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Central Edition | Vol. 46 | No. 9 | September 2020
Why traveling to states with rigid restrictions is the safest vacation
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PHOTO/LESLII C. STEVENS
Stompers’ frontman Sal Baglio still amplifies his music
By Ed Karvoski Jr. Culture Editor
M ‘loudah’
usic is amplified in the DNA of singer-songwriter and guitarist Sal Baglio, an East
Boston native now residing in Marlborough. With a strong following since the 1970s to ‘80s in Boston’s music scene as The Stompers’ frontman, he and the rock-‘n’-roll band are enjoying a second wave of popularity. Concurrently, he’s performing and recording his original music. “The first memories that I have are of music,” Baglio shared. A 9-year-old Baglio would rush home from school to hear the “Beach Boys Concert” album. After receiving a four-track tape recorder as a Christmas gift, he began composing songs at age 12. He was impressed when his older brother attended The Beatles’ 1966 concert at their hometown of East Boston’s Suffolk Downs. “Once The Beatles hit, I’d walk up and down the streets, and in every cellar there was a band playing,”Baglio recalled.“In junior high and high school,I played with different bands around town.” ‘LOUDAH’ | page 6
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AARP calls on candidates to protect voters 50+ By Mike Festa, State Director AARP Massachusetts
T
he coronavirus pandemic is threatening the health and financial security of all Massachusetts residents, but especially those age 50+. With so much going on, it’s hard to believe that it’s also an election year. And this season promises to be unlike Mike Festa any other. One thing remains crystal clear: If candidates want to win, they need to listen to the concerns of voters 50+. That means candidates must explain how they’ll protect Social Security and Medicare for current and future generations, and how they will lower prescription drug prices.
to vote in person before election day. In-person voting on election day will involve new measures to protect the health of voters and poll workers alike. Upcoming dates to remember: October 17-30: In-person early voting period for the Massachusetts State Election November 3: General Election Day Nationwide, as voters prepare to cast their ballots in the November Presidential Election, AARP has launched its 2020 voter engagement campaign called Protect Voters 50+, which demands action from politicians to ensure that all Americans – from working parents, to family caregivers, to seniors in nursing homes – can vote safely. AARP is urging candidates to talk about the issues that matter to 50+ voters – like voting safely from home or in-person, preventing cuts to Social Security
Throughout the 2020 election, our focus will remain on protecting voters 50+ and ensuring they can vote safely from home or in-person. Now more than ever, AARP will fight to protect voters 50+. Learn more at aarp.org/election2020.
WE MAY BE APART, WE MAY BE APART, BUT WE'RE NOT ALONE BUT WE'RE NOT ALONE
SOMEONE WHO CARES IS JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY. SOMEONE WHO CARES IS JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY. If you or someone you love is feeling isolated or anxious in these a friendly phone call may help. That's If you challenging or someone times, you love is feeling isolated or anxious in why created thetimes, AARPa Friendly Voice program—a trained, thesewe challenging friendly phone call may help. That's caring of volunteers standingVoice by ready to chat, listen, or why wegroup created the AARP Friendly program—a trained, just saygroup hello. of volunteers standing by ready to chat, listen, or caring just say hello. It's easy. Request a call by dialing AARP at 1-888-281-0145 for or 1-888-497-4108 for Spanish, 9 a.m. It's English easy. Request a call by dialing AARP atbetween 1-888-281-0145 and 5 p.m. local time. for English or 1-888-497-4108 for Spanish, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. local time.
We’ve also heard from so many Bay State residents about what else is top of mind for you this election: • You’re worried about your family and how to pay the bills. • You’re desperately trying to protect your loved ones in nursing homes. • You want to be able to vote safely this election, whether from home or in-person. In Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker has signed H.4820 — An Act Relative to Voting Options in Response to COVID-19 into law, which will help to ensure that all registered voters can cast their ballots safely and without putting themselves at risk for COVID-19. This new law only applies to 2020 elections. Here are the details: Every registered voter in Massachusetts will have the opportunity to request an absentee ballot without needing to provide an excuse. Early voting periods will be extended to allow more opportunities
and Medicare and lower prescription drug prices. Over the next few months, thousands of AARP members, activists, and volunteers will virtually engage current and former elected officials, party officials, donors, and others who play a major role in setting a candidates’ agenda. Their message: Protect Voters 50+ and make theirr voices heard! AARP will inform voters where candidates stand on the issues important to the health and financial security of voters 50+ through the campaign website, www.aarp.org/ election2020, and provide the latest up-to-date information on how voters across the country can safely cast ballots from home or in-person. Throughout the 2020 election, our focus will remain on protecting voters 50+ and ensuring they can vote safely from home or in-person. Now more than ever, AARP will fight to protect voters 50+. Learn more at aarp.org/election2020.
Mike Festa is the State Director for AARP Massachusetts. For more articles visit www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.
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Marketing professional finds second career as a SCORE mentor By Serena Howlett Contributing Writer WESTBOROUGH - In 2003, a semi-retired Pete Allen took his tennis partner’s advice and joined the Senior Core of Retired Executives (SCORE). Allen didn’t know what to expect and worried if he could really be helpful to a small business owner or manager. He soon discovered that his long career as a marketing executive enabled him to help almost every SCORE client who sought his advice. Allen began his career at the Dennison Manufacturing plant in Framingham. He discovered marketing to be “more interesting than I had expected.” Sensing Allen’s talent, a marketing manager brought him onboard. Years later, still working together, Allen asked the manger, “What did you see in me?” The manager replied, “Ideas are one thing, execution is another. If I ask you to do something, it not only gets done, but gets done well.” Eventually, Allen was promoted to vice president of marketing with responsibility for all products nationwide. In 1993 a pharmaceutical company knocked at Allen’s door. Allen wondered how he would transfer his skills, but soon mastered the challenge. “Marketing knowledge,” he said, “is needed in every business and the same skills are applicable under many different circumstances. As a SCORE mentor, Allen has had ample opportunity to use his business expertise to help people with business-related decisions. And this is clearly something he is eager to do. Barb Smith’s Companion Pet Sitting and K-9 Hydrotherapy is one of Allen’s favorite success stories. Allen mentored Smith in the start-up phase of her now successful business and she still calls Allen for advice from time to time. SCORE mentors can prevent business disasters. When two air-
plane pilots who loved to cook approached Allen with their plans to open a restaurant, he asked them two questions: “Will you Pete Allen follow an example of a successful restaurant?” and “Do you have a business plan?” When the duo said they did not have a plan, Allen walked them through potential challenges, testing their level of preparedness. Without directly advising them against opening the restaurant, he saved them from the dire consequences of going forward with this idea. As marketing chair for SCORE-Worcester Allen matches a person who clicks on the SCORE website “request a meeting” button with a SCORE volunteer who has the relevant skillset and is available to help. Meetings can be in-person. However, Zoom meetings are increasingly popular and of special interest during the pandemic lockdown. At SCORE service and advice are free. “People sometimes ask, ‘What’s the catch?’ There is none,” Allen remarked. “It is rare that a SCORE client cannot benefit from consultation with a SCORE mentor.” Allen is married to his childhood sweetheart, Kris, who is locally known for her book, “On the Beaten Path: Westborough, Massachusetts,” which was published by the historical society in 1984. “In Westborough,” said Allen with a big grin, “I am known as the husband of Kris Allen.” Allen noted he plans to compete in this summer’s New England Senior Tennis Foundation’s over 75 doubles tournament. For more information about SCORE, visit https://worcester.score.org.
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WE WANT TO PUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON YOU! about them, a personal story that should be shared so others can learn, be entertained or inspired. Or perhaps there is a loved one in your family whose story is just so amazing that it deserves to be shared so it will not be forgotten. Are you an avid volunteer in your community or have an unusual hobby or passion? Perhaps you have just retired from a long career or have successfully launched into a second “act”? Do people ever tell you that your life story is just so interesting and unique that someone should write about you? Then we’d like the chance to share your story with our readers! Please send a short email to Bonnie Adams at news@communityadvocate.com describing why you would make a great profile. If chosen, we will have a writer contact you and do an interview. We will then share your life story with our readers in an upcoming issue of the Fifty Plus Advocate.
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‘I love being alive,’ says singer-actor, COVID-19 survivor Bob DiCicco By Ed Karvoski Jr. Culture Editor WESTWOOD – Beginning April 12, singer and actor Bob DiCicco of Westwood battled the coronavirus while hospitalized for 43 days, 30 of which he was on a ventilator in the ICU. Intensive rehabilitation followed. Heavily sedated during much of his hospitalization, he ultimately got updates from his brother. “My brother said that they weren’t giving me much of a chance to survive,” DiCicco shared by phone from a rehabilitation facility. Later in DiCicco’s six-week hospital stay, his brother was able to relay a more encouraging message. “The doctor told my brother that Bob DiCicco and Wendee Glick are featured in “Love Letters I reminded him of a tenacious bullfrom the Front: P.S. I Love You.” dog with a great will to live – which is true,” DiCicco said. “I was never scared. If it weren’t for the nurses there, I never would have made it. Hats off to them!” DiCicco was unaware that he had Tony Bennett and Bob DiCicco pose for a COVID-19 until after his hospital post-show photo at the Eastman Theatre in admittance. His girlfriend suspectRochester, N.Y. ed that he needed medical attention when she heard him speak incoherently during a phone conThe doctor told my brother that I versation. She contacted his neighbor, reminded him of a tenacious bulldog who called for an with a great will to live – which is true. ambulance to rush him to Needham’s I was never scared. If it weren’t for Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital. the nurses there, I never would have “I was in pretty tough shape,” made it. Hats off to them! DiCicco acknowledged. “For 43 days, Bob DiCicco gets a visit while in rehab from his I was on my back in friend, actor and chef Frankie Imbergamo the hospital and my muscles atrophied.” he has personally met the showbiz ed living residences. occupational and speech therapy is He was transferred June 2 to legend on a couple of occasions. “Everybody who sees the show complemented with ongoing well Needham’s Briarwood Rehabilitation Last fall, DiCicco presented gets very emotional,” DiCicco rewishes. & Healthcare Center to undergo “And the Oscar Does Not Go to…” layed. “At the Brookline Senior Cen“I’m very grateful to my friends treatment with physical, occupational at Josephine’s Cabaret in Boston’s ter, a woman in tears said to me, ‘You who have reached out to me on Faceand speech therapists. Club Café along with singer Cyndy sang my and my husband’s favorite book, and with get-well cards and “I need to get better with my balGale and musical accompanist Steve song, ‘Moonlight Serenade.’ Thank visits,” he shared. “It’s spurring me on ance,” DiCicco said in his 10th week Heck. The show featured several deyou for bringing him back for at least and really helps.” of rehabilitation. “I’m getting better cades of Oscar-nominated movie a few minutes.’ That’s a feeling you Two days before DiCicco’s hosat walking with a walker; but whentheme songs that lost. never forget.” pital admission, he posted on Faceever I go for a long walk out in the “You’d be surprised how many DiCicco hopes to resume prebook a video of himself singing the hallway, I still need assistance with beautiful songs didn’t cut the mustard senting customized productions of tune “What Are You Doing for the the wheelchair behind me. Chancat the Academy Awards,” DiCicco “Love Letters from the Front” at the Rest of Your Life?” While in rehab, he es are I’ll need to leave here with a quipped. same type of venues as well as colreposted the video with a note: “My walker.” Throughout 2018, he performed leges, museums and collaborations last recording before COVID-19 Early symptoms that he develwith singer Wendy Glick and othwith the USO. interrupted my plans. But, I will be oped were a dry cough and shortness ers in “Love Letters from the Front: “Once I’m back on my feet, I can back!” of breath. These symptoms are particP.S. I Love You.” The show tells stostart working on this,” he said of reSelf-described as “mostly an ularly concerning for a vocalist. ries of life, love and loss through viving the show. “I just hope to God American Songbook type of guy,” “It’s going to take time for my wartime music and actual written that they’ll find a vaccine for this viDiCicco typically performs at varvoice to come fully back,” he noted. correspondence between deployed rus and we can get back to our lives. ied venues ranging from cabarets to “My tone and timbre are beginning service members and their families. I love being alive – that’s what keeps festivals. In addition to presenting a to come back, but it’s the breath conIts statewide tour included a library, me going.” musical tribute to Tony Bennett at trol that I still need. Hopefully, it will nonprofit arts theater, prep school, Find more information about Bob Boston Public Library and Framingget better as time goes by.” nightclubs, senior centers and assistDiCicco at rdicicco.com. ham’s Amazing Things Arts Center, In the meantime, his physical,
www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + SEPTEMBER 2020 + fiftyplus advocate
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Stompers’ frontman Sal Baglio still amplifies his music ‘LOUDAH’ ‘LOUDAH’ | from page 1
After graduating from high school in 1974, he learned the music business while working on the road with top-40 bands. He also learned about Boston nightspots where bands performed original music. Baglio and drummer Mark Cuccinello formed The Stompers in 1977 with bassist Stephen Gilligan and keyboardist Dave Friedman. Soon afterward, they worked regularly at Boston-area colleges and clubs as well as Hampton Beach, N.H.’s Club Casino (now known as Casino Ballroom). The Stompers’ radio airplay began in 1978 with their debut single, “Coast to Coast.” Following stints as opening act, they performed their first headlining gig in 1979 at Paradise Theater (now known as Paradise Rock Club). The Boston Globe raved, “Baglio is a guileless straight-talker with an authentic soul for rock ‘n’ roll. He plays with an urgency reminiscent of the
Sal Baglio onstage with The Stompers at the Bull Run in Shirley
Sal Baglio performs with The Stompers at 1982’s Spring Fling in East Bridgewater
very best from Little Richard to Bruce Springsteen, and he has to be one of the most exciting emerging talents in the area.” While appearing at Paradise twice yearly, The Stompers performed every two months at The Channel. “The Channel was a huge, cavernous club,” Baglio explained. “Playing there Saturday nights to 1,700-plus people going crazy made for a fun time.” Opening for the J. Geils Band’s 1980 holiday tour, The Stompers rocked New England arenas. Between local gigs throughout the 1980s, The Stompers peri-
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The Amplifier Heads’ debut CD “Loudah”
Above: The Stompers – (l to r) Dave Friedman, Sal Bruno, Mark Cuccinello and Stephen Gilligan – depicted on the wall of fame at Hampton Beach Club Casino (now known as Casino Ballroom) Left: Circa late-1970s promo photo of The Stompers: (l to r) Stephen Gilligan, Sal Baglio, Dave Friedman and Mark Cuccinello
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the top three the other years. Since the late-1990s, they resumed a more frequent performance schedule after a friend of Baglio’s made him aware of a Stompers’ album selling for $60 on eBay. Additionally, the band’s songs are featured on the movie soundtracks of Adam Sandler’s “Grown Ups” (2010) and “Grown Ups 2” (2013). Performing original music solo as The Amplifier Heads, Baglio released the CD “Loudah” in November 2019, and a three-song EP “The Man with the Sun for a Head” in June 2020. “It’s solo material, but I use ‘The Amplifier Heads’ name because I like to present as a band,” he explained. “I usually have a drummer, occasionally a bass player, and different musicians here and there.” The Amplifier Heads’ shows in Liverpool this past May were canceled due to COVID-19. Likewise, some Stompers’ gigs got rescheduled. Baglio appreciates entertaining their longtime fans. “There are people who bring their kids to our shows – and in some cases, their grandkids,” he said. “The band represents to its audience a period of time that they want to remember.” Find information online at thestompers.com and theamplifierheads. bandcamp.com.
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odically toured with the Beach Boys. One concert culminated with Baglio accepting Carl Wilson’s invitation to join him singing “Barbara Ann.” “A highlight of my career was Carl asking me to come up onstage with him during an encore,” Baglio recounted. “It was a rock-‘n’-roll fantasy come true!” When Cuccinello left The Stompers in 1983, the band recruited drummer Lenny Shea and pianist Jeremy Brown. (Current drummer is Dave Fox.) Boston Globe readers voted The Stompers #1 band in New England three times from 1981 to ’86 and in
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Fifty Plus Advocate is published monthly, 12 times annually by Bagdon Advertising, 32 South Street, Westborough, MA 01581. Fifty Plus Advocate accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or materials and does not return them to sender. Retractions for any inaccuracies will be printed when necessary. Unsolicited letters to the editor become the property of this newspaper and can be reprinted in part or in whole unless otherwise stated. Fifty Plus Advocate columnists writing under a byline are expressing their personal opinions and not necessarily those of the newspaper.
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Art and activism inform each other at a North Shore art gallery By Elizabeth Rose Contributing Writer NEWBURYPORT - Following the 2016 election, Paula Estey, abstract artist and owner of the Paula Estey Gallery, crawled into bed depressed. Not only had her preferred candidate lost, but she felt her gender had been undermined by the winner. After two weeks of inner soul searching, she heard a call to build a political movement and to use her art gallery as a physical location for meetings. “What the heck good is a regular art gallery after an election like that?” she said. In early February 2017, just two weeks after the Women’s March, she called her first meeting of the Women in Action Huddle of Greater Newburyport. Over 40 women attended. a capacity crowd for her gallery located just steps off the main street in Newburyport, Mass. By bringing people together she felt an immediate support, but just numbers in a room wasn’t enough. Next she needed to marshal their collective energy towards changing the national narrative that had just been elected to office. The women all
Women in Action Huddle
agreed that the rhetoric of divisiveness, xenophobia, and the denigration of women’s body parts issuing from a president were a concern. They divided into special interest groups and set action goals for change in education, the environment, racial relations, and political voice. Through the next two years the
gallery continued to sell art as before, but workshops and speakers were added. Topics became more political across a spectrum of national news including women candidates, the environment, organic foods, zero waste and indigenous values. She hit on all hot button issues, including the climate march and Black Lives Matter.
“By March of 2019, we had an exhibition called ‘Ecology’ and two artists presented their own personal ecologies and passion for the environment through their work. This event marked the real beginning of new programming at PEG and our audience was standing room only. For our women’s candidate night, we had
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By March of 2019, we had an exhibition called ‘Ecology’ and two artists presented their own personal ecologies and passion for the environment through their work. This event marked the real beginning of new programming at PEG and our audience was standing room only. —Paula Estey
Bag Lady initiative of Women in Action
100 people,” Estey said. By 2020 the Paula Estey Gallery (PEG) had become the Paula Estey Gallery, A Center for Art and Activism, becoming an active meeting ground for the fusion of artistic creation and bettering the world. For Estey, it’s about mining the deepest and truest relationship between the two concepts, and sometimes this is
advisory boards, and a full board of directors. The operation has applied for nonprofit status which would make it open to tax-deductible donations. Throughout this journey, Estey has reflected a belief that “art and Branding Concepts activism is as much about beauty as Family Dental Group lighting a fire under somebody.” “Activism has to be fluid. Where more poetic than actual. your attention is applied needs to “You can get speakers about the change quickly. And art reminds youenvironment,Concept you can do 2 anything as | Revised with reverence and sacredness - why an activist organization, but for us the Main Logo:What we you are out there,” she said. art piece is about reverence. Estey acknowledged that she show has a reverence for all beings, was born into white privilege as the the planet, all sexes, everything, and daughter of an ambitious entreprethat’s the bridge for us,” she said. neur who pursued a goal from humble Today the enterprise has expandroots. He was Frank Crocker Estey, ed leadership with a staff of four, two
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who in 1960 was one of a band of men she called “upstarts from Beverly and Salem” who founded Marshall, Inc., the pioneer “Brand Names For Less” retail store. Her father’s persistence gave her the roadmap, she said. “What you dedicate your heart to will move your feet,” she said. “Art and activism are as much about beauty as lighting a fire under somebody, because to me beauty does that. I’m dedicated to be an activist center that shows absolutely beautiful art.” The Paula Estey Gallery is located at 3 Harris Street, Newburyport, MA. For more information visit paulaesteygallery.com or call 978376-4746.
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Senior Directory
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Bruce Frankel – Best-selling author spreads message of anti-ageism By Susan Gonsalves Contributing Writer
SHARON – Ted Ludwiczak, a refugee from Poland survived the Nazis invasion and Russian occupation to settle in the U.S. and work as a contact lens grinder. In his 60s, without any experience, he was compelled to sculpture faces into a wall along the Hudson River, becoming an acclaimed artist. At 93, Harry Bernstein started writing about his life before World War I in northern England, the anti-Semitism he experienced and his sister’s forbidden romance with a Christian. His memoir was published when he was 96. Bruce Frankel highlighted these individuals and others like them in his award-winning, best seller “What Should I Do with the Rest of My Life?” published by Penquin, 2010. The author’s life is equally as compelling. Frankel has always been a storyteller – starting as an eight-yearold who published his own mimeographed five cent newspaper called “The Item.” “My claim to fame was an article about a boy who jumped off his dresser and landed with his teeth in the headboard,” Frankel recalled. The Miami Herald picked up the story of the budding journalist and “so began my career,” he said. Born in Hollywood, Fla., he moved to Curacao in the West Indies as a boy, honing his writing skills composing letters to sports figures. Eventually, Frankel moved to Long Beach, N.Y. where he graduated high school. After earning a bachelor’s degree in government from Franklin & Marshall College, he worked as a psychiatric aide, wrote poetry and launched what was to become an award-winning journalism career. Frankel has fond memories of his days as a local reporter in northern Westchester, N.Y., finding satisfaction investigating topics such as a fire set by bullies at a senior group home. His reporting led to state legislative action. “I think the work I liked best was reporting that was local and made a difference,” Frankel said. His varied career took him to USA Today, where he covered major trials including John Gotti’s third, the Oklahoma bombing, and the first World Trade Center bombing in 1992.
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We wanted people who created success for the first time and did things that were significant, fulfilled an ambition and developed a path. — Bruce Frankel “That stayed with me,” Frankel said. “So many were predicting if we didn’t understand radical Islamic cells in the U.S. and the FBI didn’t coordinate, we were likely to see worse…And those predictions were fulfilled.” A cancer scare made him re-evaluate his life’s direction, steering him toward creative writing, but first he and another reporter were hired by People magazine to start an investigative unit. Although he expanded his skills over four years by composing comprehensive, long-form magazine pieces on subjects like hunger in America, the job was not for him. He quit. Frankel went on to co-author the best-selling “World War II: History’s Greatest Conflict” (Little, Brown), ghost write and edit several books for others and at age 51, enroll as a graduate student at Sarah Lawrence College, majoring in writing/ poetry. “Graduate school was like Alice in Wonderland, having amazing teachers and being in heaven discussing ideas, listening to young, crackling minds. I loved it,” Frankel said. Frankel heard from a former Time Inc. colleague, who was let go from his job at age 60. “Following a four glasses of water lunch,” Frankel said, they decided to team up to write stories about people who succeeded after 60. But they didn’t want to highlight individuals with prior wealth or achievement. “We wanted people who created success for the first time and did things that were significant, fulfilled an ambition and developed a path,” Frankel explained. And, “What Should I Do with the Rest of My Life,” was the result. Today, Frankel is still spreading the message about the value of older people and fighting ageism as a frequent guest speaker. He is also co-president of The Life Planning
Network, co-leader of its New England chapter and editor of its journal. The nonprofit organization is comprised of professionals from diverse fields who look at life holistically and help guide people to “optimize” the second half of their lives. “Someone who views aging with fear and sees it as an inferior part of life is more likely to get ill and not recover,” Frankel said. The older generation should instead be embraced and accommodated in the workforce, so they can pass on knowledge and wisdom, he said.
Bruce Frankel
Frankel is also chief content officer at BSLI Redstring, an online platform for community building with nonprofits and businesses. He’s working on a project developing an online “village experience,” for the LGBT community of New York City.
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Committed to helping others: Ruth Whitney, a connected woman By Peg Lopata Contributing Writer
My parents were both deeply involved in the community. Their message was that it was an obligation, a privilege, and a pleasure to give back.
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CAMBRIDGE - Ruth Whitney, 75, is a native of New York state. She came to Cambridge the summer before her senior year in college and this city has been her home for decades. “Although it can be frustrating at times to live in a city where everyone has an opinion about everything, I love the diversity, the energy and the social and civic commitment,” said Whitney. Civic involvement is a strong part of Whitney’s life. It was an expectation in her family. “My parents were both deeply involved in the community,” she noted. “Their message was that it was an obliRuth Whitney gation, a privilege, and a pleasure to give back.” Whitney started volunteering when she was in high school. Her dedication to giving has continued throughout her life. Whitney worked as a caseworker and supervisor at Massachusetts General Hospital, started a social work and mental health department for the Cambridge Visiting Nurse Association, evaluated custody and visitation cases; directed the training program for social workers, psychologist and child psychiatry fellows for the Middlesex Family and Probate Court. She was also on the faculty of the Harvard Law School Trial Advocacy Program and Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education. She is currently on the Institutional Review Board of Mt. Auburn Hospital, in Cambridge and a trustee of her condo association. She also volunteers as a chair of the board with Cambridge Family and Children’s Services. — Ruth Whitney “We focus on providing permanency for every client, so that they’ll each have an ongoing relationship with at least one adult going forward towards their own adulthood,” explained Whitney. “The staff and board are terrific to work with and I really enjoy the friendships there.” As a child, Whitney had many adults worth emulating. She’s the daughter of two college professors, her mother being the first woman to ever teach at Union College in Schenectady, New York, Whitney’s hometown. Her grandmother and several great aunts attended Mt. Holyoke College, in Holyoke, Mass., in the early 1900s, a time when women rarely went to college. Surrounded by these remarkable college-educated women, Whitney was very eager to go to college herself. She most likely holds the record for the youngest applicant to Mt. Holyoke - she started her application process when she was in eighth grade. Once actually a student there, she majored in history, graduating in 1966. In 1969 she obtained her master’s degree in social work from Simmons College in Boston. At the conclusion of her career, including a private practice for 27 years, Whitney received the Simmons School of Social Work’s Distinguished Lifetime Career Award for her services to the family court and divorcing families. Whitney retired gradually in 2015. “I love being retired,” said Whitney. “I have had no trouble finding ways to stay entertained, connected, and involved. In fact, sometimes I have difficulty in scheduling something I promised myself: a day each week when I can stay in my bathrobe and slippers all day long.” An avid reader, she’s a member of three book groups, attends theater, and plays bridge. She also enjoys the company of her two cats.
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May you live in interesting times By Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. Executive Director, Colony Retirement Homes
M
May you live in times in which sports and other pastimes becomes valued for the diversion we all need. May you live in times that offers you an opportunity to really care for your own health – whether by increasing your exercise or watching your nutrition. May you live in times in which you are able to question the roles of authority figures and push against those who represent a society you do not value. May you live in times that bring you out of your comfort zone and make you question the weight of your freedoms versus the weight of other freedoms. May you live in times in which people who are considered to have “essential jobs” are highlighted. May the janitors and elder care workers forever be our heroes instead of sports figures and social media influencers. May you live in times when you feel united with your countrymen against injustices and vow to build a better tomorrow.
Housing Options
A 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization
A Reverse Mortgage is not for everyone. But everyone should know the facts about a Reverse Mortgage and how it works. Helping Hands Community Partners, Inc., is a non-profit 501(c)(3) with a mission of educating senior homeowners about housing options. We can explain and, when appropriate, arrange reverse mortgages.
PHOTO/SUBMITTED
ay you live in times that highlight the friendship of the community in which you live. May these times offer you the opportunity to care for your neighbor in new ways. May you live in times that offer a vibrant, engaged political discourse. May you live when you have the time to catch up on all your reading. May you live in times that give you an opportunity to relearn how privileged you are. May you live in times that highlight how special it is to see the ones you love. May you live in times that offer you the opportunity to express your creativity by re-learning sewing, gardening, or breadmaking. May you live in times that offer you the chance to express your opinion and value your freedoms. May you find a new appreciation “The Garden Club” at Colony Retirement Homes for being able to stock up on supplies when there is a sale at the market May you live in times when you and sometimes relearn that there are can imagine returning to normal as many things you don’t truly need. a goal. May you live in times that offer May you live in times that are you a glimpse into another’s world blessed enough to have moments of – whether that is a school system or normalcy and a shared laugh with a hospital – and you learn a new way friend is a breath of fresh air. to value the struggles of your friends May you have moments of boreand relatives. dom. May you find a new appreciation May you live in times that enfor your health. courage you to get outside and reMay you live in times that give learn the beauty and tranquility you the opportunity to clean out your around you in nature. closets and reorganize your life. May you live in times when your May you live in times that offer right to vote matters. you the chance to build empathy for May you live in times that highpeople who are different from you light the same struggles across the due to their health, their race, their globe and that we are all in this toreligion, and their values. gether.
Call or email to receive a FREE copy of the National Council on Aging’s 36-page “Use Your Home to Stay at Home,” consumer booklet.
ge m o r tg a everse r d l e ia v ic o T h e o ff r b o o k le ta p p r e t c o n s u m . D e p a r tm e n .S U e th by s in g of Hou n a b r &U pment lo e v e D
Call to get your FREE copy of “Use Your Home to Stay at Home” (781) 724-6221
Or email to: Reversemortgage@hhcp.org
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Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of Colony Retirement Homes. She can be reached at 508-755-0444 or mdelorey@colonyretirement.com and www.colonyretirementhomes.com. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www.fiftyplusadvocate.com
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money matters
Reverse mortgages – New options By Alain Vallès, CSA, MS, MBA, Managing Director Helping Hands Community Partners, Inc.
A
s Managing Director of the self-funded nonprofit charitable mortgage company, Helping Hands Community Partners, our mission is to educate people about housing options and, when appropriate, we may arrange reverse mortgages. We continue to be open virtually during COVID-19 and are available by phone, email, and virtual in-person conversations. And don’t worry, we’re happy to teach you how to use Zoom or GoToMeeting on your computer or cell phone. The coronavirus and financial pres-
Reverse Mortgage
sure continues Hopefully, you have not experienced any life-threatening events from the pandemic. But most of us have suffered financially either directly from immediate cash needs or the added stress of not being sure there will be enough money moving forward to remain independent in one’s home. The best way to reduce stress is to review your financial options. If you are 62 years old or older and own a home, you should explore if a reverse mortgage might be the best solution to maintaining or hopefully improving your quality of life. There is no cost or obligation to get the facts for your particular situation. Get accurate information The first step regarding “reverse mortgages” is to get accurate information. Reverse mortgages are a government insured home loan program that allows qualified senior homeowners the ability to access cash whenever needed in the form of lump sum cash, a monthly amount, and/or a line of credit that grows if you need cash in the future. For thousands of people, this has been an excellent approach to having extra cashflow, paying off an existing
mortgage, home repairs, credit cards, medical expenses, or just peace of mind knowing money is available if needed during these stressful times. Key benefits for qualified homeowners • No monthly mortgage payments are required. That means you can increase your monthly cash flow by paying off a current mortgage with a reverse mortgage • Receive monthly cash for life or a specific time period • Unlike a bank home equity line, ability to have a line of credit that grows over time with no monthly interest payments required • Option to shield your home from Medicaid recapture with a properly structured irrevocable trust Debunking the top myths • You lose title or control of your home. False. You own your home. Just like a conventional mortgage, you may sell your home with no prepayment penalty. • The government takes your home and you lose your equity. False. When the home is sold, any remaining equity would go to you or your estate.
•
My family would be responsible if the home is worth less than any remaining mortgage balance. False. Unlike traditional bank loans, you or your estate is not personally responsible to pay back the loan. This is called nonrecourse. • Reverse mortgages are expensive. Depends is the correct answer. Based on your current situation, a reverse mortgage may be more expensive than a traditional loan but almost always much less expensive than moving. Call to get a detailed quote. • You must pay the real estate taxes, insurance, and any other property charges such as condo fees. That one is true. You must meet all loan guidelines. Top uses Below are a few examples of how hundreds of thousands of older homeowners are utilizing a reverse mortgage: • Increase monthly cash flow • Lump sum of cash • Pay off a current mortgage or home equity line • Payoff credit cards • Complete needed home repairs or
Reverse mortgage | Page 17
SUPER CROSSWORD PUZZLE
“ELEMENTAL RECOMPOSITION” (answers on page 16)
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viewpoint
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The future isn’t what it used to be By Janice Lindsay
D
uring the 1890s, various experts predicted what life would be like by 2000. Now we’re 20 years into the new century and we’ve had two extra decades to make those things happen. How did they do with their predictions? You be the judge. One social reformer predicted, “Three hours will constitute a long day’s work…” A theologian wrote, “Longevity will be so improved that 150 years will be no unusual age to reach.” The U. S. Postmaster General said that we would no longer pay two cents to mail a letter; the price would be only one cent. These experts made their predictions as part of a weekly newspaper series that appeared around the country. David Walter includes excerpts Will
Inklings
Man Fly?, published around the one hundredth anniversary of the predictions. On the U. S. government: “The government will have grown more simple, as true greatness tends always toward simplicity.” Or, for a contrary opinion, take your pick, “The American government will grow more complex. All development moves away from simplicity toward complexity.” Transportation: “It will be as common for the citizen to call for his dirigible balloon as it is now for him to call for his buggy or his boots.” Or “Aerial navigation will… be accomplished not by balloons, but by the aeroplane. That aeroplane will work with stored electrical energy, operating through engines of marvelous power and lightness.” Social divisiveness: “Man will have learned the lesson of trusting his brother. And the nation…will have destroyed the prejudice of race and the animosities of sect.” Wealth: “A social revolution is certain to be accomplished within less than 50 years, and that will end the accumulation of wealth in the hands of the few.”
Entertainment: “The popular taste in American drama will demand much the same material served to delight our grandparents half a century ago. In other words, Shakespeare will be on top.” Literature: “There will not be so many books printed, but there will be more said.” Music: “The United States in the next century will be greatest music-loving and music-producing nation on earth.” Law: “Law will be simplified and brought within the range of the common people. As a result, the occupation of two-thirds of the lawyers will be destroyed. At present, law is a stupendous swindle.” Materialism: “In 100 years American will have more leisure to think. The present rate of headlong material activity cannot be kept up for another century.” Public education: “There will be no uneducated persons to act as drags on the car of progress.” Alcoholism: “Proper cooking and improved physical habits will have neutralized the desire for stimulants.”
Women: “Woman will attain her status of equality before the law.” And, “Near the close of the next century, some rare, noble woman will be elected President of the United States.” Energy: “Not many years hence, electricity will be found serving the household exactly as gas, steam, and coal now serve it – for cooking, heating, and lighting purposes.” Insurance: “All the forests in the United States will be gone. Lumber will be so scarce that stone, iron, brick, slag, etc. will be largely used in the construction of houses. As a result, fires will be almost unheard of, and insurance companies will go out of business.” So, how did they do? In a few cases, their expectations were in the right direction. Mostly, they missed. We guess about the future expecting it to be an extension of the present. Mostly, it isn’t. We get surprises: the Internet, a world war, a pandemic. I can make one prediction with confidence about the next century: Whatever we think will happen, it probably won’t. Contact jlindsay@tidewater.net
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By Sandi Barrett Contributing Writer NEW ENGLAND - Road tripping is the new travel adventure, and now that New England states are easing restrictions, it’s time to dip our toes in the travel waters. New England is cautiously opening up, and that brings a certain amount of restrictions to help to keep you safer. Consider the throngs on the southern beaches and the havoc it has caused those states that opened up with lenient guidelines. Maine currently has the most restrictive policy for visitors. If you visit from Massachusetts, you are required to self quarantine for 14 days or take an antigen test within 72 hours of visiting and test negative. You must sign a health certificate confirming you took the test and it was negative before you can check in to overnight accommodations. Additionally, you can be asked to produce the results of your test and face a $1,000 fine for falsifying the health certificate. While you need to jump through some hoops for Maine, it is a desirable vacation spot because it has stringent requirements that help keep Maniacs and her visitors safe. Rhode Island is also managing their visitors with a high degree of caution. Fortunately there are no restrictions when traveling from Massachusetts. In many Rhode Island cities, you are required to give your name and phone number before you
PHOTOS/SANDI BARRETT
can sit and dine. The information is required for contact tracing if needed. Rhode Island requires visitors from states with a positivity rate higher than five percent to quarantine for 14 days. Massachusetts is below the five percent rate, making Rhode Island a good choice for a getaway. Vermont updates their Cross State Travel Website weekly. The website color codes each county based on cases per million. If the county you live in is green, there are no quarantine restrictions. If yellow or red, you need to follow the restriction guidelines; two weeks of quarantine or one week with testing. Vermont is a lovely place to just drive and see
Answers to Super Crossword (puzzle on page 14
www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + SEPTEMBER 2020 + fiftyplus advocate states other than their New England neighbors. Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey require any traveler from a state that has a positive test rate higher than 10 percent or a 10 percent plus positivity rate to self quarantine for 14 days. As of July 28, 2020, Massachusetts’ positivity rate was 2.7 percent. Your trip will be successful if you research where you want to go and settle on restrictions that make you feel comfortable. Best travel tips; bring several masks, keep hand sanitizer in your car, and pack an emer-
Camden, ME
the scenery, pack a picnic lunch and dine al fresco; the ultimate in social distancing. A good place to start visiting is our own state. Massachusetts is cautiously opening up and there are many places where you can get a change of scenery and feel like you are on an adventure. Try World’s End in Hingham, the old carriage paths are easy to navigate and the views of Boston are lovely. You must reserve a spot to park and enjoy the beautiful grounds. Effective August 1t, Massachusetts requires returning residents and visitors (other than from New
England states except Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey) to self quarantine for 14 days or test negative within 72 hours before visiting. New Hampshire is currently allowing Massachusetts residents to visit without any restrictions. In general, New Hampshire is set up to social distance every day; towns are small and houses are on large lots, it’s a win-win. They are not strictly enforcing mask wearing, so if you are a little tentative about coming face to face with someone, it might not be your first choice. New Hampshire is requiring a 14 day quarantine for
Reverse mortgages – New options Mortgage | from page 14 desired improvements • Install a new septic system • Purchase a new or used car • Estate and financial planning purposes • Cash reserves for unforeseen emergency life events • Home accessibility improvements • The option of receiving a lump sum of cash, a monthly distribution, a line of credit or a combination of the three – all tax free • Peace of mind knowing that cash is available if needed The key point is a reverse mortgage is a very flexible financial tool that can achieve varied goals. The first step is to obtain accurate information. What is the first step in the process?
The first step is to call or email us. We’ll review your goals and discuss if you qualify. Our goal is to share information with you so that you may make a fully educated decision if a reverse mortgage is right for you. Is there anything you can mail me? Yes. A great place to get information is the free “How to Use Your Home to Stay at Home” 36-page book. This is the official reverse mortgage consumer booklet approved by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development and published by the National Council on Aging. Please give me a call 781-7246221 or email reversemortgageinfo@ hhcp.org with your questions and to receive your free copy of “Use Your Home to Stay at Home.” We’re here to help.
Alain Valles is Managing Director of Helping Hands Community Partners, Inc. and was the first designated Certified Reverse Mortgage Professional in New England. He obtained a Master of Science from the M.I.T. Center for Real Estate, an MBA from the Wharton School, and graduated summa cum laude from UMass Amherst. Alain can be reached directly at 781-724-6221 or by email at reversemortgageinfo@hhcp.org. For more articles visit www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.
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gency cooler for water and snacks. Consider planning your road tripping getaways for mid-week; you will encounter smaller crowds which will improve your ability to social distance. With some preparation and smart planning, you can enjoy a successful road trip to some of the most restrictive and safest states. As things are often changing, it of course makes sense to check the different states’ website before you plan a trip. Sandi Barrett is a freelance travel writer and blogger at TravelWithSandi.com.
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Jeannie Martin: Woman of few words By Deborah Burke Henderson Contributing Writer
All of five pounds, Harpo, is Jeannie Martin’s third senior Chihuahua rescue with whom she travels whenever she’s teaching haiku poetry to older adults.
PHOTO/COURTESY JEANNIE MARTIN
ARLINGTON - A gifted teacher, poet, social worker and Reiki healer, Jeannie Martin of Arlington can be a woman of few words. She thrives as an educator and loves introducing aspiring and existing poets of any age to the fine Japanese art of writing haiku, a three-line poem of the present moment written in a simple, yet complex form, which is considered the most popular form of poetry today. Trained as a geriatric social worker, Martin worked for years with The Mount Auburn Hospital Prevention Center teaching stress management and positive aging with area seniors. Currently, she is with a small nonprofit, Friendship Works, focused on ending senior isolation in Boston, Brookline, and Newton. She has a doctorate in adult education from UMASS/ Amherst and frequently works freelance teaching haiku to seniors with memory loss, due to dementia or Alzheimer’s. “Individuals with memory loss
live in the present moment,” Martin stated. “That’s a gift, something we all strive for, and haiku poetry is all about recording an experience of the present moment using one or more of the five senses. It’s a perfect fit.”
inside the conch shell curve of a wave
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Martin began writing haiku poetry more than two decades ago. She is a member of the Haiku Society of America and the Boston Haiku Society and is co-organizer of “The Haiku Circle,” a gathering that meets once annually in Turner Falls, Mass., and offers devotees readings, workshops and fellowship. Much of Martin’s inspiration comes from the natural world, especially on walks with her devoted Harpo, the third senior Chihuahua she has rescued.
“These dogs are funny and quirky,” Martin confessed, “and you must ask yourself if you can handle a dog with a long past, health issues s/he cannot tell you about and that s/he may not live long. This breed may be tiny, but they have a big personality,” she said with a smile, adding, “Black Labs want to love you; 12/23/2019 12:18:50 PM
Chihuahuas boldly say ‘This is me. Take it or leave it.’” She adopted Harpo two years ago when he was seven. A victim of neglect, he’d never even worn a collar. “Now he’s a regular snuggle bunny,” Martin admits. At just five pounds, Harpo travels everywhere with Martin in a special carrier bag. He joins her on a bus ride to a memory café in Brookline where she teaches seniors haiku or on the train to her monthly haiku group with care partners and elders with memory loss. She’ll tell you each senior Chihuahua she has rescued has provided lessons in optimism, love and moving forward. “These little dogs offer a lot of hope. They are wonderful gifts. I think of them as angels in fur,” she added brightly. As a Reiki healer, Martin understands the importance of touch. “Animals, like people, enjoy the soothing benefits of being touched because it offers a great deal of healing energy.” Martin sees the world as a magical place and looks at it with humor and grace. With a profound reverence for life and all living things, she delights in gardening, hiking, and walking. During mid-summer, when day lilies were in full bloom, she was caught up in the rapture of their color and brilliance. Her haiku explodes with feeling.
dawn without a sound a day lily opens
A gifted teacher, Martin prides herself in being a learner-focused educator. She admits to thinking quickly on her feet and strives to understand what each student needs, adjusting her teaching style or content accordingly. This fall, she will teach a one-session, three-hour class about writing haiku at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education where she has taught since 2008. She’ll also offer a two-session class, “Writing Your Autobiography in Nine Words,” in person or on Zoom, if in-person teaching is still on hold. Martin has nine published books of haiku and most recently, teamed up with fellow poet, Vincent Tripi, on touch of light published by Red Moon Press. During the stay-at-home quarantine, she dedicated a small chapbook of 12 haiku, entitled … this fly which was published by buddha baby press and paid tribute to these winged companions she came to know so well.
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