickname was “Nature Boy,” both a compliment and a complaint. Jokes rescued me from solitude: I can still summon up the day – after-school, at the corner of Burlington Street and Hope, at Miller’s Deli – when a small group of us simply giggled ceaselessly....at

14 | PrimeTime

what nonsense? I realized that I had...laughter!..in my “id,” my soul. As you grow or mature, there is a moment at which each change occurs, and also a specific setting, as though your lifetime were a movie script. As least for me. For us. Before bar mitzvah, I joined the Boy Scouts, Troop 20, the “Jewish” group. Oddly, I wore my uncle’s uniform, with the post-Armistice World War One doughboy hat and knickers. I stuck out like an actor in the wrong film! Wish I had a snapshot of that costume.

We started dating all at once. I think it began on Fourth Street, across from the present E.R. entrance to the Miriam Hospital. Norma lived in a nice neat house there, and threw a party at which we spun the bottle and paired up. Soldiers back from battle took their girl friends or fiancees to a cocktail lounge attached to Howard Johnson’s on North Main. We might take the girl who sat next to us at Nathan Bishop there, to sip a cup of coffee, (with a saucer and spoon, and sugar in a bowl and cream in a pitcher) ...but me! I had a cousin who played the fiddle like a gypsy, for the vets and the girls who smoked and clinked glasses of whisky with them across the aisle: his name was Ben. He would then, whimsically, step over to my table and play “Golden Earrings” for me and Ann. (Who, to me, looked like a gypsy, herself.) We could put a quarter into the cigarette machine, and out would come the Chesterfield pack or Camel, but with pennies in the cellophane, that’s how thrifty the times used to be. The song of 1952 “New Faces” claimed, “Penny candy..I ask for more than a penny now, I’ve grown very wise, you see...”

There were a number of new night clubs, magically transcending and transforming the pre-war world of small rural farms, keeping the barn buildings but serving cocktails with wondrous titles. “The Farm” or “The Ranch House” served “Pink Squirrels” or exotic “Manhattans” or “Stingers”. If my friend Larry, who had an out-of-date floor model stick shift black sedan, felt like driving some distance, we would head for Lake Pearl in Wrentham to dance to the band concerts of Vaughn Monroe on a sunken floor or outdoor patio of King Philip’s Lounge. What happiness! What a relief from the confining schoolday tedium of Hope High. There were a number of such relief retreats from the shabby chapters of one’s teen troubles/tsuris--the moments one would prefer either to forget altogether or to turn into self-deprecating humor later on, putting them into a comfortable conversational perspective. Mad Comics, like South Park or Curb Your Enthusiasm, translated embarrassment into entertainment. Yes, there was Korea looming for our contemporaries. Yes, in New York crowds gathered to support the Rosenbergs. Yes, in Hollywood the stars we most admired and the movie-makers we respected were losing their careers, even their countries, and withdrawing from our horizons, leaving more trivial fare for us to settle down to.

We left Rhode Island, some, many, of us, away to college perhaps, or in quest of other communities. Some of us came back.

I’m one of those who returned to the land of Roger Williams and all he had come here to establish. The small and reassuring scale of it, its puritan modesty. My family had moved to the East Side in the year during which Roger Williams was celebrated, the 300th anniversary of the founding of Providence, which means of course “God will provide.” 1936.

When I first taught a class at the School of Design, I scoured the shelves of my own cave, the cellar, the basement “id” of that house whose chimney gable I had watched going up, to find a few items I could show off to my art students. I found a turquoise vase I had spun, molded, shaped, on the potter’s wheel at a weekend children’s class. I came across a little sculpture of a lady---was it a version of the photograph of my grandmother who lived uphill?-- I gave away... got rid of...these relics, to set up a still life as an assignment, or as a gift to respond to a design offered to me for a remembrance at a semester’s closing.

Such, such are the wee wonders that have flown off (among the myriad objects that survive and clutter my studios and load down my shelves) or been broken or swiped.

I make up lists sometimes of the things taken, leaving behind the enhanced MEMORY of the vanished treasure, maybe more marvelous in myth than in truth. In more recent decades I have kept pocket-size calendars to note down moments of miniature happiness. Marking times like fireflies in a bottle or sunbeams in a shot glass. The welder/farmer who left harvest produce on my porch, a silent still life of good will in the form of peppers, un-husked corn, onions and carrots, a fine arts painting in three dimensions and with perfume and later, taste.

Do the survivors of our shared generation agree that after many a summer, many a season and solstice, the story of our movements from decade to decade leave behind ...some kind of footprints in the sands? in the hourglasses? Gratitude for our elders, siblings who fought in the wars, uncles and aunts who stretched our families into clans, neighbors who brought the worlds of suffering and surviving close to our doors, windows, and pathways, cousins of the same class and condition? More or less, witnesses to the same changing American culture, from radio to television to computers, movies with glamour that faded as invented and available devices exposed the trickery behind the scenes, like the finale of the Wizard of Oz? Or am I alone, my vestibule spilling out through the mail slot brochures of nostalgia, offering the old broadcasts on sale, and DVD versions of the gaudy MGM musicals, for a check in the mail, so that I can relive yesteryear, smile sadly, or intelligently, as I appreciate soulfully the transitions of our times, wishing I could reach beyond the stars to the realms of the spirit and say “thanks” to my personal guides along the way and also left by the wayside.

February 2017

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b y meg c hevalier

Free Tax Help in Rhode Island More than 65 free tax preparation sites are open in Rhode Island this year as the Internal Revenue Service continues to expand its partnerships with nonprofit and community organizations. The sites provide vital tax preparation services for low- to-moderate-income and elderly taxpayers.

The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program offers free tax help generally to people who earn $55,000 or less. The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Program offers free tax help to taxpayers who are 60 and older.

Taxpayers need to present the following items to have their returns prepared:

• Proof of identification (photo ID) • Social Security cards for you, your spouse and dependents • An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) assignment letter may be substituted for you, your spouse and your dependents if you do not have a Social Security number • Proof of foreign status, if applying for an ITIN • Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return • Wage and earning statements (Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R,1099-Misc) from all employers • Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099) • A copy of last year’s federal and state returns, if available • Proof of bank account routing and account numbers for direct deposit such as a blank check • To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms • Total amount paid for daycare services and the daycare provider’s tax identifying number such as their Social Security number or business Employer Identification Number • Forms 1095-A, Affordable Health Care Statement, if applicable • Copies of income transcripts from IRS and state, if applicable Trained and certified community volunteers can help eligible taxpayers with credits, such as the EITC, Child Tax Credit or Credit for the Elderly. The EITC is one of the federal government’s largest benefit programs for working families and individuals. Workers must file a tax return, even if they do not have a filing requirement, and specifically claim the credit to get the benefit.

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b y danielle zarrella

lifestyles

No Judgement

food

&

drink

A Delicious Delicacy to Delight Your Valentine Valentine’s Day is synonymous with many things, including chocolate.

Men and women indulge their love of chocolate every February 14, but those who want to go the extra mile for their sweethearts this Valentine’s Day can make their own delicacies. Homemade confections send a special message to loved ones on Valentine’s Day, especially when they include chocolate, such as the following recipe for “Crochette di Ricotta con Salsa di Cioccolato (Ricotta Beignets With Chocolate Dipping Sauce)” from Michael White and Joanna Pruess’ ‘Fiamma: The Essence of Contemporary Italian Cooking’ (Wiley).

Crochette di Ricotta con Salsa di Cioccolato

(Ricotta Beignets With Chocolate Dipping Sauce) Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 2 1/4 1/4 3/4 1/2 ies) 1 1

With Valentine’s Day approaching and the theme of this month’s magazine being “Health & Wellness,” I thought it would be appropriate to discuss the importance of chocolate and the various things you can dip in it.

For New Year’s Eve, we had family come over our house for a low-key night of eating, laughing, and watching the ball drop. Among other appetizers, we made mini wedge salads, marinara fondue with cheese flatbreads and tortellini for dipping, and a favorite from last year, classic chocolate fondue.

Given the choice between sweet and savory, I usually tend toward savory, (which is probably why I lingered by the marinara pot like it owed me money) but I do love a good chocolate fondue.

We had shortbread cookies, wafer sticks, pretzels, marshmallows, fruit, and potato chips.

POTATO CHIPS? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!

Remember your New Year’s resolution to be less judgemental? Please hold your disgusted gasping at the dipping choices of the Zarrella/Ruppert household and just hear me out.

This isn’t the first time this has been done. Companies actually sell chocolate covered potato chips, but there’s nothing

16 | PrimeTime

like a freshly dipped chip in warm chocolate. The saltiness of the chip combined with the sweetness of the chocolate had me singing “Heaven Must Be Missing A Chocolate Covered Potato Chip.” (I’m sure Tavares would be okay with me using their song in such a manner. Potato chips are better than angels anyway.)

After a lot of laughing and dipping, things got weird. Potato chips are a gateway dipper for other harder, more dangerous dippers. My brother-in-law, Jeff, had a plate with pepperoni on it. I think you can tell where this is going.

Now, I had experimented with dipping pepperoni in chocolate when I was younger. My mom’s friend had dared me to dip pepperoni in a chocolate fruit dip at a party. It was the opposite of how most experimentation starts; NOBODY was doing it. It really wasn’t bad and actually, the smoky flavor of the pepperoni was quite nice with the chocolate.

Jeff extended the plate to us and everyone tried it. Most made a face kind of like they were trying to hold in a sneeze, but my father-in-law went in for seconds! If there is a lesson to be learned, it’s this: When presented with a molten pot of melted chocolate, dip with reckless abandon and don’t rule anything out.

cup whole milk ricotta cheese large eggs cup sugar cup all-purpose flour teaspoon baking powder cup finely crushed amaretti cookies (about 16 cookcup chopped bittersweet chocolate cup heavy cream Vegetable oil, for deep-fat frying Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish

In a medium-size bowl, whisk the ricotta and eggs together until smooth. Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, and amaretti and stir until well blended. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

While the batter is chilling, put the chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate, stirring until blended and smooth. Keep warm.

Fill a medium-size pot with at least 3 inches oil and heat until the oil measures about 360 F on a candy or instant-read thermometer. Carefully drop the crochette batter by the heaping tablespoon into the hot oil and cook, turning once, until brown on all sides, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels. Dust with confectionersÕ sugar and serve immediately with chocolate sauce. If desired, serve with warm caramel and berry sauces as well.

February 2017

by S U S A N R E A D O N

senior

issues

R I H ealth Care A ss o c iati o n

Steps to Improved

Memory A recent study published in Neurology led by University of British Columbia associate professor Teresa LiuAmbrose revealed that regular walking – three times a week for six months – resulted in a significant improvement in cognitive function of 70 participants who averaged age 74 and all suffered from mild impairment.

Research like this is just one of the reasons many Rhode Island skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers offer Alzheimer residents a variety of physical activities to help slow memory decline – as well deliver a host of other health benefits.

“Not only does exercise help our residents with Alzheimer’s be more alert and aware, it also reduces their risk of falls and helps those who suffer from anxiety or depression,” said Anthony Mansour, Activities Director at Riverview Healthcare Community in Coventry.

Riverview offers regular exercise opportunities for residents of its two secure dementia units, as well as the rest of

have between 15 and 20 people take part in each activity,” Mansour said.

At The Cedars in Cranston, physical activity is a primary focus in its Alzheimer’s unit. Not only does the staff recognize the cognitive benefits of exercise, they have found it also helps to calm residents and reduce sundowning, the state of agitation that often affects patients with Alzheimer’s in the late afternoon and evening.

To maximize the advantages, the center offers residents a full day of activities, beginning at 8:00 a.m. and not winding down until 8:00 p.m.

“We start by gathering residents in a ‘sit and be fit’ session every morning,” explained Greg Gillis, Activity Director at The Cedars. “We work on stretching for the upper extremities first then move to the lower extremities. And it’s all set to music.”

Since music is a big draw, the center also holds karaoke to get the residents dancing, whether on their feet or in their chairs. Other exercise options for Alzheimer’s residents include bowling, garden“You can tell that they’re happy, ing and regularly changand that’s what our whole program ing walking programs.

“The Alzheimer’s unit here is about.”

Susan Whipple is secure and has wide Administrator – The Cedars hallways so it’s a good place for the residents the center’s residents. But in Anthony’s who can walk independently to walk experience over the past two and half around. We also hold themed programs years, he’s learned that the participants like ‘Around the World in 80 days’ that prefer exercise that’s guised as “fun.” So tracks residents’ steps as they make their Riverview regularly holds basketball way to different countries based on how games, kick bowling, balloon volleyball, many feet they travel,” said Gillis. chair dancing, and a twist on a center Like Riverview, variety is the key at favorite: chair exercise bingo.

The Cedars, and the center looks be“In our version, the bingo cards are yond its four walls for inspiration. filled with exercise tasks so if we call “We find programs on YouTube that out, for example, bicep curls, a resident we use as a guide,” explained Gillis. can’t mark it on their card unless they “We also regularly invite specialists in actually do the curls,” explained Man- to hold unique programs, such as tai chi sour. and, recently, a drum circle.”

Due to the interest in diversity, ManWhile most of The Cedars’ exercise sour said Riverview is always evaluating offerings are geared toward early- and new activities to keep their offerings mid-stage Alzheimer’s residents, the fresh, such as shuffleboard. The center center also has options for later-stage also brings in outside specialists to lead residents that are focused more on range exercise sessions, including The Holis- of motion activities. tic Heart Wellness Center in Warwick, At each activity, 20 to 25 Alzheimer’s which holds monthly yoga sessions on residents get involved, which represents site at Riverview. about half of the special care unit’s total Whether for the purported cognition number of residents. And they’re doing boost or the other positive benefits of it willingly. exercise, the programs are a hit. “We

February 2017

Mimmy F. Kemokai, Nursing Aide at the Cedars with resident is Pasco Fraraccio. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

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Drink Up The Savings

Rhodyprints PROMOTIONAL PRODUC TS

A Division of Beacon Communications & Providence Media

Bob Giberti 20 | PrimeTime

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bobg@rhodybeat.com

rhodyprints.com

February 2017