Lifestyles After 50 Southwest Edition, February 2016

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february 10, 2016 9:30 am – 2:00 pm

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Best Event of the Year! • For Directions call 941-749-0100 for information call toll free 1-888-670-0040 • www.lifestylesafter50.com Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 2

New happy endings: rewriting the love myth Dear Readers, It’s February - and it seems like everything you read is all about love and relationships.

Amanda Smith, Editor I found myself wanting to write about tips to keep the passion alive, crafting the perfect online dating profile, secrets to get over your ex, followed by secrets on how to get your ex back. Wait, has love really always been this complicated?

becomes more and more scarce in our to acknowledge the complexity of society, I start to panic, wondering if their own situation to me and to each other. They openly admitted all of us singletons are doomed. that they had lost the love of their While the deeply-engrained ideals of life, and a newfound romance would traditional, fairy tale love still rest never serve as a replacement for their somewhere deep inside my heart, I lost love...but that they were ok with remind myself of all the proof I have that. Happiness and companionship that true love as one exclusive story is created a new kind of love the a myth - and as our society changes, second time around. Having properly so do the ever-increasing complexities mourned and honored the loss of their partners, these widows and widowers of intimate adult relationships. turned to online dating and found partners who could understand them having been through the same thing themselves.

Then, they went on to build a different kind of love offering one another comfort, understanding and renewal.

Married for over 50 years, my grandparents have always been my most reliable example of a healthy, loving relationship.

Their love story is pretty I had seen the power of idyllic - they met, my renewal birthed from love grandfather pursued his in my own life, as I now muse, they married and see my mother and father Stay open to the magic of a new kind of love story they lived happily ever after. the happiest they have ever After having raised seven children been. Having each met what seems and spent everyday together for Thanks to the honesty and courage to be their perfect match, both are decades, they still cuddle on the of several readers who generously in happy, loving relationships that couch together, watching baseball. I shared their own love stories, have already lasted for years. Both have never seen them fight, and I’ve February’s Love and Relationships of them seem like different people all never seen them exchange a single issue offers more proof that real together - calmer, happier and more harsh word. The most conflict I’ve love comes in many forms, defying at peace. With sparkling eyes, an ever witnessed between them is my preconceived notions. “Happily ease in communicating and a deep grandmother giving him “the look” Even After,” an article on page love evident in both couples, perhaps when he talks about politics a little seven of this edition, features the lessons they all learned from too fervently at family get-togethers. successful online dating love stories previous relationships opened them Other than that, they’re my definition of widows and widowers who found up to finding the right love for them. of a perfect couple: respect, faith, a second love in each other after affection, and little need for material the death of their respective spouses I suppose February’s issue taught things to fill a void.

- partners in a happy marriage me more than any other has - about decades long. The story gave me life, love in the later years, and about As Valentine’s Day rolls around, and much-needed perspective on my own respecting the different ways in I am not only 30 years old and single, incomparable heartache, and a deep which we express our hearts. For all but also still hung up on my first love compassion for all the widowed who of you with a love that you share with - the same love I was missing last have courageously faced the grief of the world, thank you for the gift - and Valentine’s Day - I start to wonder losing someone you’ve shared your for all of you still searching, I won’t if I’ve missed my chance at the kind life with for 30, 40, 50 years. give up hope if you don’t. of love my grandparents have. As that lifelong bond of dedication, What made their stories so admirable Sincerely, compassion and yes - compromise - was their willingness and openness Amanda Smith

Southwest Edition Published monthly by News Connection U.S.A., Inc President Richard Reeves richard@lifestylesafter50.com Publisher/Director of Events & Marketing Kathy J. Beck kathy@lifestylesafter50.com Editor Amanda Smith editor@lifestylesafter50.com Office Manager Vicki Willis vicki@lifestylesafter50.com Administrative Assistant Allie Shaw allie@lifestylesafter50.com Production Supervisor/Graphic Design 813-689-6104 Distribution Nancy Spencer: (941) 244-0500 nancy@lifestylesafter50.com

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FCOA Attention Readers: The articles printed in Lifestyles After 50 do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Editor or the staff. Lifestyles After 50 endeavors to accept reliable advertising; however, we cannot be held responsible by the public for advertising claims. Lifestyles After 50 reserves the right to refuse or discontinue any advertisement. Our advertising deadline for each issue is the 15th of the previous month. Magazines are out by the 7th of each month. All rights reserved.

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Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 3

Around Town W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 6

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Mystery Walk. Designed to encourage thinking outside the box, this free event combines music, culture and different mediums of art to bring our community together in an educational Mystery Walk experience.

6 - 11 p.m., Fort Myers River District.

33901. To learn more, please visit FortMyersRiverDistrictAlliance.com.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh: An Extraordinary Life. An aviation pioneer, an environmentalist and feminist, Anne Marrow also authored 13 books, which 55 years later, are still widely acclaimed. Join us at the Bonita Springs Public Library for a retrospective written and performed

by Jenny Aldrich. 2 - 3:30 p.m. Call (239)533-4860 for reservations and more information. 26876 Pine Ave, Bonita Springs, FL 34135.

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Gulf Coast Humane Society's Yappy Hour.

GCHS will be out with adoptable dogs available to meet potential new families. With exciting activities all evening long, bring out your furry friend for the fun, libations and music.

6 - 8 p.m., Bell Tower Shops, US-41 & Daniels Pkwy, Ft. Myers, 33907.

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Cape Bike Night. An exciting street party with an expected 10,000 people enjoying live music, great food, beer, beverages, lots of local business vendors and bikes of all kinds, Cape Bike Night awards motorcycles for being Best Decorated, Most Entertaining and People's Choice.

5-10 p.m., Free. SE 47th Ter. between Vincennes and Coronado. 33914. Learn more at www.ccbikenight.com.

My Guitar. Accomplished guitarist Jane Rosenbohm performs classical, Spanish and contemporary guitar selections with commentary on the history of the guitar, anecdotes about the guitarist's life and a giveaway at the end of the event. 1:30 - 3 p.m. Cape Coral Public Library, 921 SW 39th Terrace, Cape Coral, 33901. Call (239) 533-4500.

Stand Up Paddle Board Intro to Fitness Class.

Increase your core strength with a little stand up paddle boarding. Better your paddle skills, intensify your workout and enjoy peace on the water. 9 - 10:30 a.m. Advanced registration to this free seminar is required. Call the Cape Coral Yacht Club at (239)574-0806.

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Savvy Social Security Planning for Boomers.

Questions to be discussed include the future of Social Security, how much income can be expected, when to apply, how to maximize benefits, and whether or not it is possible to live on Social Security benefits in retirement. 1 - 2:30 p.m. Cape Coral Library Meeting Room, 921 SW 39th Ter., Cape Coral, 33914. (239) 533-4500.

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Taste of the Cape/Symphony at Sunset.

Sample an international array of food from dozens of local restaurants. Enjoy musical performances from local school groups and finish the day with the Symphony at Sunset. Enjoy a selection of Broadway favorites and light classics in a beautiful Southwest Florida setting from our premiere community orchestra! Free. 12 - 6 p.m. Four Crash Course in Veggie Freedoms Park, 4818 Tarpon Ct., Cape Gardening at Rotary Park. Coral, 33904. Call (239) 574-0804 or Don't know how to get started with a visit tasteofcapecoral.com. veggie garden? Karen Harty of Grow A Gardener Inc., presents this two hour Please send Around Town news to class on avid edible gardening. $25 News Connection USA, Inc., P.O. Box Cape residents, $37 non-residents. 1 - 3 638, Seffner, FL 33583; email p.m. at the Rotary Park Environmental info@lifestylesafter50.com or fax your Center, 5505 Rose Garden Rd, Cape event information to (813)651-1989 by Coral, 33914. To more information and the 10th of the month prior to the event. to register, call (239)549-4606.

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Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 4 R

Tanya Tucker Celebrates Four Decades of Song Country legend Tanya Tucker returns to the Florida Strawberry Festival with new music, old favorites and her infamous sass.

By Amanda Smith

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t was 44 years ago that Tanya Tucker first graced the Billboard country charts with her haunting rendition of Delta Dawn - an eery tale of an older woman in search of a mysterious man. Skyrocketing to stardom with a shockingly mature voice at the earnest age of 13, Tanya will greet her fans at this year’s Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City over four decades later, proving her talent has long stood the test of time.

Fresh from a four year break from the music scene, Tanya couldn’t be happier to be back on tour and returning to Plant City - a place she says, conjures divine memories.

“Oh, I experienced the work of God at the Strawberry Festival,” Tanya shares with a laugh. She recalls being too sick to perform while preparing for a Strawberry Festival appearance many years ago, and in the hopes of not disappointing her fans, she vividly remembers praying for guidance.

“I said Lord, send me a miracle,” Tanya shares, “and sure enough, Nancy and George Jones knocked on my door and found me sick as a dog. Miraculously, George offered to cover my first show, and by the second I was well enough to perform. That kind of thing never happens - it was definitely Godly.”

That musical comraderie is one of Tanya’s favorite parts of a festival with no shortage of famous headliners, including the Golden Boys Frankie Ava-

lon, Fabian and Bobby Rydell, entertaining this year’s fans on Tuesday, March 8.

With over 24 headline entertainment artists performing every year on the Wish Farms Soundstage, Strawberry Festival General Manager Paul Davis says, “We believe that with this wide variety of artists and all the other entertainment we offer, truly everyone can have a fun time at our festival.”

“I’ve definitely had a lot of good times at the Strawberry Festival,” Tanya says fondly.

“It’s one of those places you can experience a really great fan base, because our fans come, and they bring their kids, and some of them even bring their grandkids. It’s pretty cool singing to three generations.”

With fans aging anywhere from 5 to 95, Tanya may well be considered a lasting queen of country - a genre she grew to love, and shine in with the help of her own previous generation. Her late father and manager Beau Tucker was quite the country fan and is considered very instrumental in launching her career. In 2009, she honored her father by releasing My Turn, a collection of covers of country standards, all originally sang by male vocalists.

Receiving excellent critical acclaim, Tanya’s 24th studio album was one of her most personal projects, with all My Turn songs handpicked in tribute to her father.

“I picked the songs my daddy always wanted me to sing,” explains Tanya.“This is really a tribute to him, because he was

FELLOW FESTIVAL HEADLINERS: THE GOLDEN BOYS Much like Tanya Tucker, Golden Boys Frankie Avalon, Fabian and Bobby Rydell have all had long, illustrious careers and will be entertaining fans at this year’s Strawberry Festival. See them live on Tuesday, March 8th.

With over 40 years on stage and 24 studio albums to choose from, country queen Tanya Tucker has no shortage of material nor experience to offer fans at the 2016 Florida Strawberry Festival. See her live on Friday, March 11.

with me throughout my entire career. He’s now with God above but I know he’s watching over me still and loving these songs and this record.”

With highlights including Ray Price’s Crazy Arms and Emmett Miller’s Lovesick Blues, My Turn clearly demonstrates her father’s influence on her career, but Tanya shares additional signs that revealed country music was her destiny.

“I guess it was God’s plan because country was all I ever knew,” she shares.“There was one little radio station in the little town I grew up in, in Arizona, so that’s all I heard. I don’t know, I just loved it.”

In 1974, when the influence of that little radio station and a country-music-loving father landed 15 year old Tanya on the cover of the most wellknown music magazine in the world, Tanya now admits being more than a little naive about the gravity of claiming the cover of Rolling Stone.

“At the time, I had no idea how big it was to be on the cover of Rolling Stone,” she admits.

“I was so young I had no idea.”

Tanya’s Rolling Stone cov-

er story ran with the headline, “You’re Gonna Hear From Me,” and hear from her we have. For over four decades, her sultry voice and vivacious stage presence have helped to make her one of the most admired and respected female vocalists in the country music genre, with a resume boasting two Academy of Country Music Awards, two Country Music Association Awards, two Country Music Television (CMT) Awards and a staggering nine Grammy nominations. Recognized by CMT as one of the 40 Greatest Women in Music, Tanya has even been inducted to the Texas Music Hall of Fame.

With an awards list a mile long, Tanya represents far more than just her accolades - it’s her fiery stage presence that truly sets her apart. In a matter of minutes, she can showcase exquisite vulnerability exuding from the emotional lyrics in a number of heart-breaking ballads - and then suddenly she’s all sass - demonstrating a flirtatious and sensual side that keeps fans screaming for more.

It’s this chameleon-like emotionality that has kept Tanya

a crowd favorite so long, and among the many reasons to be excited that she has emerged from a four year hiatus.

“I’ve been enjoying my home, my three children, my horses and my animals,” Tanya says of her time off, which ended in July of 2015. “It was great to take a break, but now I’m so happy to be back out there. I’m bringing a new band, new music. Fans are really going to see me fresh.”

It’s not all novelty, Tanya assures. “I’m definitely bringing out the old favorites,” she says. “We’re gonna go on a trip down Memory Lane. There’s really too many to do in one show, I’ve already gotta plan to come back!”

See Tanya Tucker live at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, March 11 at this year’s 11-day Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City. See a complete list of performers and purchase tickets at flstrawberryfestival.com or stop by the Amscot Main Ticket Office located at 2209 W. Oak Ave., Plant City. To purchase tickets by phone, call (813)7541996. Follow the Festival on social media: #berryfest16

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 5

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 6

Happily Even After:

After grieving the loss of a spouse - once loved and cherished for decades - widows and widowers find online dating offers a second chance at love.

By Amanda Smith

Janice Doyle says she couldn’t be happier to have found her second husband David Lalmond online.

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il death do us part.” These words echo in the heart of every surviving spouse left behind by the passing of a soulmate, best friend and life companion. After building a life with one person for decades, the widowed often experience a form of death all their own.

“It’s more than just your heart that’s broken when you lose someone after almost 40 years. When I lost my wife, I felt like half of me was gone,” says 70 year old Terry Davidson.

Married for almost four decades, Terry says he grieved his wife for years before wondering if there was more to his remaining life than solitude.

“I tried online dating,” he says. “I didn’t have any expectations, so it was all very casual for me.”

It was casual, that is, until he met Jeanie Gurny.

Jeanie, a vibrant woman of 67 years has colorful streaks in her hair, and a smile that will light up any room. Much like Terry, Jeanie lost her spouse after a long happy marriage.

“We were married 45 years,” she says.

“He was the only man I had ever loved.”

At the encouragement of friends, Jeanie agreed to try online dating, but she too didn’t have high hopes. “After a certain age, you wonder if another man will ever find you attractive again,” she admits.

After a few mediocre experiences and one horrible one - Jeanie met Terry.

Weeks of emailing led to a face-to-face meeting at Applebees where the couple realized they had more in common than living in the same town.

“We had so much in common: we both had two kids, we were even from the same place - the Bronx,” he shares.

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“It was so nice to communicate with someone so openly again, someone who knew the compromise and commitment that a long, good marriage requires. We talked for five hours the first day.”

Two dates later, Jeanie said she felt the infamous spark, which Terry must have picked up on.

“I kissed her in the parking lot of the restuarant on the third date and the rest was history,” he says.

After a long courtship, Jeanie sold her home and says she and Terry are now “partners for life.”

Seffner resident Janice Doyle also found her second “partner for life,” David Lalmond, on an online dating site.

They too both had long, happy marriages. To successfully grow a loving bond after losing a spouse, Janice says the most important thing is to create new memories together.

“Each of us has a lifetime of memories,” she explains. “What we had to do was to create new memories, a whole new history together.”

While Janice says her priorities the second time around were much more pragmatic than romantic - she required good health, solid finances and family compatibility - she says there is still some romance. “It’s different than when you’re 20, but it’s still there,” she shares. “He brings me flowers he grew for me right in the backyard.”

Jeanie and Terry enjoy their own romance, as they often can’t stop holding hands or smiling at one another. Jeanie reassures, “Remember, even if you’ve lost, you can find love again and you can be loved again.”

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Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 7

Romantic Getaways: Florida’s Best B&Bs Every couple is unique - and so are Florida’s Bed & Breakfasts. Here are our picks for a romantic weekend guaranteed to make any couple fall in love all over again.

For an artistic experience:

Dickens House, St. Petersburg

For package deal lovers:

Magnolia Plantation, Gainesville If you’re intent on showing your loved one you care, but you’re all out of ideas on how to make it happen, Magnolia Plantation may just save the day.

Originally built in 1885, this Gainesville bed and breakfast takes the guesswork out of romance with a series of packages that make even the most planning-challenged romancers look prepared. Our favorite package is The Romance Package, which includes a five-course candlelit dinner served in your room, tickets to the Hippodrome Theatre and a horse and carriage ride all through Gainesville’s historic district. The romance continues as you arrive back to your candlelit room, filled with soft music and the finishing touch - roses and champagne. In addition to the excellent packages created by Magnolia Plantation, another perk of staying here is the sprawling grounds. With a magnificent Victorian Painted Lady main house and seven restored cottages on an acre and a half of lush gardens, there’s plenty of space to wander around and dream of a time long forgotten. Visit magnoliabnb.com.

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 8

An award-winning Bed and Breakfast located in St. Petersburg’s historic district, the Dickens House is quite an aesthetic treat. This Craftsman bungalow style home was built in 1912, and retains its century-old charm thanks to artist and current owner Ed Caldwell who restored it himself; carefully balancing the old with the new by preserving things like the heart of pine staircase and coffered ceilings, while dividing the house into five guest rooms - each complete with a whirlpool tub. In addition to admiring the architecture of the Dickens House, artistic couples have all of St. Pete’s burgeoning art scene (recently voted the #1 mid-size city art scene in America) to enjoy. Explore the Fine Arts and Florida International museums, but first - visit the largest Salvador Dali collection outside of Spain at the Dali Museum in downtown St. Pete, an urban center full of smaller independent art galleries, both thrift and high-end shopping, as well as adventurous, romantic dining options for every palette.

Speaking of dining, the best part about staying at the Dickens House has more to do with the art of cooking. Not only is Ed the owner, restoration master and visionary of the place, he serves up quite the exceptional gourmet breakfast every morning - and it’s on the house. For dates, prices and availability, visit dickenshouse.com or call (727)822-8622.

For art lovers: Visit the world class Dali Museum in downtown St. Petersburg to see the largest Salvador Dali collection outside of Spain.

Henderson Park Inn by Kara Franker

For beachfront sunsets and the ultimate in romance: Henderson Park Inn Bed and Breakfast, Destin

With its breathtaking views right from your balcony at sunset, it’s no surprise the Henderson Park Inn Bed and Breakfast recently received the “Most Romantic Hotel in America” award. Situated directly on the beach in Destin, guests can enjoy panoramic views right from their room, or step out onto the beach, just a few feet away.

The Henderson Park Inn offers romance everywhere you turn, from quiet long walks out on the shore, to gorgeous Victorian-inspired furnishings decorating the property. Rest assured romance is the top priority of this adults-only inn, dedicated to providing a stress-free and inviting stay right from the moment you walk in your room. As you step into your suite - many of which feature a fireplace, a whirlpool tub and a balcony - you’ll be greeted with wine, fresh grapes and flowers, along with romantic music guaranteed to set the mood. If you’re looking for a romance, there’s no place quite like it. Visit hendersonparkinn.com, or call (888)836-1105.

For eco-friendly enthusiasts Deer Run BnB, Big Pine Key

A State of Florida Certified green lodge, this Caribbean-style eco-friendly home is tucked away in the lush native trees on the island of Big Pine Key. Miles off the highway down a private, dead-end street, you’ll almost feel as if you are a part of the environment itself by being so far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city life. What makes this place truly special are the endangered Key deer constantly roaming around the beaches and the property. They are very peaceful to be around and don’t express much fear around guests, instead, just frolicking about - only yards away. When you’re finally ready for some sights, enjoy an all-vegetarian and vegan friendly breakfast at Deer Run before chartering a dive or snorkel trip to Looe Key. You’ll also have access to kayaks or bicycles to explore the area, or charter an eco kayak nature tour. Only minutes away, you’ll find Bahia Honda State Park - one of the most beautiful beaches in the country. There’s something eco-friendly for everyone at Deer Run’s paradise where locally-sourced ingredients, endangered species and an incredible natural environment that is luscious and green. For more information and to make a reservation, visit deerrunflbb.com or call (305)872-2015.

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 9

The Weird Reason You Can’t Set Up Your Own Special Needs Trust

By Steven J. Gibbs

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ello Friends and Colleagues! As we launch into 2016, we anticipate new Elder Law changes and one ever-changing area is Special Needs Trusts (SNT).

You may not know that if you or a loved one are receiving SSI disability benefits, the process of setting up a Special Needs Trust is soon expected to become a bit simpler.

Currently, the court must approve an SNT unless a third party such as a parent, grandparent or legal guardian sets one up for the disabled person.

However, most people don’t know that the Federal legislature originally intended to allow a qualified disabled person to set up an SNT on his/her own behalf - and the language was accidentally omitted in the legislation.

We expect a change in the law that will correct this omission and allow “self settled” Special Needs Trusts.

Another very effective way to set up

an SNT is for a parent or grandparent to set one up for a child or grandchild in a Revocable Living Trust as part of an overall estate plan. Setting up a Special Needs Trust in a Revocable Living Trust is desirable because the SNT is revocable during the parent’s lifetime or can be updated to suit any changes in circumstances. For more information about Special Needs Trusts, or any Estate Planning topic, access the Gibbs Law Office official blog at: www.gibbslawfl.com/blog/.

Remember, these cases are complicated and highly individual and should always be reviewed with an experienced elder law attorney before making any decisions.

Gibbs Law Office provides complete Estate Planning, Business Planning, Probate and Trust Administration services throughout the Fort Myers, Cape Coral, & Estero areas. To learn more, call (239)415-7495 or visit them online at www.gibbslawfl.com

8695 College Parkway, Suite #2330 Fort Myers, FL 33919 www.GibbsLawFL.com Phone: 239-415-7495 E-mail: info@gibbslawFl.com Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 10

BIRIA® USA Brings Revolutionary German Bicycle Engineering Stateside

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aving long since redefined easy riding abroad, German designed Biria bicycles deliver superior engineering and innovation to the US market.

Bridging style and practicality, Biria’s ingenious Easy Boarding stepthrough frame has revolutionized riding comfort. Never before has such elegance and convenience been incorporated into bicycle design. From grocery shopping, to a night on the town dressed to the nines, the Easy Boarder ensures vogue and versatility to could-be bicycle enthusiasts and relaxed pros alike.

Featuring a top tube resting only six inches above the ground, oversized aluminum framed tubing and a natural upright seated position, the Easy Boarder delivers a consistently pleasurable and safe ride. Five variations of this model, including Electric powered, will accommodate any lifestyle or level of experience.

The comprehensive Biria line also includes the CitiBike Series for urban riding, the CitiLite Series for feather light commuting, the versatile Mini-20 Series, the Single Speed Series and the

convenient Folding Series which collapses into a compact portable form.

“With the need for multi-functional products in our daily routines, Biria Bikes USA provides great transportation tools that allow riders to get from place to place while staying fit, having fun and helping to keep our planet clean,” says Biria’s co-founder, Tony Biria.

About Biria USA Biria bicycles can be found in stores nationwide, as well as online. For more information, please visit www.biria. com or Biria Bikes on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Biria-Bikes.

Tulip Time: The Romantic Rhine & Mosel River Cruise

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Call Toll Free: 1-855-409-7200

ifestyles After 50 Publisher Kathy Beck and her husband Bill are so excited to announce they will be attending “Seniors on the Road,” a cruise organized by Mayflower Tours that includes visits to the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland on the all new river ship, MV Emerald Dawn.

“We’ve wanted to explore this part of Europe for a long time,” Kathy shares.

“This cruise has everything we wanted and more.”

With beautiful Panorama stateroom windows that slide down to reveal the beauty of two historic rivers, the views on the cruise are said to be incredibly gorgeous - especially during spring’s arrival in the Netherlands and the Keukenhof Gardens at the peak of tulip season.

Kathy and Bill will visit Cologne and Cochem, Boppard and Heidelberg, Strasbourg, and they’ll even sing The Hills are

Lovely canals grace Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Alive in Lucerne, Switzerland with all its Alpine Splendor.

Onboard meals include a variety of international cuisines, and all dinners are four course meals served with complimentary regional wines and beer. The heated swimming pool even transforms into a cinema in the evening.

Best of all, Mayflower Tours will take Kathy and Bill to the airport right from their home, bringing them back home at the end of an 11 day tour.

Kathy invites readers to join her and the traveling group “Seniors on the Road” for this exciting adventure - email Kathy@ lifestylesafter50.com to learn more!

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 11

Stem Cell Therapy: A Defining Moment for COPD

By Cameron Kennerly

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t 5:39 a.m. on December 7 1972, Apollo 17 took a picture from 28,000 miles up, revealing the coastline of Africa and West Asia. Although this image would be officially titled “AS17-148-22727,” due to its appearance and size, it continues to be known as The Blue Marble. Upon release, its significance was felt immediately. Not only did it mark the first time humanity could see itself at such a scale, but it changed our vision of our universe and place within it.

Recently, a similar discovery was made - a discovery in stem cell therapy that has the capacity to shift the way we see lung disease forever.

Today more than 600 million people suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) worldwide, and that number is expected to rise. As an incurable disease, COPD is often fatal, with treatment options limited to inhalers that work to alleviate symptoms, but fail to promote healing in the lungs themselves.

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 12 R

Recently, the medical community has been turned upside down with the breakthrough of stem cell therapy.

The Lung Institute (lunginstitute.com) in particular, specializes in treating lung disease and has established itself as a leading figure by publishing the first white paper of its kind. In a field where information of this scope (encompassing 100 patients) has never been seen, this is a remarkable first.

Where there was once a lack of published work showing the effects of stem cell therapy on COPD, the Lung Institute has broken new ground with its findings. They discovered that within three months of treatment, 84 percent of patients found their quality of life had improved. The average improvement for the group was 35 percent. Additionally, 48 percent of the 25 patients tested for pulmonary function saw an increase of over 10 percent, with an average improvement of 16 percent over their pre-treatment test results.This discovery could change lives significantly.

As a result of this research, stem cell therapy may be able to meaning-

The Blue Marble, a famous photograph of the Earth, taken on December 7, 1972 by the crew of the Apollo 17 spacecraft, this iconic image marks the first time humanity could see itself at such a scale; a defining moment much like the discovery of stem cell therapy.

fully change the quality of life forthose suffering from COPD. As with The Blue Marble, this revelation may represent the dawning of a new age in medicine; a new approach to confronting COPD. In a world where change means progress, this could be a remarkable discovery benefitting not only future generations, but ours as well.

The Lung Institute is an innovative leader of regenerative medicine dedicated to providing stem cell therapies and other regenerative treatments for lung diseases. To learn more about this state-of-the-art facility and its internationally recognized physicians, call (855) 313-1150 or visit them online at LungInstitute.com/lifestyles.

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 13

Dark Romance

Unconventional Love Stories in American Cinema

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ove defies all convention. Often weirdly beautiful, bittersweet, complicated and not at all predictable, true romance hardly ever seems to “fit the mold,” and passion has been known to kill. Defying the modern-day chick flick conception of romance, there’s a whole genre of films that explores the darker side of love, proving Hollywood can produce something other than a run-ofthe-mill romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan. Now known as “American Dark Romance,” this evolving genre includes films that offer a different view of love - one that isn’t always pretty and formulaic - and lack a happy ending guarantee.

Whether you’re a cynic, a skeptic or just enjoy the dark side, see our picks for a different kind of cinematic romance.

Vertigo, 1958. In a riveting story of terrifying passion and doomed love, Vertigo was received with mixed reviews in its day, but is now widely viewed as one of Hitchcock’s masterpieces. With almost surreal cinematography and dark undercurrents of voyeurism, madness and manipulation, this dark romantic thriller proves that sometimes “love” is unhinged obsession.

Harold and Maude, 1971. Another cult classic, this dark romantic fable tells the story of a rich young man hopelessly obsessed with death. He soon discovers what it really means to live when he falls in love with a vivacious 79-year-old woman, a true Bohemian. Equal parts gallows humor and romantic innocence, Harold and Maude dissolves the line between darkness and light along with the ones that separate people by class, gender, and age, by offering a completely different perspective on romance - one that cynics might find refreshing.

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Edward Scissorhands, 1990. In this cult classic, Tim Burton proves even romance and horror can be artfully combined into a compelling love story with the right vision. An artificial man named Edward an unfinished creation with scissors for hands - is taken in by a family in suburbia and quickly falls in love with teenage daughter Kim, one of the only characters able to see past his deformities to discover his inner beauty and innocence.

Filmed locally in Lutz, Edward Scissorhands offers an epic performance by Johnny Depp, with a depth of character that defies the aesthetics of traditional beauty. The film mercilessly delivers the tenderness of humanity right alongside our unflinchingly evil tendencies.

King Kong, 1933. Sure, it’s got action and adventure, but at its heart, King Kong is a doomed romance carrying the emotional weight of any set of star-crossed lovers, complete with the universal themes of loneliness, longing, and improbable circumstances.

It’s not so much Planet of the Apes meets Jurassic Park, as Romeo and Juliet meets Frankenstein. Like Dr. Frankenstein’s monster, Kong’s very existence in the modern world is a mistake, and like Juliet, young Dwan cannot bring her lover home to mom and dad without causing an uproar. A love story that’s doomed from the outset, its untenable, absurd, and totally tragic.

List compiled by Amanda Smith, Editor.

Keeping Newtown Alive

Newton Conservation Historic District Project strives to preserve and celebrate legendary African-American community in Sarasota

By Amanda Smith

B

lack History Month is, above all, a celebration of the massive achievements

by African Americans - and a recognition of the central role they played in U.S. history. The only catch with history is, if you don’t preserve it, there’s no celebrating it - or learning from its perils and successes.

That was exactly the pitch passionate Sarasota residents made to their local government, leading to a $50,000 city-funded initiative - The Newtown Conservation Historic District Project - dedicated to highlighting the history of an AfricanAmerican enclave in Sarasota with beginnings dating back an entire century.

Newtown’s beginnings can be traced back to 1914, when it evolved out of the growth of Sarasota’s oldest African-American community, the Rosemary District. From the early years through the 1940s, the street now known as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Way was the flourishing heart of the then segregated Newtown, but decades of disinvestment and capital flight - along with a concentration of government subsidized housing - have devastated the area, causing the slow, painful demise of the once-thriving Newtown community.

Rather than watching its memories disappear right along with it, a team of mostly volun-

teers are executing a protective homage, conducting intricate research and personal interviews to piece together a comprehensive account of Newtown’s rich history. Members of the research team include an architectural historian, an ethno-historian, retired professor and cultural anthropologist Rosalind Howard, as well as Sarasota native, historian and project manager Vickie Oldham. The completed project will produce a report documenting Newtown’s 100 years of history and culture, oral history recordings from residents, a map of district boundaries and a walking tour of Newtown.

The passionate leader who many believe has been the project’s visionary and its fire, Oldham says next to mentoring young people, this is the most important work of her career.

“This is truly my legacy,” she says. “Up until now, Newtown’s history has only been available in fragments - a local art gallery had some history, you could learn a little at a cultural resource center - there’s really no single repository of primary and secondary source accounts in one cohesive document - until now. It’s huge and it’s history in the making. I’m a native and a lover of history, and now I get to use every communications tool available to share the history of Newtown in a project that will long outlive me.”

With big plans to create

The Voices of a Village: Those interviewed for The Newtown Conservation Historic Project reported feeling a deep sense of pride in contributing their personal memories to a project that will serve generations to come.

monuments, a website and a mobile app that can be used to hear oral accounts of Newtown seniors Oldham interviewed, she says the ultimate goal of the The Newtown Conservation Historic District Project is to share the strong values of courage, determination, selfsufficiency and commitment to community demonstrated by the residents of a segregated section of Sarasota without access to most of the resources of the larger city.

“I interviewed about 40 Newtown residents and pioneers, and it was transformative to see how close-knit they all were,” Oldham reveals. “I had long-known Newtown operated under a village concept in order to make the best use of the limited resource access they had, but I never fully understood the potency of their treasured values. Experiencing the history myself, sitting within inches of the people who lived it, taught me the unrivaled power of individual personal stories to demonstrate the sacrifice, strength and spirit required to live for something greater than oneself.

Honestly, it made me want to be a better person.”

Retired University of Central Florida professor and cultural anthropologist Rosalind Howard explains that the pride Newtown’s older generation feels in sharing their stories stems from how demonstrative they are in revealing Newtown’s strong moral values and ethics to present-day Americans.

“As I compile the interviews collected by Vickie, the common theme is the pride interviewees feel in sharing their stories of enduring the struggles of segregation, courageously starting their own businesses to build a self-sufficient community, and fearlessly fighting for civil rights,” Howard says.

“Many of them actually admit to desiring a return of those village values of community co-

Sarasota native, historian and project manager Vickie Oldham interviews Newtown residents to collect oral accounts of the community’s considerable history.

hesion, strong religious values, shared ideologies and a work ethic and motivation sourced from an emotional desire to honor the unity of Newtown.”

From former community hairdressers, to Newtown migrants like the ever-outspoken Jesse Johnson who, at his mother’s insistence, left Georgia for Sarasota to avoid being lynched, citizens of Newtown remember feeling a strong sense of unified identity and the power to move mountains together.

“It was definitely an ‘us against the world’ mentality - and that’s because it was,” Howard states. “They were fighting for their rights, they were fighting just to survive.

Banding together like that has a powerful effect on the psyche and allows for people to do tremendous things.”

That hard work and dedication - and its resulting accomplishments - are exactly what Howard sees as the greater message the Newtown Conservation Historic Project has a chance to impart.

“Overwhelmingly, my assessment of the interviews is that participants want to con-

vey the presence and the power of communal values and morality,” Howard says. “In contemporary society, there is a very prevalent conception of African-Americans as lazy, jobless welfare abusers with no work ethic or motivation. By documenting the ingenuity and achievements of enclaves like Newtown - feats accomplished by intrinsic motivation, pride and political involvement - we as a country are forced to rewrite the story.”

Howard doesn’t expect a Newtown revival, but rather a reconstruction of the perception.

“This idea that there is a history that has been untold may help facilitate a subtle shift in the perceived values of African Americans as a whole,” Howard hopes. “It will not only change how others see us, and how the history books see us, but perhaps it will change how we see ourselves.”

Sarasota’s Newtown Conservation Historic Project should be completed by Summer 2016. Find them on Facebook at Newtown Conservation Historic District and follow them on Twitter @newtown_dream.

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 15

A Legendary Love: Experience the mystery of South Florida’s Coral Castle T

hey say Ed Leedskalnin always worked at night - and he always worked alone. With only the moon, the stars and bittersweet memories of his lost love to keep him company, the mythical Edward Leedskalnin spent nearly three decades of his life toiling away at his somewhat bizarre quest to build a testimony in Homestead, FL to his long lost love, Agnes Scuffs. Ten years his junior, 16 year old Agnes broke Ed’s heart in 1913 when she broke off their engagement just one day before the wedding.

To say Ed never got over it, would be a massive understatement - about as massive as the astonishing 1,100 ton coral rock monument he built - singlehandedly - as a testament to his undying love. This five foot, 100 pound man somehow erected and hand carved elaborate coral walls - each weighing 125 lbs. per cubic foot - to create a mysterious masterpiece that has baffled scientists, engineers and historians for decades. Coral Castle is more than just a few rocks creatively assembled, it’s an unbelievable engineering feat. With a nine ton gate, a Polaris telescope, and the world’s only Sundial with the seasons,

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 16

Ed’s Coral Castle has been compared to everything from the Egyptian pyramids to Stonehenge, demonstrating its ingenuity and fabled creation fueled by love.

“The castle took Ed 28 years to perfect,” shares Laura Maye, Coral Castle’s director of management, marketing and sales. “His determination shows us just how much he loved his ‘Sweet Sixteen,’ and 92 years later,

scientists, engineers and scholars continue to be amazed at how he did it all!”

Maye says the Castle welcomes guests year round, but visitors have a special opportunity this Valentine’s Day when Coral Castle hosts a unique complimentary vow renewal ceremony with paid admission.

“We want guests to come celebrate their own love,” Maye explains. “Come

renew your vows with an officiant under an arch of flowers, as you hold a bouquet of roses and share your love story surrounded by the gardens of Coral Castle.”

Guests who renew their vows on February 14 will also receive a beautiful Coral Castle parchment certificate and two chocolate strawberries, followed by a guided tour of Coral Castle revealing some of the history and the science behind this amazing feat.

The Castle also shows a short film expounding on some of its mysteries and divulging plenty of the secrets of its lovesick creator, Ed Leedskalnin.

Documented by the History Channel, Travel Channel, Discovery Channel, Ancient Aliens, Univision, and BBC, Coral Castle’s infamy only seems to grow.

“Most people don’t know this, but Billy Idol wrote his famous song Sweet Sixteen about Coral Castle,” Maye reveals.

Now that’s legendary.

Renew your vows at Coral Castle this Valentine’s Day, February 14 from noon - 9 p.m. Vow Renewal is complimentary with paid admission, no reservations needed. Learn more at CoralCastle.com or call (305) 248-6345.

Finding love after 50: Five ways to seek your soulmate

If your vision is becoming cloudy and blurry, you may have cataracts

By Jonathan M. Frantz, MD, FACS

actual procedure. We also offer the area’s only ORA with VerifEye for f the many changes an in-depth analysis of the that happen with eye during surgery. The age, cataracts are combination of the most one of the most inevitable. advanced technology, a As you age, the lenses in wide choice of intraocular your eyes become cloudy, lenses, and our vast surgicausing blurry vision, sencal experience offers area sitivity, glares and halos residents the opportunity around lights - often at to experience unparalnight and while driving. leled cataract surgery.

Surgery is the only way a Dr. Jonathan M. Frantz If you think you may cataract can be removed and should have cataracts, call (239)418 0999 tobe considered when cataracts interfere day to schedule your cataract evaluawith your ability to live your desired tion or visit www.BetterVision.net. lifestyle or perform daily tasks.

I am honored to be one of the top Jonathan M. Frantz, MD, FACS, is five laser cataract surgeons in the named in The Guide to America’s Top Ophcountry. I introduced Bladeless Laser thalmologists. He and the Frantz EyeCare Cataract Surgery to southwest Florida team offer a broad spectrum of patient-focused comprehensive care from eye exams in 2012 and continue to embrace the and eyewear to bladeless laser cataract relatest technology for our patients by moval, bladeless WaveLight LASIK, treatbeing the first surgeon in the state of ment of dry eye and eye diseases, and facial Florida to offer the VERION Image and body rejuvenation, with office locaGuided System, which tracks your tions in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Punta eye from the planning stages to your Gorda, Lehigh Acres, and Naples.

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Feel like love after 50 is just too far out of your reach? They say love comes when we least expect it, but the tips below just may increase your chances...

F

ebruary - the month that drives home a cultural message oh so loud and clear: romantic love makes the world go round and you’re nothing without a plus-one. While that may be a little extreme - just like the Valentine’s Day commercials themselves - February 14 may have you longing for a compatible partner that just might make life feel magical again. That task can feel even harder with age, so if you’re unsure where to even start your search, here are our picks for great places to meet your soulmate after 50.

1

Online dating. If you believe finding love online is like finding a unicorn, check out our feature story full of readers’ tales of finding love - and marriage - on the internet. And they’re not the only ones - Lehman Brothers Equity Research found the over 50 segment is the fastest growing group of online daters, with sites like “Our Time” catering specifically to this demographic. Just remember: take time in creating your profile, be patient and keep an open mind; and most of all, safety first - always have your first meeting in a welllit public place.

2

Community events. With age and retirement comes more free time, and getting involved with your community is a wonderful way to meet a partner of similar values. Join a community garden, attend your local farmers market, or check out Meetup.com to find other niche groups, some of which are specifically geared towards those over 50.

Or, contact local music venues and ask to volunteer as an usher or choose any

cause to volunteer for - you never know who you’ll meet while helping out.

3

Take up a hobby. Finding a soulmate can happen anywhere, but the chances go up when you meet likeminded people. Last month we featured a retiree who met great friends at his memoir writing group and we promoted a senior sailing club - specifically for singles. New Media Trend Watch USA reports, “As they age out of the work force, 67 percent of boomers plan to spend more time on their hobbies and interests, moving from a life dedicated to making money to one that is directed to spending money.”

4

Tell your friends. Don’t feel like you have to go it alone; instead, just remember the famous Beatles lyrics, “I get by with a little help from my friends.” Utilizing as much of your social network as you feel comfortable with, tell people what you’re looking for. They can’t set you up if they don’t know you’re interested in finding someone. Then, when you start getting random invites to events, enthusiastically attend and keep an open mind. You’ll expand your social circle and probably have a lot of fun along the way.

5

If all else fails, move to a retirement community. Florida is full of active retirement communities where other people just like you may be looking for the same thing you are. Investigate and visit local 55+ communities to find one that matches your personality and style.

You never know who might be your new next door neighbor...

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 17

The Second Marriage Estate Planning Dilemma “Inheritance Rights” for the Surviving Spouse & Stepchildren

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Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 18

ne in every two marriages ends in divorce. Other marriages endure until death. In either situation, a second marriage often occurs and a blended family forms.

Not surprisingly, most seniors in a second marriage want their separate property to be inherited by their own children - not their stepchildren.

However, Florida inheritance law can ultimately divert a large portion of a deceased spouse’s estate to the stepchildren.

Specifically, Florida law provides a surviving spouse a “statutory inheritance” regardless of the terms of the deceased spouse’s Will or Trust. The two main inheritance rights are (i) Homestead, and (ii) Elective Share.

may become incompetent and his or her children may not agree to decline.

Example Mr. and Mrs. Smith are in a second marriage and each is 70 years old.

They verbally agree that the survivor will decline inheritance rights.

Fast forward 15 years. Mr. Smith has passed away, Mrs. Smith is now 85 years old and she has had a stroke, so Mrs. Smith’s son Tom now handles her financial affairs under a Power of Attorney.

Despite Mrs. Smith’s oral commitment to decline inheritance rights, Tom has no obligation to honor it.

Moreover, Tom has a legal duty (as Mrs. Smith’s Power of Attorney) to collect all assets available to her – including inheritance rights.

Homestead Homestead law provides that the home must be bequeathed outright to the surviving spouse - any other bequest is statutorily void. If the bequest is void, then the surviving spouse automatically receives a “life estate” in the home (or alternatively the survivor may elect to claim 50% ownership of the home).

In either case, Homestead rights present difficulties. For example, the life estate naturally affords the surviving spouse rent-free use of the home for life but the surviving spouse is not required to use the home as a residence. Instead, the spouse may rent out the home or cohabit there.

And in either scenario, upon a sale of the home all owners (the surviving spouse and the deceased spouse’s heirs) split the proceeds.

Options Fortunately, techniques exist to address inheritance rights. One option is for the spouses to enter into a Postnuptial Agreement to legally waive inheritance rights.

A second technique - if one spouse is uncooperative - is for the other spouse to create an estate plan which legally satisfies the 30% ES right but keeps assets “in his family.”

This technique would place a portion of the “concerned” spouse’s estate, after death, in a statutory “ES Trust” for benefit of the surviving spouse. And at the surviving spouse’s later death the ES Trust assets pass to the “concerned” spouse’s heirs.

Other techniques exist and are best addressed on a case by case basis.

Elective Share Elective Share (or “ES”) gives the surviving spouse the option to claim an “Elective Share” of the deceased spouse’s estate - which is 30% of the value of the deceased spouse’s estate.

Many spouses would decline to claim inheritance benefits, whether homestead or elective share. However, at a future point in time the surviving spouse

ROBERT H. EARDLEY is a Florida Bar Board Certified Wills, Trusts and Estates attorney, holds his J.D. degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in Estate Planning from the University of Miami School of Law. Mr. Eardley is in private practice in Naples and can be reached at (239) 591-6776.

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 19

Florida is for birds and birders

By Evelyn Mackey

Traditionally, only avid local birders knew about the birding opportunities in their areas. The project of making the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail made smaller local sites (and their accompanying eco-tourism dollars) known to birders in other areas.

The internationally renowned J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island is a birder’s paradise. From the mangrove swamp, stream and mudflats to the hardwoods and mixed forest, it’s possible to make bird sightings all day long. The four-mile Wildlife Drive gives an introductory tour to the refuge and offers incredible views of herons, egrets, ibises, storks, spoonbills and more. With a kayak or canoe, it’s possible to tour the mangrove wilderness up close. Hiking trails offer yet another way to view the many birds and wildlife in the refuge.

An often-overlooked jewel

I

t’s for the birds! That pretty much describes Florida in the winter - a destination for numerous species of birds.

And it is easy to find the sites set aside for birders to enjoy watching birds.

The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail is a program by federal, state and local government agencies, nongovernmental organizations and private landowners. This 2,000-mile, self-guided highway trail connects and unifies 515 birding and wildlife viewing sites throughout Florida.

The project features detailed guide booklets, a mobile device application and familiar brown highway signs identifying sites.

Using the guide booklets (downloadable online), birders find site descriptions, directions and maps showcasing the birding and wildlife watching opportunities in Florida.

of bird watching is Matanzas Pass Preserve near Fort Myers Beach. The preserve offers all-day bird sightings in the mangrove swamps, mudflats and marine/bay surroundings.

Unique here are all three species of mangrove - black, white and red - in unusually close proximity. Boardwalk trails through the preserve lead through the mangroves where there are palm warblers and blue-gray gnatcatchers and other birds. If it’s low tide, it’s possible to see wading birds as well as shore birds on the mudflats.

Hickey’s Creek Mitigation Park near Alva features great birding during both morning and evening hours. The site offers habitats varying from open, scrubby flatwoods to lush hardwoods along Hickey’s Creek. Hickey’s Creek Trail is phenomenal for warblers during migration, and for a little extra fun, bring your canoe to enjoy more birds and adventure

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in the water.

A quick stop at Charlotte Flatwoods Environmental Park near Punta Gorda offers another type of birding. Visitors can have a similar experience to being in the larger Babcock / Webb Wildlife Management Area - but on a smaller scale.

Take one of the trails around the perimeter and keep your binoculars in hand.

So, wherever they lead you,

following the brown signs on the Great Florida Birding Trail can open up the state of Florida in a whole new way. It’s for the birds -- and the birdwatchers.

Find them all with an official checklist! Bird checklists can be ordered or downloaded through the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail program by visiting the program’s website at www.Floridabirdingtrail.com.

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DORIS SHUNSTROM

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 21

Get Tech Savvy: 2016 Guide to Technology February: Make the mundane a little bit easier T

he promise of technology is that it will help us save time and hassle while greatly improving our lives.

But too often for those of us who didn’t grow up downloading, streaming and LOL-ing, tech ends up being an exercise in patience, perseverance and, at times, anger management.

The good news is, we’re here to help.

Each month in 2016, we’ll choose a topic and feature a new selection of tech - gadgets, apps, devices - designed to improve your life in a myriad of ways - and only those products that lives up to their claims. This month, let’s smooth out the wrinkles in your daily routine by using tech products to streamline some of your more mundane activities. The focus is on making your life easier - helping you live smarter one touch, click or command at a time.

Stop wasting time searching for misplaced items, thanks to the Tile tracker.

Never lose your wallet again The Tile tracker If you’re prone to setting things down and then forgetting where you put them, the new Tile tracker will make your life a whole lot easier. Attach the wireless Tile to your wallet or keys, install the app on your smartphone, and if the wallet or keys are lost, open the app and prompt it to make the Tile tracker on your keys or wallet beep. If you can’t find your phone, no worries - press the button on the Tile attached to your keys and Tile can make your phone beep, too (thetileapp.com; $25).

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Sit back and put your feet up while the iRobot Roomba cleans the floors for you.

Why do it yourself? Just buy a robot. iRobot Roomba 650 If cleaning the floors leaves you with an aching back, hire a robot instead.

The Roomba 650 Vacuum Cleaning Robot provides a thorough clean, all at the push of a button. It’s especially amazing at picking up pet hair and it even allows you to schedule cleaning times so it can work while you’re out of the house. iRobot has more expensive models, but the 650 is just fine (irobot. com; pricing starts at $400). -AARP

Predict 2016’s Final Four and Win Big from Lifestyles After 50!

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Save the environment (and save money on your electric bill) EcoBee 3 Wi-Fi Thermostat For those looking for an easy way to live greener, this smart thermostat with wifi technology makes environmental - and financial sense. With intelligent sensors that signal when someone enters or exits the room, the EcoBee 3 adjusts the temperature to make it comfortable when the room is inhabited and when no one is around, this intelligent device adjusts the temperature to maximize your home’s energy efficiency, therefore lowering your heating and cooling costs by an estimated hundreds of dollars per year (ecobee.com; $249).

SW

arch Madness is at our heels, and we’re inviting readers to join in on the fun! One of the biggest sporting events in the U.S., the NCAA’s three-week college basketball tournament pits university teams against one another according to seed, attracting excitement, crowds and a whole lot of competition. The teams aren’t the only ones competing - fans are notorious for competing to successfully predict the winners. Well, this year, we’re hosting the 2016 Final Four Challenge for our readers! If you think you know who will make it to the end of the tournament, submit your Final Four picks to us for a chance to win exciting prizes. And don’t worry - considering the unpredictable nature of March Madness, you certainly don’t have to be a college basketball savant to be successful at anticipating the champion.

To enter the 2016 Final Four Challenge: Email your Final Four picks (the last four teams standing) to editor@ lifestylesafter50.com or mail them to: Attn: Final Four Challenge News Connection USA, Inc. P.O. Box 638 Seffner, FL 33583 Send us your name, address and phone number by March 11. The winner will be notified immediately and announced on LifestylesAfter50.com. Good luck!

The Reverse Mortgage: The Most Underappreciated Retirement Planning Tool

R

everse mortgages have been around a long time. However, there are so many misconceptions about Reverse Mortgages that it is virtually the most ignored, yet effective, retirement planning tool around!

Originally, a reverse mortgage was obtained in order to provide funds for seniors who were on a fixed income but had a lot of equity in their home.

The funds could provide the means for the homeowner to make repairs, pay fees or just provide income so that the individual could continue to live out his retirement years in his home. But today a reverse mortgage is a valuable retirement planning tool!

Here are some basic facts regarding the reverse mortgage: • Homeowner retains ownership • Funds can be used for any purpose • A lifetime, TAX FREE income can be established • No loan payments • Loan does not have to be repaid un-

LIFE LONG QUALITY DOCS

til the last owner no longer lives in home • A reverse mortgage can be used to purchase a home • To qualify, you must be 62 or older • It must be your primary residence So how does this help with retirement planning?

is will my heirs be responsible for repaying the loan? No, a RM is a “nonrecourse mortgage” insured by HUD. If the property is sold, the loan is repaid from the sale and the heirs keep the balance. If the home does not sell for enough to repay the loan, the heirs are NOT responsible for the balance.

To answer that question, let’s look at what most retirees strive for during retirement:

Let’s look at a quick example of how one couple took advantage of this retirement tool:

1. Ample income to maintain their lifestyle throughout their retirement years.

2. They want ability to increase their income or have access to funds without increasing their tax burden.

Tom and Anne were ready to retire from Michigan. They sold their home and decided to buy a home in Florida.

However, they did not want to spend all the funds from the Michigan home on a Florida home, but also did not want a mortgage payment. So, they were smart enough to make use of the reverse mortgage. They used half the funds from the Michigan sale, obtained a reverse mortgage for the balance. Now they have accomplished their goal: saved half the funds from the sale of their home in Michigan and will have no mortgage payments during retirement!

With funds from a reverse mortgage, anyone 62 or older may have the ability to overcome the retirement income issue. Remember, funds received from a RM are tax-free. In addition, funds can be taken as a lump sum, a line of credit, or lifetime income (or a combination).

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WE ARE NOT ATTORNEYS AND CAN NOT AND DO NOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 23

February’s Reader Contribution Challenge:

AN EVERYDAY HERO “Those who say that we’re in a time when there are no heroes, they just don’t know where to look.”

Ronald Reagan, Inaugural Address January 20, 1981

S

upernatural powers, elaborate costumes and monster adversaries these are the marks of a comic book hero.

But what does an everyday hero look like? A project called “Heroic Imagination” explains that everyday heroes are people defined by their virtues. They transform compassion (a personal virtue) into heroic action (a civic virtue), and in doing so, they put their best selves forward in service to humanity. Maybe not as glamorous as driving around in a Batmobile, but perhaps just as important.

“In our world of big names, our true heroes tend to be anonymous. In this life of illusion and quasi-illusion, the person of solid virtues who can be admired for something more substantial than his well-knowness often proves to be the unsung hero.”

-Daniel Boorstin

The event of being moved by the extraordinary acts or qualities of an ordinary person - an everyday hero - can cause us to aspire to be greater or kinder ourselves. In that spirit, we’d like to know:

We made it to the top... then we danced the day away!

T

he 20th annual Fun Fest at Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) was a big success. Over 1,200 people attended and 77 took on our brand new Fitness Challenge to climb to the top of the MOSI dome. The event’s Hippie theme inspired many participants to wear bellbottoms and other bohemian attire, creating a fun and funky atmosphere that everyone enjoyed.

Inside the Fun Fest, attendees received health screenings, played bingo and became informed by over 40 vendors offering valuable products and services geared specifically for the 50+ crowd. As for arts and entertainment, talent show participants rocked

At any point in your life, were you influenced by the virtuous acts of an everyday hero? Who was he/ she? How did the relationship compel you to examine your own life?

With “Everyday Hero” as the subject line, email an essay or response to editor@lifestylesafter50.com for a chance to be published in next month’s issue!

Fitness Challenge participants at the top of MOSI

The Hillsborough County Talent Show rocked!

the stage with impressive acts that kept us wanting more. There were also over 75 paintings by local artists displayed throughout the event.

Lifestyles After 50 is proud to provide these events to the local 50+ crowd in the Tampa Bay area, and would like to thank Hillsborough County and Easy AC, TECO, Brighthouse and MOR-TV for making our 20th annual Fun Fest such a special event.

For more information about Fun Fests and other exciting events hosted

by Lifestyles After 50, please call us at (813) 653-1988.

For problems in the bedroom, pills may be to blame

By Amanda Smith

F

or a couple deeply in love, there’s nothing quite like expressing it whether through a bouquet of flowers or a poem straight from the heart. A healthy part of love’s expression is of course physical intimacy, which, admittedly, can be rife with problems for aging lovers.

It’s natural to point to things like a tired body, overwhelming worries about adult children or too much financial stress as legitimate reasons for persistent sexual problems - and they may indeed be to blame. But a new book written by two renowned professors in the medical field asks readers to consider a lesserknown culprit - common medications taken by millions of Americans everyday.

Albert Wertheimer, professor of pharmacy administration at Temple University, and Patricia Bush, professor emeritus of Georgetown University School of Medicine, recently coauthored the book Your Drugs & Sex: How Prescription & Non-Prescription Drugs Can Affect Your Sex Life, in the hopes of shedding light on the rarely-explained effects that medication Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 24

can have on an individual’s sex life.

“This topic is not discussed in medical school or pharmacy school, or even among doctors and their patients,” explains Dr. Wertheimer. “That’s how we came up with the idea to write this book.”

According to his co-author Dr. Bush, the problem is twofold: prescribing physicians are in no hurry to point out unintended sexual side effects, and patients are often too timid to inquire. She goes so far as to create an analog to the military’s former “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, emphasizing the need to also normalize this important issue in healthcare, kept quiet for far too long.

And dismantle a taboo they do, as Wertheimer and Bush make an excellent case for more open dialogue about the abundance of sexual side effects associated with very common medications taken by millions. To drive home their point, the authors even include a staggering appendix that individually lists 85% of all drugs prescribed in the US, and whether or not they have been scientifically linked to sexual side effects.

There is a chapter on over-the-counter drugs, but the book’s focus is clearly

prescription drugs; and with approximately 90% of Americans over 65 now prescribed medication for something, and about 65% on three or more different drugs, Your Drugs and Sex couldn’t have come at a better time. Still, reading it can be a little overwhelming, as it reveals that everything from betablockers to water pills to lipid-lowering drugs like statins and fibrates to antifungals and anti-epileptic drugs can all affect sexual arousal and performance, with consequences like impotence, diminished orgasms and pain during intercourse among the possibilities.

It’s not all bad news though - if you suffer from depression and premature ejaculation, the book reveals that certain anti-depressants can actually help delay orgasm, solving an issue you may have suffered with for years. And for those who take more than one type of medicine, the book may help you tackle contraindications of a sexual manner. At the very least, it encourages readers to approach their doctor about experimenting with different medication and combinations to find a solution that works.

Wertheimer says although the prob-

New book urges patients to question doctors on unintended sexual side effects of common drugs.

lem of unintended sexual side effects is a complex one, the goal of the book is simple - to advocate for more disclosure about an issue long considered unmentionable. Hopefully, he says, it facilitates an open patient-doctor dialogue so that individuals have an opportunity to make informed decisions about their health.

Your Drugs & Sex: How Prescription & Non-Prescription Drugs Can Affect Your Sex Life is available for purchase in paperback or e-form on Amazon.com.

Seniors Getting Together WOMEN SEEKING MEN

4509 SWEET W.W. ISO W gentleman, attractive, Italian, American or Jewish.

4119 SEEKING CHRISTIAN SOH, NS, ND, NDrg, HMP, R, FF, P, TLC. GENTLEMAN Former airline stewardess Ages 75 – 79. I am 5’3”, 150 lbs, red hair, and model, 5’4”, 104 lbs., widow, slender, blue eyes, compassionate, romantic, white with Ph.D. in healthcare. Fulbright likes to travel. Please send recent photo. scholar, eats healthy and exercises. Likes Port Charlotte area. sports and animals. Loves the Lord. 4515 WF, WW, 65, NS, SD, NDrg, Florida.

SOH, enjoys local events, flea markets, 4486 FORMER NATIONAL MODEL, backyard BBG, etc. ISO WM with similar healthy W, F, 62, 5’6”, 140 lbs, long interests for LTR, FF. Let’s get together. blonde hair, blue eyes, great figure, Cape Coral/Fort Myers. many interests, can relocate. ISO w, 4520 H, F, looking to start a Golden s, m, NS, SD, NDrg, compassionate, Girls house in Cape Coral. I am 65, still romantic, intelligent “one woman man.” working full time but would like the LTR, marriage, serious only, letter/photo. company. Must like pets. Please NS, SD, Madeira Beach area.

SOH, females only.

4497 SEEKING FRIENDSHIP Are you an honest, caring, W, widower, early 80’s? MEN SEEKING WOMEN I am WW, R, P, SD, attractive, SOH, 5’5”, HWP, enjoy walking, music, art, sports 4452 MAN, 71, NS, SD Likes music, fan, dancing, iPad games and family. movies, books, plants, animals, evening Reply with telephone number. Estero/ classes. ISO woman, 55 – 72, NS, NDrg, Bonita Springs area.

SD for FF, who looks good in shorts or a 4521 W, widow, 5’5”, 132 lbs., late skirt, likes bicycle riding, kissing, touching, 70’s. Wants to meet W, widower, late hugging, going out to a pub for a bite & 70’s – early 80’s. I am R, P, intelligent, light social drinking. Port Charlotte area. yes attractive, great SOH, NS, SD. Enjoy 4500 TO BARBARA. I received your music, sports, reading, walking. Please note card in response to my Ad #4452. respond with telephone number.

You stated that if I reply you will

respond, and you indicated that you would like to be pen pals, however, you didn’t include any contact info.

Please send me your address and I’ll write to you. Port Charlotte area.

4499 THE WHOLE NINE YARDS. ISO LTR, non judgmental, SOH, free spirit, literate, enjoys water, kayak, canoe, sailing, swimming. Likes to walk, ride bicycle, explore the inner and outer worlds, toned, yoga, into foreign films, theatre, concert, art, ballet, someone to talk to, organic, non GMO, gluten free.

4498 NEW TO FLORIDA. W, M, 70 YO, enjoys sports, movies, dinners, music and having fun. Honest, NS, SD, NDrg. ISO lady, fun-loving with similar interests. Fort Myers area.

Commonly Used Abbreviations: F-Female, M-Male, S-Single, D-Divorced, WWWidow, A-Asian, B-Black, H-Hispanic, I-Indian, W-White, C-Christian, J-Jewish, YO-Years Old, YY-Years Young, ISO-In Search Of, SOHSense Of Humor, SM-Smokes, S-Light Smoker, NS-Non Smoker, ND-Non Drinker, SD-Social (Light) Drinker, DR-Drinks, NDrg- No Drugs, LTR-Long Term Relationship, HWP-Height & Weight Proportional, R-Retired, P-Professional, FF-Friendship First, TLC-Tender Loving Care.

TO PLACE AN AD

Send your ad, stating what category you would like it placed in, your edition(s), along with a $6 fee for 30 words (25¢ for each additional word, abbreviations not charged) to the News Connection USA, Inc. address listed below. Ads received by the 15th of the month will appear in the following issue. No more than three ads will be accepted each month per person. The editor reserves the right to edit any ads for space or content. In order to protect our readers’ privacy, we will not include phone numbers, e-mail or home addresses in the ad copy. City or area included at no charge.

TO RESPOND TO AN AD

Write a letter to the person you want to contact. Place that letter in a stamped envelope and write the ad number on the bottom left hand side of the envelope. Place your stamped, numbered envelope(s), along with $2 for each letter enclosed, into another envelope and address it to: Lifestyles After 50, Seniors Getting Together P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL 33584

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Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 25 R

How to be heart smart with your shopping cart WHAT TO AVOID:

I

t can often be daunting to decipher what is and isn’t considered “hearthealthy” as you wander the aisles of the grocery store. Yes, fruits and vegetables are great - it’s everything else that makes it all too easy to get confused. Yet, taking the time to learn how to incorporate a heart-healthy diet into your lifestyle can really pay off, improving your cholesterol, blood pressure and your weight.

Check out our tips below for conquering the grocery store and triumphantly achieving heart-healthy eating.

1

Too much sodium. High sodium intakes have been tied to high blood pressure - a major risk factor for cardiovascular problems. The American Heart Association’s recommended target intake of less than 1,500 mg is less than what’s found in a single teaspoon of salt, so be mindful of the sodium in everything you eat.

2

WHAT TO SEEK OUT:

1

Products labeled with the claim, “May reduce the risk of heart disease.” In spite of sounding so simple, this statement is closely regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and the appearance of it on a product means there is actual scientific evidence deemed strong enough by the FDA to support it.

This safeguards you against having to guess which claims are actually true.

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 26

February is National Heart Health Month so make it a priority to protect yours.

2

Foods with fiber. Fiber is vital to the health of the digestive system and it lowers cholesterol which in turn may decrease the risk of heart disease. A good source of fiber has at least two and a half grams of fiber, while an excellent source has five grams. Look for beans, whole grain breads, cereals, oatmeal, and products with barley in them.

3

Fish containing omega-3 fats.

It’s not just the omega-3s... new research has shown it may actually be the combination of omega-3 fatty acids along with the other nutrients found in fish that lower the risk of heart attack. Fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and trout are good sources of omega fats, while still being low in saturated fat.

Trans fats. Trans fats raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol, so eat them very sparingly. They are found in fried foods and in processed foods with a long shelf life. The term “partially hydrogenated oil” is a key indicator that the food contains trans fats.

3

Saturated fat. The main dietary cause of high cholesterol, saturated fat is found in large amounts in butter, red meat and cheese made from whole milk so eat non-fat dairy products and lean red meats such as loin or round cuts. - Newswise

Last Month’s Answers

Jan. Sudoku

Lonnie Albrecht is last month’s winner!

Congratulations!

New winner selected each month

Question: Cupid was the son of what Roman God?

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Name Address City

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Send your answers along with your name, address and telephone number to:

Barbara Jones from Winter Haven is last month’s winner!

The answer was: Ronald Reagan

Lifestyles After 50 P.O. BOX 638, SEFFNER, FL 33583

Play more trivia online and win more prizes at www.lifestylesafter50.com

Click on the Trivia Palooza button and answer a Trivia question each week for a chance to win a prize at the end of each month.

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Good luck! The first correct answers selected from the drawing on the 20th will win.

Send in the correct answer to be entered in a drawing to win a prize each month!

Deadline for entries: Feb. 16, 2016. Drawing held Feb. 20, 2016.

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# 260

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The first correct answers selected from the drawing on February 20 will win.

MYSTERY PRIZE!

WIN! WIN! WIN! GREAT PRIZES!

MYSTERY PRIZE!

(Puzzles must be received by the 20th of the month)

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 27

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 28

It takes a team: relationships are key to addressing osteoarthritis

W

hen faced with the diagnosis of osteoarthritis, one of the most important things to remember is that you are not alone. While encouragement and support can come from a variety of individuals, including family and friends, it is important to remember that your doctor can also serve as one of your most valuable relationships during this time. That’s why finding the right doctor is essential to developing a mutually-beneficial relationship and ensuring that you are receiving the best care possible.

At some point in our lives, we all must choose a doctor. From the start of your osteoarthritis journey, this decision becomes increasingly imperative. As an osteoarthritis patient, regular trips to the doctor are a common occurrence, and the need for a healthy doctor-patient relationship is particularly important to ensuring you are making the most of your experience.

A successful relationship allows you to attune your care options to match your needs and standards, and provides a trusting support system that will benefit the quality of your care.

Open, honest communication is key to doctor-patient partnerships, and is essential in order for patients to become better informed about their condition. This includes understanding the diagnosis, surgical and non-surgical treatment options, and if surgery is planned, how long the surgery will take as well as recovery.

The greater knowledge you have in regards to your health care, the better equipped you are to make the right decisions relating to your treatment.

To ensure that you are making the most of your visits to the doctor, consider the following recommendations: • Come prepared. Make a list of any concerns or questions you may have regarding your condition.

• Take notes during your appointment and ask for clarification if there are any terms or procedures that you do not understand.

• Be open with your medical history and keep a complete list of all medications, including any over-thecounter medications, vitamins or nutritional supplements.

• Ask your doctor for resources that can help you learn about your condition and treatment options.

Bridging the Distance Millions of Americans care for sick or aging relatives from miles away. The right resources can help with logistics - and ease the guilt and worry.

By Paul Wynn

D The doctor–patient relationship is essential for the delivery of high-quality health care and forms one of the foundations of contemporary medical ethics.

Key to your health and overall quality of care, you must feel comfortable discussing your condition with your doctor to ensure that they are fully aware of your symptoms so that they can be addressed. Trained professionals understand what you are going through as a patient with osteoarthritis, and they have the knowledge to help you understand your condition, take action to prevent or subdue symptoms and treat your osteoarthritis through medication or surgery. If surgery is necessary, a good relationship will allow you to rest assured, knowing that you are in good hands.

As you manage osteoarthritis, members of your health care team will serve as a strong support system as you monitor the progress of your condition, assess the status of how your body functions with osteoarthritis, and develop a plan of treatment that fits your needs. A strategic pairing can build a healthy doctor-patient relationship and a partnership that is dedicated to the quality of your health.

Athletic Orthopedic and Reconstructive Center (AORC) healthcare providers know just how important the patient-doctor relationship is. With offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres, AORC is devoted to providing the highest level of quality care and treatment of the musculoskeletal system, which includes the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles and nerves. AORC specializes in total joint replacement, fracture care, sports medicine, hand surgery, neurology, podiatry and general orthopedics. For more information, call 239936-6778 or visit www.bone-fix.com.

espite living 1,200 miles away, Jane Kaplan is the main caregiver for her 98-year old father, Nathan Glasser. He retired to Florida from New Jersey with his wife - and when she passed away he decided to stay in his adopted state rather than move back North where his three children and their families live.

For years, Glasser had an active life in Florida - working part time and making friends - before his declining memory no longer allowed him to live independently. Suddenly facing the tough decision of choosing an assisted living facility, Kaplan says the family ultimately agreed to honor his request to stay in Florida. “It’s not easy for me to be so far away from him,” she says. “But we made the decision for him to stay in his environment.”

Kaplan is among a rising number of people who live a significant distance away from ailing residents, making caring for aging parents while juggling the demands of full-time employment and raising children seem like an impossible challenge. But even if they are unable to provide daily support in person, they can still be involved in lifesaving care, thanks to planning, technology and eliciting the help of the whole community.

Caring from afar To manage all of her father’s medical needs from afar, Kaplan decided to hire Judy Uzzi, a local geriatric care manager responsible for overseeing Glasser’s medical needs. A licensed social worker, Uzzi takes Glasser to all his medical appointments, and has permission to speak to his doctors about his care. Uzzi says she serves countless ill and aging Florida residents with families out of state - explaining that many long-distance caregivers realize that aging loved ones may find moving too difficult, and finding a whole new medical team can be quite disruptive. Comfort and continuity are key considerations in the decision to stay put.

Once they decide to stay where they are, there are still plenty of ways for you to provide logistical support. Explore local care stewards like Uzzi, as well as looking into cleaning services, home health care and food and transportation services - ensuring they receive quality care and you enjoy peace of mind.

if you don’t live nearby, scheduled video chats with your loved one and a medical team member are a great option to stay involved - and show you care.

Providing emotional support “There’s a strong and natural tendency to want parents nearby as they get older,” says Gary Barg, author of The Fearless Caregiver, but there are ways to still be there emotionally for your mom or dad if they decide to stay where they feel comfortable. One of the best ways to give your emotional love and support is to stay in touch. Try sending your loved one digital movies of yourself, photos of the family and handwritten cards that show you care. Set aside a time each day or week for phone calls with your loved one to keep the family connection strong. While long-distance familial support is great, there’s nothing quite like in-person social support, so don’t hesitate to ask your loved one’s local friends to help. Stay in touch with family and neighbors and if possible, ask them to regularly drop by your loved one’s house, just to check in.

Don’t forget to take care of you With all the planning, decisions, and tendencies towards guilt and worry, you may begin to feel you need a little care yourself. Support groups are available online and in community settings where people support one another through a difficult and delicate situation.

Kaplan admits that her and her brothers constantly reevaluate the decision to keep their father in Florida. “It is stressful questioning our decision and secondguessing whether we made the right one,” she says. “But we know he’s happy where he is and that’s very important.”

Paul Wynn has covered healthcare trends for the past 20 years.

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 29

Last Month’s Answers

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Love How You Move Work options to embrace the

changing face of retirement A

By Carlene Cobb

“D

o what you love,” Mayo Clinic experts advise. “Any form of exercise or movement can increase your fitness level while decreasing your stress.

Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins. The most important thing is to pick an activity that you enjoy.”

Embracing the mantra “Love how you move” means you get to flush the motto “no pain, no gain.” If your 2016 resolutions include exercising for improved health and stress management, get ready to fall in love with being active. Finding your fitness passion is all about considering your personality and fitness goals - then letting yourself love how you move.

If you’re an introvert, swimming laps, jogging, biking, lifting weights or exercising on a treadmill may be comfortable fitness choices for you. If dance is your passion, try swirling across the floor in a Zumba, Nia or ballet class.

And of course, for the super-competitive, dedicating yourself to a sport can ignite your love to move, score and win.

Consistency is key, so it’s vital to discover your personal favorite stickwith-it way(s) to be active. Exercising with a friend or group helps sustain the commitment for many people, who look forward to spending time together while getting their workout in.

Finding your best match may be as simple as a walk in the park, literally.

A brisk 30-minute walk, five times a week, attains the goal of 150 minutes of aerobic activity, as recommended by the Department of Health and Human Services. However, if your stress manifests mentally and physically, choose an activity that engages your mind, spirit and body, like martial arts, yoga or the cardio-dance workout known as Nia. Described by founders as a dance

class, a movement practice and a lifestyle based on the intelligent design of the body, Nia unifies mind, body and spirit in a holistic approach. “Through movement, we find health” claim more than 2,600 instructors in 51 countries where Nia classes are offered.

Longboat Key resident, author and Nia instructor Gail Condrick says she is a “conscious movement expert,” having practiced Nia for 19 years.

“Nia is non-competitive and adaptable for everybody,” she says. “Students who identify discomfort when class begins are stunned, happily, when the pain is decreased, or gone, by the end of class.”

Much like love, finding your perfect exercise activity may happen when you least expect it - so be willing to put yourself out there and keep an open mind - who knows just what you’ll find.

For exercise restrictions you may have, see your doctor. For Nia classes near you, visit www.nianow.com. For general fitness guidelines, visit www. mayoclinic.org/exercise-and-stress.

s life expectancy increases, so does the capital needed to support it; creating a much different vision of the future for the present-day aging American. Aptly deemed “Not Your Father’s Retirement” by some, the retirement of the future will likely be one of “less or different work” rather than no work at all. This employment middle ground offers many of the benefits of working - mental agility, financial gains - without all the demands of a fulltime gig in the rat race. For others, continuing to work allows them to hold off on drawing from their Social Security, which only increases the benefit they get later. And then there are the dreamers, who want to be their own boss, or open a small business - and finally have the capital and the time to do so. Whatever your reason, if you’re considering working after “retirement,” you’ve got plenty of options - from chasing your artistic passion to a second full-time career. Check out some of our ideas below.

Artist or Crafter. For some, retirement is more about exploring their artistic side, but working in retirement doesn’t have to mean less time for your passions.

Use your free time to throw yourself into your hobby, craft or artistic medium of choice, and brainstorm ways to transform it into an income stream. Look into local art fairs or craft shows, as well as considering putting up a profile on a site like Etsy, designed to offer independent sellers a place to offer their crafts.

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Turn your hobby into a thriving business by exhibiting at art fairs or on Etsy.com, a website designed for independent artists.

Consultant. If you’ve got decades of experience in a large industry, but you’ve always wanted to be your own boss, look into what it would take to become a consultant. Depending on your field, you may be able to draft an agreement with your current employer - as well as other companies - to work as an independent contractor on a project basis. Well before retiring, use LinkedIn to develop relationships with executives and companies who may serve as possible leads in the future. The secret to successfully making the jump from a regular job to consulting is to focus in on the key skill you offer and unique value you bring.

Tour Guide. If you’re a great storyteller, with a mind for remembering lots of random facts, a job as a tour guide may be the most fun you’ll ever have. Tours take place anywhere that attracts visitors, like points of historical interest or local breweries. Many require you to lead walking tours, so be sure you’re active enough to be on your feet all day.

Scaling back at your current job. More and more employers are offering formal and informal programs allowing retirees to phase out of work by shedding responsibilities and hours while remaining a useful part of the team. Check in with your boss or human resources department to see if this is an option for you.

Uber driver. If you’re looking for a way to meet countless people, becoming an Uber driver is a great way to do it. According to the company’s website, about a quarter of Uber drivers are over 50, with most citing flexibility as the reason for signing up. More than half of Uber drivers work 15 hours or less each week, and are free to change their hours from week to week as needed.

Lifestyles After 50 • February 2016 • page 31 R

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