Central July 2019 by Community Advocate

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Central Edition | Vol. 45 | No. 7 | July 2019

‘Downton Abbey: The Exhibition’

Now open in Boston for limited engagement

advocate

page

In the land of opportunity

Love of the game Former NHL player passing on love of hockey to kids in need

Building community and strengthening skills among refugee and immigrant farmers

Pictured at Flats Mentor Farm in Lancaster, Maria Moreira is co-founder and executive director of World Farmers which advocates for refugee and immigrant farmers to have fair access to markets.

PHOTO/DEBORAH BURKE HENDERSON

page 14

Music revolution Documentary chronicles WBCN-FM’s revolutionary impact

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Strike back against robocalls By Mike Festa, State Director AARP Massachusetts

Con artists R don’t care how hard you worked. They steal billions from Americans like you every year. We’re fighting back with the AARP Fraud Watch Network. It provides resources to help you spot and avoid identity theft and fraud so you can protect yourself and your family. Sign up to get watchdog alerts and stay up to date on con artists’ latest tricks. It’s free of charge for everyone – members, non-members and people of all ages. Because for over fifty years AARP has been committed to safeguarding Americans’ financial futures.

aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork

Watchdog Alerts Tips & Resources Free for Everyone

obocalls—autodialed calls that play a recorded message when you answer—have legitimate uses. But as the technology has gotten cheaper and more sophisticated, scammers have noticed. Since 2016, the volume of calls has increased from just over 29 billion to nearly 48 billion calls in 2018, and one in ten Mike Festa (11 percent) adults surveyed has fallen prey to a telephone scam at some point. According to the Federal Trade Commission, phone scams cost U.S. consumers $429 million last year alone. According to a new AARP survey, an overwhelming majority of U.S. adults find robocalls “annoying” (94 percent) and “disruptive” (90 percent) but few are taking action to protect themselves. When deciding to answer a call, most of us rely on caller ID, but we rarely answer a call with no caller information. To get you to pick up the call, scammers use “spoofing”: They fake the area code or the prefix that appears in your caller ID to make the call seem local and make you think someone you know is calling. More than half of U.S. adults (59 percent) surveyed said that they were very or somewhat likely to answer a call with a local area code, and almost half (44 percent) said they’d probably answer a call with an area code and prefix where family or close friends live. Once you answer, you get a recorded message with some incentive to act quickly, without thinking. U.S. adults surveyed are more likely to respond to calls with some negative message, such as credit card (39 percent) or identity theft (29 percent). More than half of respondents (51 percent) said that they would likely ask for more information in a negative scenario threatening a loss of some kind. To fix the problem, of course, the scammers will demand a credit card number, bank account number, or some other information they can use to ruin your day—or worse. Though they find the calls annoying, most respondents (77 percent) do not use a robocall blocking service or report telephone scams to authorities (84 percent). Ironically, many recipients of robocalls (and other unsolicited

sales calls) think they’re wasting the caller’s time by keeping them on the line for a while. But in fact, when the call records are reviewed, it looks like you were interested — a close sale, if you will — and so you might graduate to another list to be called again. To protect yourself, here are a few actions you can take: • Register your phone number(s) with the National Do Not Call Registry. • Use a robocall blocking app on your phone. • Report scam calls to the Federal Trade Commission or your state attorney general. • Contact your member of Congress. Nearly all (93 percent) respondents agree that lawmakers should do more to combat this problem.

According to a new AARP survey, an overwhelming majority of U.S. adults find robocalls ‘annoying’ (94 percent) and ‘disruptive’ (90 percent) but few are taking action to protect themselves. The good news? Help may be on the way, including a bipartisan effort in the U.S. Senate to pass the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act, created to deter criminal robocall violations. AARP endorses the TRACED Act, which would require service providers to adopt smart call authentication technology and expand the powers of the Federal Communications Commission to levy civil penalties against robocallers. The bill also would promote interagency cooperation to address the robocall problem. Learn how to spot and avoid illegal robocalls and other scams. Sign up for biweekly Watchdog Alerts on the AARP Fraud Watch Network. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www.fiftyplusadvocate.com. Mike Festa is the state director for AARP Massachusetts. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.

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Securing retirement income: Look beyond ‘the number’ By Joseph McManus, RICP® Financial Planner, Prudential Advisors

oday’s challenging economic environment has forced many Americans to review their retirement planning goals with a more critical eye. While most core principles about retirement planning still hold true no matter the environment, a few may require some slight modifications. Who Joseph McManus couldn’t use a roadmap to help prepare and execute a successful retirement strategy? When it comes to retirement planning, we all want to know what “the number” is: That magic dollar figures that, when reached, means you’re set in retirement. Sure, knowing your number—and reaching it—is good, but it’s only part of the equation. Mastering

You should think about retirement in terms of income needs. The accumulation of, say, $300,000 is not meaningful for living in retirement unless you can translate that figure into a yearly or monthly income stream.

the accumulation phase without factoring in the distribution phase could render all your hard work saving toward your number moot. Instead, you should think about retirement in terms of income needs. The accumulation of, say, $300,000 is not meaningful for living in retirement unless you can translate that figure into a yearly or monthly income stream. You need to be able to pay your monthly food, rent and utility bills, as well as health-care expenses—and have enough left over to live the way you want to live in retirement. When you consider your re-

tirement income needs, make sure you also factor in that some of your assets have a built-in tax liability. In other words, view your retirement assets with a “tax lens” on so you can see their true economic value. You can’t pay your rent or utility bills with before-tax dollars, so it’s important to understand what you’ll be left with after taxes before concluding you’re saving enough. Longevity risk and investment risk are other items the number

approach does not consider. So to use the same example, you’ve reached your $300,000 number, but how do you know that a sufficient amount will be there 20 years later? If the assets decline to $200,000 in the next year, what does that mean for your future? Are there ways to manage these longevity and investment risks? By translating the number into an income stream, you can better see what a decline in asset value will mean to the longevity of your assets. The message here is that retirement planning should be done considering income needs. If you base it purely on accumulation, or reaching “your number,” you won’t adequately define your retirement planning goals or manage retirement planning risks. By choosing strategies that mitigate the risks of poor investment return or of outliving your assets, you will substantially reduce your plan’s risk of failure.

For more information, contact Joseph McManus, RICP®, a Financial Planner with The Prudential Insurance Company of America’s Greater New England Financial Group, located at 293 Boston Post Road West, Suite 110, Marlborough, Mass. McManus can be reached at Joseph.McManus@Prudential.com and 508- 382-4904.

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‘Downton Abbey:The Exhibition’ Now open in Boston for limited engagement

By Bonnie Adams Managing Editor Boston – When news broke that there will be a “Downton Abbey” movie out this summer, fans of the wildly popular PBS series cheered. The show, which followed the lives of the aristocratic Crawford family – and the staff that served them at the family home, Downton Abbey – was beloved around the globe during its six-year run from 2010-2015, and the highest-rated PBS series of all time. But now New England fans do not have to wait until Sept. 20 when the movie is released. Instead they can get their DA fix by attending “Downton Abbey: The Exhibition” which will be presented at the Castle at Park Plaza in Boston until Sept. 29. The exhibition is a fully immersive, multi-media extravaganza of all things Downton. Guests first view “character displays” which feature film clips, items and photos of all the show’s favorites including Lady Mary, Lady Edith, Lord Grantham, The Dowager Countess, and the unfortunate Matthew Crawley, among others. Moving on, guests find themselves in the midst of some of the most show’s sets such as Mrs. Patmore’s kitchen, Carson’s butler pantry, the servants’ quarters and a gorgeously appointed re-creation of the iconic dining room. Thousands of artifacts are on display throughout the exhibit including the bell board that told the servants by whom they were being summoned. Over 50 of the actual costumes the characters

Above: A mural with some of the cast members

Left: Some of the iconic dresses worn by the characters.

Downton Abbey | 5

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PHOTOS/BONNIE ADAMS

The family’s dining room Downton Abbey | from page 4

wore are also on display. Fans will swoon and be filled with fond memories when they see beautiful items such as Lady Mary and Lady Edith’s wedding dresses, Rose’s proposal dress, Lord Grantham’s dress uniform and much more. Large murals of the characters and the rooms in the house are displayed throughout making for fun selfie opportunities with one’s favorite characters. The exhibition had previously been on display in New York City

Mrs. Patmore’s kitchen

and West Palm Beach, before coming to Boston. During a press conference held for the media prior to the exhibition’s Boston opening, Gareth Neame, executive chairman of Carnival Films and executive producer of “Downton Abbey,” and Dominic Burns, SVP, brand management, NBCUniversal International Studios, who, with Imagine Exhibitions, created the exhibit, spoke about the tremendously positive response they have received from fans.

“We were trying to think of how to keep the engagement of the 200 million fans around the world, as they waited for the movie to open,” Neame said. “We wanted to keep the show in their hearts and minds. The exhibit is really a lovely bridge between the show and the movie. “You walk into the exhibit and you see these 50 costumes,” he added. “Those really tell the story of the show.” “We wanted this to be a very interactive exhibit,” Burns noted. “The

narrative of walking through the house and the videos, really allows fans to experience the show.” “Downton Abbey: The Exhibition” is at The Castle at Park Plaza, 130 Columbus Ave., Boston through Sept. 29. It is open daily between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. (last ticket at 4.30 p.m.). Tickets are $35 and children under 14, accompanied by an adult, will receive free admission. VIP packages and private hire options are also available. For more information, visit www.downtonexhibition.com.

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Framingham man helps shape the next generation of local poets F

ramingham resident Alan Feldman juggled his career as an English professor at Framingham State University with his avocation as a poet for decades. While he’s now officially retired from college teaching, he’s still actively guiding the next generation of local writ-

PHOTO/BETH MARCUS

Alan Feldman

By Brett Peruzzi Contributing Writer

ers as they strive to find their poetic voice. Feldman leads a weekly poetry workshop at the Framingham Public Library from autumn to spring, and then he guides another group of poets at a workshop he offers at the Wellfleet library on Cape Cod,

where he has summered for many years. His poetry has appeared in many magazines over the years, including The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The Nation, and Poetry. He has also published four award-winning collections of poems, and his work

is represented in a number of anthologies, including two editions of The Best American Poetry. He has been awarded fellowships in poetry by The National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Artists Foundation.

Feldman | page 7

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People could come or not, and I felt— maybe absurdly—that if they weren’t paying anything I wasn’t responsible for their morale, and I could tell them the simple truth about their work. – Alan Feldman

PHOTO/BILL ZAVATSKY

Alan Feldman Feldman | from page 6

“I began teaching these free, drop-in workshops right after I retired from full-time teaching, in the summer of 2008, when my friend Tony Hoagland suggested that we do it,” Feldman explained. “We were scheduled to teach a paid workshop

at Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, but Tony, who lived in Wellfleet for part of the year, thought the cost to the students was too high for some people in the community to afford. We wanted to make the workshop available to all, so we moved the workshop to the Wellf-

leet library and offered it for free.” “I found teaching for free was liberating for me, as well,” he observed. “People could come or not, and I felt—maybe absurdly—that if they weren’t paying anything I wasn’t responsible for their morale, and I could tell them the simple truth about their work. We offered the workshop together for a couple of summers, and I began to see it was good for my own writing, and so I introduced the workshop to the Framingham library during the regular school year.” Feldman noted that he’s taught poetry workshops to a wide audience, from elementary and middle and high school students to adults in many settings, including librar-

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ies, arts centers, and even on a cruise ship from time to time, when his wife, who is a painter, was working on the ship teaching art. “The benefit to me,” of teaching free poetry workshops, Feldman asserted, “has been to focus me on writing each week, whether I thought I had anything to write about or not.” Joel Moskowitz of Sudbury is a long-time attendee at Feldman’s workshop in Framingham. “I like Alan’s nuts and bolts approach to teaching poetry,” he said. “He really gets into the gritty details of how a poem works, or doesn’t.” “It’s a continuing source of indispensable inspiration and feedback that I’m afraid to miss,” said Henry Stimpson of Wayland, another regular at the Framingham workshop. “I’ve probably written 10 times as many poems and better ones than I would have otherwise, in the last eight years.” “I write poems because, for some reason, I need to,” Feldman concluded, when asked why he writes and teaches others how to write poetry. “They coalesce all the stuff in my head that is my life’s raw material, and save it, if they succeed, so there’s some of my life, in words, standing on its own for others to share.”

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Seasoned – a magazine geared to older adults –

led by accomplished cookbook author By Jane Keller Gordon Assistant Editor Cambridge - Growing up in Iowa in the 1950s, Doc ( John) Willoughby had the unusual good fortune of tasting an avocado. His father, an avid cookbook collector and reader, managed to have the then rare fruit shipped to their small town of 1,200. Unknown to Willoughby, that avocado and inheriting his grandmother’s handwritten recipes foreshadowed his illustrious career as a food writer. Willoughby is currently the editor of a quarterly magazine called Seasoned — the inspired cooking magazine for older adults. The magazine is published by the nonprofit, ChopChopFamily, which was founded by well-known cookbook author Sally Sampson. Among his many accomplishments, Willoughby was the executive editor of Gourmet Magazine and the founding editor of Cook’s Illustrated from American Test Kitchen. He’s

written a column for the New York Times, and co-written 11 cookbooks, including nine with Chris Schlesinger. Their book, “Thrill of the Grill,” won a James Beard Award in 1990, the year after it was published. Willoughby gained the nickname “Doc” from his freshman roommate at Harvard. “He thought Doc Willoughby that I dressed like a country doctor,” he recalled. “There were a bunch of Johns on my floor, and everyone got a nickname. Mine stuck.” After graduating from Harvard as an English major, Willoughby wasn’t sure what to do. He ended up working for his roommate’s father in the Massachusetts lead poison pre-

PHOTO/JANE KELLER GORDON

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Seasoned | 9

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Seasoned | from page 8

vention program. Five years later, he became an organizer for a Somerville tenants’ union, and then worked in legal services for eight years. In between working at the lead program and for the tenants, Willoughby became interested in food. “In 1978, I went on a trip with a couple of friends. We sold my car and used the money to buy an open ticket to London. We went to France, Spain and Morocco, and we ate street food,” he said. “It was amazing. We came back when we ran out of money in Greece and Turkey. At that point, I decided I would learn how to cook. I cooked my way through ‘The Flavor Principal.’” Willoughby further enhanced his knowledge of food by volunteering in the kitchen of his friend Chris Schlesinger’s restaurant, East Coast Grill. He also worked for Schlesinger’s catering business. His cookbook writing career was launched when Schlesinger was approached by an agent. “Chris told her that he wasn’t a writer but that I was,” Willoughby said. “We wrote a proposal for a book about techniques, recipes and spices. To my surprise, she sold it to cookbook editor Maria Guar-

nascelli, who called me in the middle of the night and advised me to start writing magazine articles to get better known. My first article was published in Chris Kimball’s Cook’s Magazine. After that, Chris hired me as a writer. The magazine closed a year later, but Kimball kept the name, and eventually launched Cook’s Illustrated.” Willoughby became the editor of Seasoned after the third issue was published. The magazine includes recipes, exercises, puzzles, and recommendations for equipment. “Most of the recipes are written by Sally Sampson, who has probably developed 4,000 in her lifetime. This is her wheelhouse. Others are by well-known chefs. The recipes are low fat, low salt, and are not too spicy. We include very little salt and as little oil as we can get away with. It’s a lot of requirements that I’ve never had before,” said Willoughby. In future issues, Willoughby commented that they will identify those recipes that are good for diabetics, hypertensives, and other common conditions. To learn more about Seasoned, visit www.chopchopfamily.org/seasoned-magazine. Copies may be purchased for $5 each by emailing info@chopchopfamily.com.

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Former NHL player passing on love of game to kids in need By Matt Dunn Contributing Writer

Serowik | 11

PHOTOS/SUBMITTED

Region - Local Massachusetts resident and former NHL player Jeff Serowik has transitioned from his role as top-scoring defenseman to coach, foundation director, and mentor. From 1990-1999, Serowik played with the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguin, as well as stints in the American Hockey League and International Hockey League, before a career ending head injury. After retiring, Serowik founded, and became the director of the Pro Ambitions hockey camp. Along with his wife, Christine, he also founded the Sports Saves Souls foundation. The foundation is aimed to help children who face financial or physical difficulties and provides various forms of support to allow them to continue to get on the ice and play hockey. “We’re mentors,” said Serowik. “We spend a lot of time training [our staff ] and making sure the kids are getting good mentorship.” A native of Bedford, N.H., Serowik attended Lawrence Academy

during his high school years and quickly became a standout hockey player. Continuing to build momentum in his hockey career, Serowik received a scholarship to play at Providence College after his time at Lawrence Academy. Cementing himself as a top player in the region during his time at Providence College, Serowik quickly found himself drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs and playing on the team’s minor league team north of the border at the conclusion of his college career. Serowik’s 10-year professional hockey career took him from the Toronto Maple Leafs back home to the Boston Bruins, where he played on the Bruins’ minor league AHL team, the Providence Bruins. While there, he not only won the Eddie Shore award for best defenseman, he was also the AHL’s top scoring defenseman. Shortly after his successful stint with the Bruins, Serowik signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins where he made the NHL team in his first season. Serowik’s career then came to a screeching halt.

A photo of Jeff Serowik from his time playing with the Boston Bruins, circa 1994-1995

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Jeff Serowik coaches at the Pro Ambitions hockey camp.

to play the game of hockey, Serowik wanted to find a way to help chil“Things were going really well, dren who may face difficult circumand then I had a career ending head stances at home or have families injury,” said Serowik, recalling the that may be struggling financially. incident that cut his NHL career The Sports Saves Souls foundation short. “I was sick for about two years was formed shortly thereafter. after.” “We’ve been After recovdoing the founering from his dation for about injuries, Serowik 15 years now, we refocused his efraise money for forts on growing under-privileged the game he loves hockey players. It’s and helping chilan expensive sport. dren both become We can never raise and remain acenough money, tive participants there are so many in the sport. He kids that need it,” worked to develSerowik said. We do camps all over op his Pro AmThe foundabition hockey the world – in Canada, tion, which prosummer camps vides assistance and the Sports the U.S., and Prague with everything Save Souls founpurchasin the Czech Republic. from dation. ing equipment S e r o w i k’s young players, We train about 7,000 for Pro Ambition paying league fees, hockey camps are and even scholhockey players a popular option arships to hockamongst young ey camp, can help through our camps. players, which children stay inhas helped him volved in the game grow his infludespite difficult ence and mencircumstances. torship in the Jeff Serowik’s professional game. hockey career may have ended years “I’m going on 25 years with ago, but his passion for the game Pro Ambitions now. We do camps and the future generation of playall over the world – in Canada, the ers is stronger than ever, proving he U.S., and Prague in the Czech Reis an award-winning hockey player public,” he said. “We train about both on and off the ice. 7,000 hockey players through our For more information visit camps.” proambitions.com and www.sportsAcutely aware of the high cost savessouls.com.

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Marlborough Trailblazers group provides outings for active seniors By Nance Ebert Contributing Writer Marlborough - “The Trailblazers group is made up of seniors who work together to develop a program of activities throughout the year to meet the needs of more active seniors,” said Sue Dolesh, one of the Trailblazers members who have been instrumental in helping to bring this concept to the Marlborough Senior Center. Activities include walking, hik-

ing, golf, zip lining, horseback riding and miniature golf. When someone from the group makes a suggestion, the group investigates to see if this would be a good fit. The group is modeled after one that is ongoing at the Southborough Senior Center that started five years ago. “They were groundbreaking in that there was nothing like it in the area and was fully supported by their director,” Dolesh explained. “Not everyone chooses to participate in every

activity and, although we only began our group here in Marlborough in April, the response has been awesome.” Upcoming activities are published in the bulletin. There are three upcoming activities: a two- mile walk at Memorial Forest Trail in Sudbury on May 15; miniature golf at Mini Golf at Putts and More in Holliston May 28; and hiking a portion of Bay Circuit Trail in Concord June 12. All of these events include a snack or lunch following the activity.

The levels of the activities are rated as easy, moderate or challenging so that those wishing to sign up can have a good idea of the skill need to participate. Most activities have no cost or a minimal fee. “We always insist of safety first and that is why we have those that sign up fill out a waiver that includes an emergency contact,” said Dolesh. The Marlborough Trailblazers have already had two activities. The first was to walk around Gates Pond Trailblazers | 13

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Trailblazers | from page 12

in Hudson and the second one was a walk around Walden Pond. There were almost 20 participants at each event and the feedback was extremely positive. “I saw how successful this was in Southborough and worked really hard to get it here. I felt this void could be fulfilled and so far, I have been right,” said Dolesh. “I am so proud of Sue. There was such a need for something like this here and I now hear a lot of positive feedback from Marlborough Trailblazer participants, who are so excited,” said Senior Center Program Coordinator Lisa Martino. Sign up for all of the activities at the Senior Desk at the Marlborough Senior Center, 40 New St. For more information, contact the Senior Center at 508-485-6492.

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In the land of opportunity Building community and strengthening skills among refugee and immigrant farmers By Deborah Burke Henderson Contributing Writer

n Azorean immigrant herself, Maria Moreira, co-founder and executive director of World Farmers, advocates for refugee and immigrant farmers to have fair access to markets. Her story is one of tenacity, determination, hard work and compassion for others. At age 12, Moreira came to the United States – the land of opportunity – with her parents and siblings. As a young woman, she fell in love with and married Manny, a dairy farmer, settled in Lancaster and went

about raising a family of four and starting her own small business making a soft Portuguese cheese to supplement the family income. One day a Hmong woman, an immigrant from Laos, approached Moreira about using the small space between the cow barns to grow crops. Moreira said yes. Word spread and little-by-little more Hmong came and asked if they could farm the nearby acreage where the Moreira family grew sileage corn to feed their cows. Moreira saw the Hmong as hard-working, committed farmers whose needs were compelling. Passionate about helping others, she and Farmers | 15

PHOTO/DEBORAH BURKE HENDERSON

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Maria Moreira loves catching up with farmers like Sangiwa Eliamani, a native of Tanzania, East Africa, who is growing basil and a leguminous plant, chipilín, that is usually grown in South Central America. Its leaves are a popular ingredient in tamales and soups.

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Yia Ly Hang, a Hmong native from Laos, inspects her garlic crop at Flats Mentor Farm where she’s been farming for 12 years. World Farmers has taught Hang how to sell her garlic scapes and pea tendrils to area restauranteurs and farmers markets.

• 15 “I am entrepreneurial by nature,” Moreira added. “Crops selected for production trials and market assessments are exclusively grown by farmers at Flats Mentor Farm for diverse markets serving communities with limited access to fresh, culturally specific food. Our organization helps ensure farmers are getting equal access to market and receiving fair prices for their labors.” Always looking to enhance the program, Moreira is proud that as of this month World Farmers is Commonwealth Quality certified by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) using Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training methods. The MDAR serves to identify locally sourced products that are grown, harvested and processed right here in Massachusetts, using practices that are safe, sustainable and do not harm the environment. After 35 years, Moreira is now planning for a transition of leadership to ensure that World Farmers thrives in the years ahead. “I’ll stay involved from a strategic planning standpoint,” Moreira stated, “but I am looking forward, when the time is right, to spending more time with my grandchildren and creating wonderful memories with them.” Discover more about World Farmers at www.worldfarmers.org.

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her husband opened the family’s 70 acres to immigrant and refugee farmers, each in charge of his or her own plot, and in 1984 Flats Mentor Farm sprouted roots. In 1999, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) identified this program a national model for what a farmer training program should look like. “I totally identify with these farmers,” Moreira said, “because I was new to this country once and could not speak the language. But I am a farmer at heart and knew I could be successful. I love what happens here. We help people move forward to become independent farmers and landowners.” In 2010, Moreira and two colleagues, Ali Berlow and Frank Mangan, created World Farmers, a nonprofit that represents farmers’ needs in this country as well as internationally. Moreira serves as the executive director, working with a bare bones staff of four. World Farmers mission is to support small farmers in sustainable agricultural production and successful marketing practices to connect culturally relevant produce to viable markets. It provides mentoring, training and hands-on assistance when working with each farmer to

build the capacity needed to operate individual farming enterprises. “We enact our mission through various initiatives, the most prominent of which is the Flats Mentor Farm program,” Moreira stated. “Just recently, World Farmers expanded its land access to three new sites to accommodate the growing number of farmers and types of crops produced.” Participating farmers are skilled producers who come from agrarian backgrounds and seek to make a new life for themselves while preserving their cultural identity. In order to contribute to their success in the new culture and climate of the Northeast, World Farmers’ Mentoring Program offers regular training in agricultural production, business development and marketing. Now, more than 300 farmers from diverse communities, representing Africa and Southeast Asia, take advantage of this opportunity. All programming is performed in a respectful environment of cross-cultural co-learning among farmers, World Farmers staff and the many interns and volunteers who contribute to this unique community. World Farmers completes extensive evaluation and community surveying to identify ethnic crops that are in high demand by immigrant communities, yet unavailable at grocery stores and farmers’ markets.

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Safety monitoring of a loved one diagnosed with dementia By Micha Shalev MHA CDP CDCM Co-owner of The Oasis at Dodge Park

e get news every day of remarkable developments in the tech world that claim to make our lives better, easier or more organized. For families and friends caring at home for ill or frail adults, innovations in health technology promise dramatic changes in the ways health care is delivered. In addition to these innovations, caregivers have some broader concerns: patient safety and security, organizing 24-hour care at home, managing complex medication protocols, meals, transportation and more. The good news is that many

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For caregivers who live far away or who are juggling jobs and care, incorporating certain new technologies into their lives can be particularly helpful and reassuring of these tasks can — with an investment in learning and sometimes in a new device — be made easier or more efficient. For caregivers who live far away or who are juggling jobs and care, incorporating certain new technologies into their lives can be particularly helpful and reassuring. The question is, how do you choose the most appropriate app or website or hardware to make your already complicated life easier and not more complex — or worse, add to your frustration and the time demands of providing care to someone else?

Fall prevention and response — Every year, one in three adults age 65 and older will fall. Falls are the most common cause of death due to injury in this age group. Some health conditions increase the likelihood of a fall: problems with walking or moving around, medications, foot problems or unsafe footwear, drop in blood pressure when moving from sitting to standing, vision problems and tripping hazards at home. Help is available with fall detectors/sensors, sensor pads and wheelchair alarms. Many people benefit from emergency response systems such as Lifeline, Vital Link and Life Alert.

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Motion detectors — These devices can be as simple as a light turning on when someone enters a room. More complex devices can monitor for activity in a particular area or room of the house. You can arrange to be notified if there has been no activity for a given period of time.

Audio Monitors — Two-way communication devices, such as baby monitors, allow you to listen to someone from another room, so you can hear if your parent has awakened from sleep, for example, or is ready for a meal, or needs help getting out of bed. Wandering/exit-seeking — Door alarms can keep someone from wandering outside. GPS devices can be programmed and personalized, enabling caregivers to link a smartphone to a mobile device installed in a shoe or belt, helping to locate someone if he or she wanders or becomes lost due to severe memory loss. Telephone/video check-ins — Available in many communities, volunteers make daily calls to older adults who live alone to be sure they can answer the phone and are OK. Video chatting, using Skype or a similar service, helps you connect with someone if you can’t be there in person. Communication aids: Specialized equipment, such as phones with large buttons and enhanced audio, or computers with greatly enlarged type, can help someone with impaired vision or hearing.

Micha Shalev MHA CDP CDCM CADDCT is the co-owner of The Oasis at Dodge Park, Dodge Park Rest Home and The Adult Day Club at Dodge Park located at 101 and 102 Randolph Road in Worcester. He is holding a master degree in health care management and a graduate of the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners program, and well-known speaker covering Alzheimer’s and dementia training topics. He can be reached at 508-853-8180 or by email at m.shalev@ dodgepark.com. For more articles visit www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.

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Care for your parent or spouse while you’re at work or just when you need a break. • Engage the mind, strengthen the body • Hot meals and snacks and brighten the spirit • Extended hours and weekends to fit caregivers schedules • Transportation available • Available 7am - 7pm, seven days • Regularly scheduled entertainment, a week - you choose the hours special events and outings

Webcams — Another type of motion detector in which cameras are set up in different places in the house. You view the webcam to see what someone is doing, e.g., sleeping, watching TV, eating. With some of these devices, keep in mind that privacy issues may need to be addressed.

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I have been an imposter By Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. Executive Director, Colony Retirement Homes

or years now, I’ve been writing about aging, but I was in my 40s. I know that on one level, we are all aging, but for the most part, I have been writing about and representing a group to which I did not belong. I struggled with this. I believe all disenfranchised groups should speak for themselves. But, I can also rationalize that I do have expertise to share and what better way to serve elders than to use my proverbial microphone to educate about housing issues and highlight examples of successful aging. But now it is official. I am over 50. I received my invitation to join the

Housing Options

AARP and proudly sent off my membership application form. I welcome being older, and to finally identify with the group I serve. But now I am questioning this very idea. Who am I to represent this group? How can any one person claim to speak for four different generations spanning over a half century of life and encompassing all genders, nationalities, and races? Which, in turn, makes me wonder why this group is all lumped together. How do you unify people in so many stages of life? What, if anything, brings this group together? I have always been surprised when residents tell me they “are not like the other people here” or that they “don’t have much in common with their neighbors.” I have always assumed these people set themselves apart because they do not want to be associated with frailty and sickness, but maybe they were seeing then what I now see. Going forward, it is incumbent on me to recognize the variability in the population I serve and try to recognize how best to reach out to people in different circumstances with their particular housing issues. • I am the 93-year-old widow who

•

• •

•

does not want to go to activities. Everyone reminds me of my wife, so I push them away. Her loss is too painful for me to think about. I am Black and I am a survivor. But I don’t trust the establishment and I need some objective advise on housing options from someone I trust. I am desperate to prove that my mind still works, that I can speak to my own likes and dislikes, and that even if I make a bad decision, it belongs to me. If I want to stay in my home, I will. I am the 100-year-old who desperately wants to be needed and stay busy. What can I do today? I am still working two jobs because I am putting my kids through college. I have an older motherin-law and will need to find her someplace near me so I can take care of her. I am starting my retirement, assembling my bucket list, planning my trips, and learning a new skill – I started making Youtube videos! Why should I think about housing yet? I am the 62-year-old resident with psychiatric disabilities who people

• 17

actively avoid. Why would I want to live in a community? • My ears don’t work well but the hearing aids are uncomfortable. I can’t hear the announcements in the dining room and I think the people at my table are talking about me. • I am Vietnamese and miss my homeland. The food here is not good for aging bodies but I can’t get the right ingredients in this country. Are there good stores near your buildings? • I am dying. Can I stay at home until the end? Do you have church services in your building? I am aging. My body is changing. I may still be an imposter, but I am throwing myself into this group of “my people” as if I were the queen of the category. Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of Colony Retirement Homes. She can be reached at 508755-0444 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 mortgage – Feeling anxious? By Alain Valles, CRMP, CSA, MS, MBA Nonprofit Charitable Managing Director Information you can trust As Managing Director of the nonprofit charitable mortgage company, Helping Hands Community Par tners, our mission is to educate people about the pros and cons of reverse mor tgages and, when appropriate, to arrange reverse mor tgages or help with other housing options.

Reverse Mortgage

Causes of fear and anxiety I never get to see people at their best but rather when they’re stressed.

As we age, there are many growing concerns that cause anxiety or fear. In regards to homeownership, living expenses, and the need for cash flow today or in the future, the following are the most common causes of stress: • More money going out than coming in • Stress of making the mortgage payment • A bank home equity line that is becoming due • Needed home repairs that have been put off • Paying the real estate taxes • Ongoing or unexpected healthcare expenses • Needing to borrow money from family or friends • Legal expenses or back income taxes • Divorce with one person desiring to keep the home • Outliving one’s money • Not being able to maintain the home • Having cash reserves for unexpected life events • How to augment a retirement plan

• Not being able to be financial independent • Diminishing quality of life • Losing hope or one’s smile Anxiety symptoms According to psychiatrists Sadock, Sadock, and Ruiz, fear is an emotional response to a known or definite threat. A car swerving into your lane is an immediate threat, whereas anxiety is a “diffuse, unpleasant, vague sense of apprehension. It’s often a response to an imprecise or unknown threat.” You may not be able to pinpoint the concern, but it often turns up with physical symptoms such as: • headaches • trouble sleeping • chest pain or accelerated heart rate • feeling depressed or isolated • lack of patience • upset stomach It’s imperative that you see a doctor if you have any of the above symptoms but sometimes our subconscious worrying about any of the listed housing and financial stresses may manifest physically.

What should you do? What should you do if your anxious or fearful about remaining financially independent in your home and having access to money if or when needed? Just like administering first aid, the steps to minimize your housing and financial stress are the same: 1. Stop • Don’t rush to action • No need to make a quick or rash housing or financial decision from watching an infomercial or receiving junk mail 2. Assess • Analyze the situation • Get the facts from reliable sources 3. Plan • Think about the different options and outcomes • Come to terms that it’s impossible to make a perfect decision but rather make an optimum decision with the available facts 4. Implement. • Don’t freeze in place. Often a decision by indecision is not the best one! • Adjust plan if necessary.

SUPER CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Reverse mortgage | 20

“RETURNED” (answers on page 19)

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viewpoint

• 19

High school sports? Not me. By Janice Lindsay

omeone asked me recently what sports I played in high school, as if everybody in high school plays sports. I was not a sports person. My idea of exercise was walking to the library to borrow more books. I had no desire to play sports, no ability to play sports, and no way to avoid playing sports. Gym was required, so we had to play sports. Basketball. The worst. After ninth grade, before tenth grade, my family moved to a new town. The other girls had learned to play basketball in the ninth grade. I had not. I was clueless. Well, I did have one clue: I could see that the object was

Inklings

Answers to Super Crossword (puzzle on page 18)

grim determination: I would succeed even if it pulled my arms right out of their sockets. It didn’t. This was the only time Miss Malone had occasion to congratulate me for a gym job well done. I sincerely hoped she would remember that. Fencing. At first, we had only to don heavy equipment and learn poses with French names. I could sort of do that! But before we began to actually poke epees at each other, I had an accident at home. I was helping my mother fix supper when soup boiled over and ran across my right wrist. Ugly burn. The next day, Miss Malone saw my wrist and said, “There’s no way I’m letting you hold an epee with that.” By the time I healed, fencing was over. I might have become honestly sincere about fencing. I might have been a star fencer. I will never know. Miss Malone kept passing me in spite of my ineptness. Maybe she got tired of watching me try so hard to look sincere. Contact jlindsay@tidewater.net

I found that I could jounce around the court, looking earnest and sincere, hoping nobody would pass the ball to me which they didn’t because the good players quickly discerned that I was clueless. to toss the ball into a basket, preferably the basket assigned to your team. I did not care to explain my situation to Miss Malone, our rugged, no-nonsense, but not unkind, gym teacher. She would have considerately offered to meet me after school to teach me the rules. I did not want to learn the rules. I wanted to go home and read. Fortunately, our gym classes were huge, 30 to 40 girls, some of whom actually enjoyed basketball. Because we were so many, nobody got a long turn. I found that I could jounce around the court, looking earnest and sincere, hoping nobody would pass the ball to me which they didn’t because the good players quickly discerned that I was clueless. If Miss Malone thought I looked sincere enough, maybe I would pass gym. Lacrosse. Learning to pass and catch was a kind of fun. I was not good, but Miss Malone could see me sincerely trying. Lacrosse games did not turn out to be my opportunity to shine. Volleyball. Wherever you stand, or however untalented you are, eventually you’ll hit the ball in the right direction and look as if you know, and care, what you’re doing. Tennis? Loser. Girls who loved the game rushed to the tennis-rack-

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et rack to choose the best. For me, hanger-back, the only rackets left weighed 85 pounds and required two hands for every swing. I hoped Miss Malone noticed my sincere-looking effort. Softball. I knew the rules. Because of class size, I didn’t get many at-bats so had few opportunities to strike out. I volunteered for outfield positions where I might not have to do anything except, of course, look sincere. Gymnastics. Oddly, I was one of the few girls who could swing on the hanging rings, all the way down the line and back. I remember gripping those brown leather rings with

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20 •

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Acton couple changes lives with donated home furnishings By Brett Peruzzi Contributing Writer

PHOTO/SUBMITTED

ra Smith made a good living working as an engineer for Raytheon in its Patriot missile program, enough for him and his wife Barbara to raise their six children. But it wasn’t until they were both 60 years old that they found their true calling. In 1990 a family who had fled violence in their native El Salvador appealed to the Smiths’ church, St. Elizabeth’s in Acton, for assistance in getting their apartment furnished. Barbara put a notice in the church bulletin and the response was overwhelming; they received much more than was needed. They offered what was left to the local housing authority, which, in turn, began telling people to call the Smiths directly if they were in need of household furnishings they needed but could not afford. “It landed in our laps and gave us something to do,” joked Ira. “And we got plenty of exercise loading and unloading furniture.” Before long, donations of goods outgrew the space available in the Smiths’ yard and carport. The next step was to establish and use several satellite locations around Acton, including one in a church basement. The venture was finally incorporated as an independent 501(c) (3) non-profit organization called Household Goods in 1999. “For almost the first 10 years we did it alone, mostly,” Ira recalled. “Eventually we knew we needed more help. Letting go of doing it all ourselves and allowing others to do most of the work was hard. I still feel the urge to pick up the phone when I’m there!” “It’s been a blessing in our lives,” said Barbara. “The amount of support we have gotten from do-

Barbara and Ira Smith

Household Goods has now served over 35,000 individuals and families since its founding. One of its guiding principles is to maintain an environment of dignity and respect for everyone involved.

nors and volunteers is amazing.” The organization experienced steady growth over the next several years, which heightened the need for a single centralized location. In 2004, Household Goods moved into a permanent 10,000 square foot facility at 530 Main St. in Acton, a convenient location for donors, volunteers and clients. In 2016, they completed the goal to

expand the organization’s space to occupy the building’s entire 20,000 square feet. Household Goods has now served over 35,000 individuals and families since its founding. One of

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its guiding principles is to maintain an environment of dignity and respect for everyone involved. The clients range from the recently homeless to victims of domestic violence or fire, veterans, and the disabled. Three decades after the organization’s founding, the Smiths, who are now in their late eighties and have been married for 65 years, are still volunteering at Household Goods. Until Barbara had surgery recently, they were at the facility for half the day, six days a week. Ira has still been going nearly every day for at least a few hours during Barbara’s recovery, and she remarked, “I’ve been away seven weeks. I think in another week or so I’ll be ready to go back, and eventually resume my regular schedule.” Along with all of the regular volunteers, Household Goods also has a small professional staff and a dedicated board of directors. Each year, it distributes $2 million worth of home furnishings to families in need. Over 800 volunteers commit over 30,000 hours of their time, working with over 300 social service agencies to help 2,500 families from more than 150 towns throughout eastern and central Massachusetts have a comfortable and well-furnished home. “The community of staff and volunteers at Household Goods is fabulous,” Barbara said. “What I love about it is that it’s never the same thing, there’s always a surprise when we go there. It’s a utopia because everyone who is there wants to be there.” To learn more about Household Goods, volunteer, or donate goods or money, visit householdgoods.org.

Take action! A famous motivational speaker said F.E.A.R. is often False Evidence Appearing Real. I hope that by contacting me, obtaining information specific to your situation, and discussing different available options that we may minimize any housing or financial fear or anxiety that you may be feeling.

If you or a friend have questions about reverse mortgages, just give me a call or email and I’ll be happy to explain all the details and send you 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 HUD and published by the National Council on Aging. I look forward to speaking with you. It’s a good life.

Alain Valles is a 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. Valles can be reached directly at 781-724-6221 or by email at av@hhcp.org. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.

www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + JULY 2019 + fiftyplus advocate

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Historic hotel offers ‘Downton Abbey’ fans special offer By Bonnie Adams Managing Editor

I N V E S T M E N T

PHOTOS/COURTESY BINATA PATEL PHOTOGRAPHY

Boston – Fans of Downton Abbey will soon be flocking to a spectacular new exhibit to be held at the Castle at Park Plaza this summer. (See page 4 for a story on the exhibit.) But there is also one more way they can truly experience “Downton” — staying in a special suite inspired by the show at the Fairmont Copley Plaza. The iconic hotel is partnering the exhibition, decorating the suite with antique memorabilia curated from the Greater Boston Vintage Society. Among the décor details: framed photographs of exhibit displays, a phonograph from the 19001920s, antique candlestick style telephone, Victorian style floor lamp, reproduction 1912 newspaper of the Titanic sinking, vintage silver tea set and alcohol decanters, and more. Jason Volk, founder of Greater Boston Vintage Society, and the suite’s decorator, said curating the décor was a fantastic opportunity

to showcase some of the artifacts of that period in history. “Partnering with this historic hotel is a natural fit,” he added. “It was built in 1912, the same year the Downton Abbey series started. It’s been a great experience doing this and I think fans will love it.” Guests who book the suite will be able to enjoy access to a private reception area, the Gold lounge, complimentary breakfast and more. The package includes two VIP tickets to the exhibition (which is just

Above: The suite is appointed with artifacts inspired by Downton Abbey. Left: Jason Volk, founder of Greater Boston Vintage Society, and the suite’s decorator

a few blocks away at the Castle at Park Plaza, 130 Columbus Ave.) allowing access any time during regular hours, and a welcome tea amenity of mini profiteroles, mini tarts and an assortment of Lot 35 teas. The themed suite can be booked through Sept. 29, and is subject to availability. The hotel is located at 138 St James Ave, Boston. For more information visit https://www.fairmont.com/copley-plaza-boston/promotions/downton-abbey-the-exhibition-experience. For more information on the Greater Boston Vintage Society visit bostonvintage.org.

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Documentary chronicles WBCN-FM’s revolutionary impact By Ed Karvoski Jr. Culture Editor

Producer-director Bill Lichtenstein of “WBCN and the American Revolution” during the Independent Film Festival Boston at the Somerville Theatre in April

Documentary | 23

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Cambridge/Boston – Now screening on the film festival circuit, the award-winning documentary “WBCN and the American Revolution” chronicles the impact of Boston’s progressive rock radio station with original sights, sounds and stories from 1968 to 1974. Its producer-director Bill Lichtenstein of Cambridge channels his passion that began in 1970 as a 14-year-old volunteer answering WBCN-FM’s Listener Line and ultimately an on-air host of his own weekly show. “I was involved in creating what became a distinctive ‘BCN sound: editing together music, comedy, politics and actualities in montages that were used for news and other purposes,” he explained. “I got $8 an hour — a lot of money for a ninth-grader in those days.” Originally a classical music station, WBCN’s call letters stood for Boston Concert Network. Its format was changed to rock music in 1968

Bruce Springsteen performs as the opening act for Bonnie Raitt in a 1974 concert at the Harvard Square Theater in Cambridge

WBCN air staff circa 1969 (l to r): Michael Ward, Steven Segal, J.J. Jackson, Al Perry, Sam Kopper, Jim Parry and Joe Rogers, aka Mississippi Harold Wilson

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Documentary | from page 22

terculture by creating three entrepreneurial startups: the Boston Tea Party rock club, the Boston Phoenix alternative newspaper, and WBCN’s transformation to a progressive rock station with a conversational tone. “Ray Riepen had a far greater impact on the ‘60s than any other cultural figure,” he declared. “As ‘BCN announcer Tommy Hadges says in the film, it was seeing radio not so much as a performance but as a relationship with the listener. Ray envisioned that and made it happen. Other stations that were doing this at the time hired professional an-

PHOTO/DON SANFORD

PHOTO/PETER SIMON

WBCN announcer Charles Laquidara with Ray Riepen, founder of the transformed progressive rock station, at a 2012 documentary fundraiser at the House of Blues Boston

Bill Lichtenstein hosting his own weekly radio show at WBCN in 1974

nouncers, so there was a commercial quality to their presentation. In contrast, Ray hired a bunch of kids with no radio experience, but who knew the music and could communicate with other kids.” The feature-length documentary highlights the time period from WBCN’s 1968 rejuvenation to Richard Nixon’s 1974 resignation as president. WBCN hired a skywriter to place its call letters and the peace sign above Boston Common filled with reportedly 100,000 protesters for the 1969 Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam. “Nixon is the antagonist of the film,” Lichtenstein noted. “’BCN was

very involved in mobilizing people against the war.” While WBCN didn’t preserve archives, Lichtenstein found some of its recordings and photographs online. An initial discovery was a 1971 photo of the Pentagon Papers’ whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg surrounded by reporters outside Boston’s Federal Building after surrendering to authorities for supplying the New York Times with top-secret documents. Among the reporters was WBCN’s “news dissector” Danny Schechter with his microphone aimed at Ellsberg. “I started seeing archival material, some of which I thought was lost

• 23

to the ages – and it suddenly reappeared,” Lichtenstein recounted. “I thought maybe there’s enough material out there that we could gather to tell the story of ‘BCN’s early days, which would actually be the story of how media can create social change.” He posted an online request for WBCN listeners with saved recordings to contact him. A listener responded with a 1973 recording of an interview and musical performance of Bruce Springsteen in which “The Boss” shares, “This is my very first time on radio.” “Almost all of the audio tapes in the film were from listeners,” Lichtenstein relayed. “There’s a fanatical love for the station that endures beyond anything I’d anticipated.” After winning Best Documentary at the 20th anniversary of the D.C. Independent Film Festival in March, “WBCN and the American Revolution” made its New England debut in April at the 17th annual Independent Film Festival Boston. Next, the documentary will screen at the 28th annual Woods Hole Film Festival on Cape Cod to be held Saturday, July 27, through Saturday, Aug. 3. Find screening updates at theamericanrevolution.fm and facebook.com/theamericanrevolution; and Woods Hole Film Festival at woodsholefilmfestival.org.

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