Lifestyles After 50 Southwest Edition, October 2015

IT’S Fall Y’ALL!

A Behind-The-Scenes Look at Florida’s Famous Films

By Tracie Lukens

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hat do the “Creature From the Black Lagoon,” “Flipper” and “Day of the Dead” have in common?

They were all films shot in Florida.

Now through Nov. 12, you can walk down memory lane and see dramatic posters and lobby cards depicting some of our state’s most famous films from the 1920s to the present at the exhibit “Beaches, Creatures and Cowboys: Florida Movie Posters,” hosted by the Southwest Florida Museum of History.

“For a short time in the early twentieth century, Florida even rivaled California as a place for movie making.” says museum representative Cathy Chestnut.

The state’s tropical environment, coupled with accessibility, were popular draws for film makers. Some of the most popular shooting locations have been the Everglades, Miami, the Orlando region and the state’s natural springs, including Weeki Wachee and Wakulla Springs.

“Decades ago, Florida was considered very exotic to outsiders—alligators, snakes, swamps, the Seminole, barrier islands. It had a magical allure. From a pragmatic standpoint, it mimics other locales in the

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 2

Caribbean so it was a cost-saving option to replicate, say, Cuba, which is off-limits anyway. So it saved on the cost of traveling for film crew and cast.”

A number of films shot in Florida achieved success at the box office.

“I grew up fascinated by ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon,’ and I think we were all endeared by ‘Flipper’,” says Chestnut.

“But there are more recent ones, too, that resonate with various audiences, such as ‘Marley & Me’ and ‘Cocoon.’”

Cocoon (1985), which was filmed primarily in Clearwater and St. Petersburg, grossed $76.1 million. Dolphin Tale, (2011) which followed the story of Winter the dolphin

at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, made $72.2 million and helped promote awareness for native marine wildlife.

Not all of the movies shot here were beneficial to their surroundings, however.

A well-established population of rhesus monkeys has existed along the Silver River in central Florida for nearly 80 years, believed to be escapees from the 1933 filming of a Tarzan movie.

Then and Now The filming of each movie had a life of its own, a story of its own, says Chestnut.

For example, K.C. Schulberg, son of television and film producer Stuart Schulberg, is producing “A Dream Last Night” in the Everglades area.

“K.C.—I think he lives in Naples— has followed in his family’s footsteps, having worked on over 200 films for cinema and television,” Chestnut says.

“Stuart produced ‘Wind Across the Everglades’ (1958). K.C. was a young boy who was on the set for a stint. “‘Wind Across the Everglades’ is unique for various reasons: It was Peter Falk’s first feature. It was Christopher Plummer’s first non-Shakespearean role.

It was undoubtedly the first American film with a clearly ecological message. It was one of the first films to cast genuine Seminoles in the Indian roles.

“It was not an easy shoot, as the production suffered delays due to weather and the hardships of filming in a then very underdeveloped part of Southwest Florida.

K.C.’s film is a nod to that golden era of film production, and it’s supposed to take place in Cuba, but again, Florida steps up to the plate. I think it’s a nice continuum of heritage,” Chestnut says.

Admission to the exhibit is $9:50.

Hours: Tues. through Sat, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Southwest Florida Museum of History is located at 2031 Jackson Street in downtown Fort Myers. Learn more at museumofhistory.org or 239-321-7430.

It’s Pretzel and Beer Time. ‘Nuff Said.

Dear Readers,

the world hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modeled after the Munich event. hen I lived up Florida is no exception, and in this issue north, we had you’ll find local Oktoberfests and other changing leaves and a fall festivals to put you in that autumn nip in the air to announce mood. Grab the family and enjoy music, the arrival of fall. Here games, food, pumpkin patches and more, in Florida, it’s officially Tracie Lukens, or raise your glass in a hearty “Prost!” autumn when the kegs are Editor If you’re interested in hosting your own tapped for Oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest, check out this great recipe You’ve got to hand it to this state; we for beer’s favorite buddy, Bavarian know how to brew. You’re talking about Pretzels. Traditionally, pretzel dough Cigar City’s home state—not to mention was dipped in a caustic lye solution Cycle Brewing, 7venth Sun, Funky before baking to create that deep brown Buddha and Swamp Head, to name a few. crust. But you can substitute a baking It’s no coincidence that the brews start soda solution for the same effect. With flowing abundantly around football season. this easy recipe, you’ll be twisting According to “By the Numbers: Super homemade pretzels in no time.

Bowl Facts and Figures,” in the Super Bowl alone the beer consumption by Americans is around 325.5 million gallons.

Others toast to cooler weather and the arrival of the holiday season. It’s all about celebration! The first Oktoberfest was the public celebration of the marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Luitpolk to the Saxon-Hildburgenhausen Princess Therese in October, 1810. All of the people of Munich, Germany were invited to the fiveEasy Bavarian Pretzels day celebration, held on a large meadow.

The original celebration featured horse Makes a dozen large pretzels races, barrel rolling, games and, later, (From Beersmith.com) mechanical rides. Beer wasn’t permitted 1 packet active dry bread yeast on the fairgrounds until late in the 1800s, 1 cup warm water but eventually beer stands and beer halls 2 tablespoons soft butter or margarine became a part of Oktoberfest.

Today, the world’s largest beer festival 2 3/4 cups bread flour is still held on its original site, referred 1/2 teaspoon salt to as “Theresienwiese” (Therese’s 1 tablespoon sugar meadow) and has grown to a 16-day- 5 teaspoons baking soda (for glazing) long celebration. Munich’s Oktoberfest Coarse salt (if desired) attracts more than six million people every year who consume 1.5 million Instructions: In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup gallons of beer! Visitors also eat large warm water and packet of yeast. amounts of traditional food such as pork, Mix in 1 1/2 cups of flower, the 2 tbsp chicken, potato pancakes, sauerkraut and red cabbage. Many cities across margarine, 1/2 tsp salt and tbsp sugar.

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Beat the entire mixture for 3 minutes to mix well.

Slowly mix in the remaining 1 1/4 cups of flour, and knead dough until all of the flour is mixed in and dough loses its stickiness.

Set aside in bowl, and let it rise until dough reaches approximately double its original size.

Divide dough into twelve approximately equal pieces. Using your palms, roll each piece into 18″ lengths about pencil thickness. Loop and twist the lengths into pretzel shapes and place on a greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again until they approximately double in girth.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees, and ready a boiling solution of 4 cups of water, and the 5 tsp of baking soda in a shallow non-aluminum pot. (Note: aluminum may react with baking soda).

With a plastic spatula, carefully lift each pretzel from the sheet and lower it into the boiling baking soda solution for Tampa Bay 15Dena – 20Bingham: seconds.813-293-1262 Make sure you cover bothdena@lifestylesafter50.com sides of the pretzel.

Sprinkle the pretzels with coarse salt (if desired; they’re great without salt as well), and bake approximately 7 – 10 minutes until browned. Serve warm, plain or topped with butter, mustard or cheese.

Snowbirds Another sign of fall’s return to the Sunshine State is the return of our northern friends. We’re glad to have you back! Inside this issue you’ll find tips on how to get your seasonal home ready, where to find fun stuff to do and ways to connect with new neighbors while you’re here, among other things.

Wishing you a festive fall!

—Tracie Lukens

Lee, Collier & Charlotte Edition

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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

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Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 3

Thursday November 5 • 7pm

Around Town W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G O C T O B E R 2 0 1 5

Singer’s Showcase!

Diana Ross Dionne Warwick Motown & More

The Cultural Center

Patsy Cline Loretta Lynn Country Classics

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uesdays through Nov. 3 The Story of China. Explores the impact of China’s history, religion, and culture on the world. $10 per sesson. 10 – 11:30 a.m. The Academy of Lifelong Learning at Shell Point, Fort Myers.

239-489-8472. Shellpoint.org/events. aturday Farmers Market. Free admission. 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Downtown Punta Gorda. 941-391-4856.

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“Hope for the Best, Plan for the Rest” event. Experts address issues such as planning for end-of-life care, home health care and more. Free. 1 – 3 p.m. Hope Cape Coral Community Room. Refreshments served. RSVP required at 239-985-7727.

10 1200 W. Retta Esplanade Punta Gorda, FL 33950

Masters Tennis (50 and over) and the Visually Impaired will make its debut at the Rotonda Community Park in West Charlotte County. The free program is designed to bring recreational tennis to the blind/visually impaired community. 10 – 11 a.m., 941-698-9480.

The Best of Charlotte 15 T

hrough 18 “Rounding Third.”

Follow two little league coaches through an entire hilarious season reflecting the joy and pain felt by any person who has ever loved a child who was competing for anything, from sports to spelling bees. 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Recurring weekly on Sunday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday at Langdon Playhouse, Charlotte Players Community Theater Center, Port Charlotte. 941-255-1022.

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PBPW Wacky Whiffer Golf Outing. Good and not-so-good golfers invited. This is not your normal golf outing...hope you’re good with a tennis racket! On some holes, it’s ok to put a golf ball in the toilet or swing holding oven mitts! $55 includes 9 holes of golf and lunch. Trophies awarded at lunch; silent auction and 50/50 raffle before and after the tournament. 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Andrews South Golf Course, 113 Millport St. NW, Port Charlotte. 941-235-0113.

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Third Friday Drive-in. Every third Friday (weather permitting) see a free drive-in movie in downtown Punta Gorda, 121 Marion Ave., across from River City Grill. Visit facebook. com/thirdfridaydrivein for movie listing.

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 4

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– 18 “Toys In The Attic.” A peaceful Southern home erupts in intrigue and deceit when two sisters discover their ne’er-do-well brother is suddenly wildly successful. $24/$22.

8 p.m. Sunday Matinee: 2 p.m. Theatre Conspiracy, Fort Myers. 239-936-3239. www.theatreconspiracy.org.

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– 25 “Wake Me At Midnight.”

A comedy about a dysfunctional Brooklyn family that schemes to determine where their deceased uncle’s missing lottery ticket is. $19. 8 p.m.

Weekend matinee: 3 p.m. Cultural Park Theater, Cape Coral. 239-772-5862.

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Tropical Tastes of Summer Cruise. Take a 90-minute sunset cruise with King Fisher Fleet and tour Charlotte Harbor while local musician Michael Hirst plays tropical tunes.

Cruises include appetizers and 2 drink vouchers for a variety of beer and wine on board. 6 p.m. $40. Fishermen’s Village, Punta Gorda. Tickets and info at 941-639-0969.

Gallery Walk. Live entertainment, food and drink samplings, art, beauty and health demonstrations, a free trolley and plenty of free parking. 5 – 8 p.m. Free admission. Downtown Punta Gorda. 941-639-3720.

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Pet Rescue Festival. K9 demos, entertainment, vendors and adopta-thon areas are free. Festival film at 11 and 1 p.m for $12. Film and silent auction proceeds support local shelters. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Cultural Center of Charlotte County.

Info/tickets at 941-625-4175 x221.

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and 18 Bonsai Society of Southwest FL Annual Show and Sale. Tree exhibit, bonsai technique demos, workshops, and sales of bonsai and related materials. Free admission.

9 a.m. – 5 p.m. City Pier Building, Fort Myers. 239-560-3275.

– 23 Charlotte Harbor Regatta.

F18 Americas Championship.

Over 60 boats from around the world will attend. Free. Port Charlotte Beach Pavillion.

941-206-1133.

Charlotteharborregatta.com.

Car and Bike Show. Muscle Car City’s Car Cruise held in the parking lLot. Free to show car owners and the public. Trophies awarded to the top 6. Live music, 50/50 raffle, door prizes. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Muscle Car City Museum, Punta Gorda. 941-575-5959.

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Holiday Arts & Crafts Show.

Free admission and parking.

Greek Café offered for lunch. 9 a.m.

– 3 p.m. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Port Charlotte. 941-200-2904.

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Tropical Tastes of Summer Cruise. Enjoy a 90 min. sunset cruise while local musicians play tropical tunes.

Proceeds benefit non-profit foundations. $40. Includes appetizers and a variety of beer and wine.m6 p.m.

King Fisher Fleet, Punta Gorda.

941-639-3969. Kingfisherfleet.com.

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Gardening for Palms. Free gardening class offered by the Lee County Master Gardeners with Q&A afterwards. 9 – 10:30 a.m. Cape Coral Rotary Park. For more info and to RSVP, call 239-549-4606.

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The Del Prados will be performing at the Cape Coral Elks Lodge. The event is open to the public with lots of dancing, singing, door prizes, cocktail hour (5 p.m.), full buffet (6 p.m.), Showtime (7 – 10 p.m.) all for $25 per person.

Reserve early. 239-549-1508.

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Basic Ballroom Dance Lessons. $2 per lesson per person and open to the public. 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Lake Kennedy Senior Center, Cape Coral. 239-542-6273.

Send Around Town events to Lifestyles After 50, P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL 33583; fax 813-651-1989 or email info@lifestylesafter50.com.

News must be received by the 10th of the month prior to event (i.e. October 10 for November event.)

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 5

Welcome Back, Snowbirds!

By Tracie Lukens

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n old joke says that you can tell it’s fall in Florida when the colors start to change on the license plates.

An estimated 818,000 snowbirds make the Sunshine State their home during the peak winter months, according to a study by Stan Smith, director of the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research.

While year-round residents may complain about busy roads or longer wait times for a table at their favorite restaurant, it’s great news for local businesses.

“Our accommodations, restaurants and retail businesses benefit the most from the snowbirds,” says Elizabeth Spies, vice president of communications at the Chamber of Commerce in Destin, which has a large snowbird community. “Snowbirds also patronize our arts organizations...whose seasons run through the winter months.”

Home in Florida With the state’s warm weather and abundant recreational opportunities, it’s not surprising that many visitors choose to stay. Celebrities from Hulk Hogan, Larry Bird and David Cassidy to John Travolta, Celine Dion and Cher have made Florida their home. Stephen King, one of our most famous snowbirds, spends half the year in Sarasota/Casey Key and the other half in Maine.

Most temporary residents migrate to counties in the southern part of the state.

Lee County, in southwest Florida where Fort Myers is located, has the most temporary residents, followed by Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, Collier, Broward, Polk, Pinellas, Sarasota, Pasco and Hillsborough counties, according to the UF study. New Yorkers account for 13.1 percent of Florida’s temporary residents, followed by Michiganders at 7.4 percent, Ohioans at 6.7 percent, Pennsylvanians at 5.8 percent and Canadians at 5.5 percent, the study found. The average length of stay is five months.

Staying Connected Snowbirds of a feather do tend to flock together, report Florida Weekly columnists Mary Jane Fine and Tim Norris. Long Islanders and their fellow New York Outer Borough-ites and suburbanites tend to gravitate to Palm Beach County; Canadians lean toward Hollywood and Deerfield Beach; while Michiganders and Minnesotans head to Naples, Bonita Springs and Sanibel Island.

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 6

It started with interstates. From the Midwest, the most direct route to Florida, I-75, goes to the West Coast.

From the Northeast, I-95 follows the East Coast straight down to Miami.

From Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia, it’s a comfortable drive to the Panhandle.

After that, it comes down to word of mouth between northern neighbors on where to retire and vacation. That, and a strong sense of community.

“There’s something about Clevelanders that we like to stick together,” says snowbird Rita Weiner, a former icecream store owner who retired from Beachwood to Boynton Beach with her husband, Gerry. “Clevelanders will always be faithful to Cleveland.”

Many of these communities will have dedicated snowbird clubs, but a great way to expand your circle of friends and familiarize yourself with your winter home is to attend a meeting at a Welcome or Newcomers Club, such as the Tampa Bay Newcomers (tampabaynewcomers. com), Welcome Club of Sarasota (welcomeclubsarasota.com), or the Naples Newcomers (naplesnewcomers. com) to name a few. Clubs near you are easy to find online.

Meetup.com is also a great way to connect with others for fun activities, as are local community centers such as the Carrollwood Cultural Center in Tampa (carrollwoodcenter.org), the Friendship Centers in Sarasota, Venice, Lee, DeSoto, Charlotte and Collier (friendshipcenters. org) the Cultural Center of Charlotte County (theculturalcenter.com), the Lee County

Alliance for the Arts (artinlee.org) and the Largo Cultural Center (largo.com) among others. There, you’ll find arts, entertainment, classes, local trips and more.

Recreation What’s new since you were here last? If you’re coming to the Tampa Bay area, a trip to Top Golf (topgolf.com/us/tampa) or the new Bass Pro Shop (basspro.com) is a fun way to spend the afternoon. Legoland (florida.legoland.com) just opened up a new hotel in Winter Haven, and Warm Mineral Springs (warmmineral.com) has reopened in Sarasota. There’s a lot to see and do no matter where you go. For a list of events, attractions, dining and more near you, check out visitflorida.com or your town’s convention and visitor’s bureau. The Around Town section of this magazine will feature fun things to do in your community each month.

Earning Change or Changing Lives If you’re looking for seasonal work, there’s plenty to be found on sites like Indeed.com, SnagAJob.com and Craigslist.com.

Retirementjobs.com and Workforce50.com are geared more toward boomer and senior applicants. Work at Home Vintage Employees (wahve.com) offers work-fromhome opportunities to retirees. If you’re RVing in, check out Workamper.com for jobs that come with free camp space.

If your interests lie more in volunteering, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) is active throughout Florida with a wide variety of programs, from tutoring youth to rennovating homes. (ecsbigbend.org/index.php/services/rsvp)

Meals on Wheels, a food delivery service for the homebound, is always looking for drivers. Search online for the facility nearest you.

Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity, Seniors Helping Seniors and more could use helping hands as well. Service hours are flexible; just find a cause you are passionate about and go for it!

Transportation Need a ride? The Florida Senior Safety Resource Center provides access to a database of transportation resources available in each Florida county. With a simple click on a map, you can view the transportation options that are available in your community. The website also provides information and links for numerous other community resources.

Visit safeandmobileseniors.org.

If You Need a Hand The Department of Elder Affairs administers programs and services for elders across the state of Florida through 11 Area Agencies on Aging, which operate Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs). So if you need assistance with anything from caregiving and health insurance to getting meals or finding a place to live, your local Area Agency on Aging can help. Find the closest one to you at elderaffairs.state.fl.us/doea/ arc.php. Or call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337).

It’s going to be a great season, and we hope you have everything you need to make the most of your winter stay. If you’re a snowbird, Lifestyles After 50 Magazine would love to hear from you.

Where are you from? What are your plans for the season? Give us a buzz at editor@ lifestylesafter50.com. Welcome back!

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 7

Could Treating Lung Disease Lower Your Risk for Dementia?

By Cara Tompot

didn’t have any options to improve their condition. Now, a clinic based in the United States has developed three unique treatments using stem cells derived from the patient’s own fat, blood or bone marrow. Stem cells have an innate healing property that allows them to regenerate damaged lung tissue.

After treating over 1,000 patients, the Lung Institute (www.lunginstitute.com) explains that this innovative procedure slows the progression of the disease, in addition to restoring lung function and reducing inflammation. Patients report being able to breathe easier, which raises their blood oxygen levels and lowers their chances of developing Alzheimer’s or dementia.

The benefits of improving your lung function seem relatively obvious: the ability to breathe easier, the chance to get back to the life you once had, an improved prognosis—the list goes on.

Now, there is potential for improved lung function to also decrease the likelihood of developing a debilitating condition like dementia. As it stands, stem cell therapy maybe the answer to slow down the progression of both lung disease and dementia.

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t’s 2015, and it feels like the healthcare dialogue has shifted greatly in the last decade. We live in a society that constantly uses buzzwords like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Movies such as “Still Alice” have brought these debilitating conditions into the limelight. Just recently at a World Health Organization (WHO) conference, a global action called for increased investment in promising research efforts for treating dementia.

In many ways, the first step in curing dementia is learning how it develops and how certain risk factors contribute to a dementia diagnosis.

Recent studies point to a link between chronic lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the development of dementia.

COPD is a progressive disease that restricts the airflow in and out of the lungs. As a result, sufferers of a chronic lung disease often experience breathlessness. Oftentimes, sufferers have very low oxygen levels, which can increase the risk for heart attacks, strokes and permanent brain damage.

After a fifteen-year study, scientists have concluded that these low blood oxygen levels (hypoxemia) and structural brain damage are just two ways that sufferers of a chronic lung disease have an increased risk for dementia.

Additionally, hypercapnia, which is an increased amount of carbon dioxide in the blood—a common side effect of smoking and COPD, can increase the chance of cognitive impairment. This proves a direct correlation between

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Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 8

chronic lung disease and dementia.

In the wake of these new findings, researchers are determining whether maintaining optimal pulmonary health could decrease your risk for developing dementia. For individuals suffering from a chronic lung disease, this adds extra incentive to improve lung function, and many are turning to stem cell therapy for relief.

For too long, sufferers of COPD and emphysema have found that they

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Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 9

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Autumn Leaf Mason Jar Candle Holders 2. To decoupage, dip your brush in the Mod Podge and paint a thin layer on an outside section of the jar.

For more than a decade, hundreds of clients and their families have entrusted their care to us to help them to live safe, happy and independent lives in the comfort of their own homes.

3. Once that layer becomes sticky (check by dabbing your finger on it), place a leaf on the jar. (You may need to wet or iron your leaves before you adhere them so they become more bendable.)

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his beautiful, easy-to-make craft will bring a little fall color into your home. It’s a perfect gift or activity to do with grandkids. This craft idea comes from sparkandchemistry.com.

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4. Paint more Mod Podge on top of the leaf in thin layers, making sure to smooth out the edges. Start in the center of the leaf, and push your way out to the edges with your fingers.

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Caregivers’ Comfort®

By Julie Cook Downing

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t least 27 percent of the adult population has provided some type of\caregiving in the past year, and over 44 million family members in the United States are caring for a loved one. Florida has the fourth largest number of family caregivers in the country. You are not alone!

Caregiver Job Description:

©2000 by Julie Cook Downing

• Age - no minimum or maximum • Sex - male or female • Race - Any • Caregiving experience - none required • Location - anywhere in the world • Relationship to patient - Can be related or unrelated • Patient disorders - chronic illness or disabiltiy • Patients - parents, siblings, lovers, children, relatives, friends and others • Compensation – volunteer or paid professional • Length of workday – 24 hours, plus • Length of assignment – several days to a lifetime.

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 10

My mother in Cleveland was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1996. As a long-distance-only child caregiver, supported and assisted by my husband, Ted, I developed programs, resources and tools to integrate into my life as I embarked on a new familial role.

It was during our family’s experiences with my mother’s evolving mental deterioration and her subsequent death that I realized the need for tools to assist caregivers beyond the support group I attended and the care manager I hired to help our family. That realization led me to found Caregivers’ Comfort Creations®, LLC, dedicated to supporting, motivating and coaching caregivers. Because of my own experiences with over two decades of caregiving and experiences shared with me by others, I am excited to connect with you monthly through Lifestyles After 50 magazine.

Next month, I will introduce my Caregiver Job Responsibilities and we’ll see how many of you can identify with them. Until we meet again, know that you are loved and appreciated and “Take comfort in your caregiving.”

Visit caregiverscomfort.com to learn more about Julie Downing and her free monthly Sarasota/Bradenton support groups.

Materials Clear-surfaced mason jars (without print/ridges) Faux autumn leaves Mod Podge or other clear, water-based glue/sealer Sponge brush Rafia or ribbon Clear spray varnish (optional) Directions 1. First, make sure the outside of your jar is clean. Wipe it gently with rubbing alcohol.

5. Layer more leaves on top, filling the jar with as many as you desire.

6. Once all the leaves are on, it will take a few hours to dry completely. If you are concerned about leaves coming off, you can spray the jar with a clear varnish to seal it.

7. Finish off the top of the jar with rafia or ribbon to complete the look. Place a candle inside and watch it light the room with beautiful orange, red and green fall colors!

Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda Laugh, Cry in “Grace And Frankie” ood news for fans of Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda’s on-screen friendship: “Grace and Frankie” has been picked up for a second season.

The Netflix original, created by Marta Kauffman (Friends) and Howard J. Morris (Home Improvement), stars Tomlin and Fonda as women who reluctantly lean on each other when their husbands come out as gay and run away together. Season 2 will be released in 2016. Watch Season 1 on Netflix.com.

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Eat, Drink and Be Scary! Fall Festivals and More 9

– 11 Punkin’palooza 2015 at Fleamasters Fleamarket & Music Hall in Ft. Myers. Pumpkin carving competition, pumpkin adoption and decorating at the Great Pumpkin Patch.

Plus live entertainment on stage, games and kids activities. Free admission/ parking. Fleamall.com.

and more. Birding, boating, tram, paddleboarding and kayaking activities fill the week. Free admission. 1 Wildlife Dr., Sanibel Island. 239-472-1100.

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-- 25 Stone Crab Festival.

Plenty of fresh stone crab claws, music, events, art and fun activities for the whole family. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Old Naples Waterfront, 1500 Fifth Ave. S., Naples. Stonecrabfestival.org.

9

– 11 10th Annual Salty Sam’s Pirate Festival on Fort Myers Beach. Pirate ball, pub quest, live music and performances, ship battles and children’s activities! Free admission. 9: 4 p.m. 10 and 11: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Old San Carlos Seaport, Old San Carlos Blvd., Fort Myers Beach.

239-463-6000.

24

Fall Extravaganza. Featuring food and craft vendors, nonprofit and for-profit businesses, health care/community services, and more.

Games, music, pumpkins, hay rides and other activities. Free admission; $1 parking. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Charlotte County Fairgrounds, 21075 Quesada Avenue, Port Charlotte. 941-625-4356 or visit www.pcumc.info.

10

Oktoberfest at the Cultural Center of Charlotte County.

Live music, traditional German food and beer. $2 general admission. $25 VIP admission includes German sampler plate, bottomless beer and a reserved seat. 5 – 8 p.m. 2280 Aaron St., Port Charlotte. For tickets/info, visit theculturalcenter.com or call 941-625-4175.

16

– 18, 23 – 25 Oktoberfest. Tent and outdoor biergarten with three stages and two dance floors. Sausage, bratwurst, schweinhaxen, handmade crafts and more. Admission: $5/$6 with free parking. Noon until Midnight.

Hosted by the German American Social

Club, Cape Coral. 239-283-1400 or capecoraloktoberfest.com.

18

– 24 “Ding” Darling Days.

A week of eco-activities with all-free refuge tram tours, live wildlife presentations, hot dogs, kids crafts,

N

ov. 1 Ecofest. Exhibitors, fun learning activities for all ages, trails and wildlife observation. Free admission.

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lemon Bay Park and Environmental Center, 570 Bay Park Blvd., Englewood. 941-626-2489.

MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT DATES! October 15 - December 7

1-866-413-5337 TOLL FREE Se Habla Español

SHINE is a Florida Department of Elder Affairs program operated in partnership with your local Area Agency on Aging to provide information and assistance with Medicare. All services are free, objective and conndential. WE DO NOT SELL INSURANCE OR REPRESENT ANY INSURANCE ENTITY.

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 11

PREVENT Serious Bathroom Falls Let Us Install A Safety

Shower & Bathtub

GRAB BAR r Great Gift fo ! s lk o the F

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 12

Lic. #123956 Ins. #VGMD1014G5136-1

On The Move With PostSurgical Physical Therapy A fter joint surgery, it is essential to establish an effective recovery and rehabilitation plan in order to ensure that your body remains active and healthy.

An effective physical therapy program is influenced by two factors: the type of surgery and the patient’s willingness to actively participate in his or her physical therapy program. Depending on the type of procedure, it can take many months for your body to fully recover from surgery.

Therefore, it is extremely important that you adhere to the guidance provided through your program and complete any home exercises, as instructed by your physical therapist.

Joint surgery options may include minimally invasive surgical diagnosis and repair, also known as arthroscopic surgery. Arthroscopic surgery is a highly valuable tool in the diagnosis and repair of joint tears and joint inflammation.

Rehabilitation for knee arthroscopy may include temporary immobilization during the initial healing process. Once this occurs, an exercise program to restore full mobility and strengthen your knee is usually recommended. For those with knee arthroscopy, an orthopedic surgeon may recommend 20 – 30 minutes two or three times a day. At the guidance of a physical therapist, walking can slowly be incorporated into your exercise program as the healing process advances. In many cases, with the approval of a physical therapist, patients can begin walking two weeks post-operation. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers common exercises that could potentially be incorporated into an initial, intermediate or advanced level exercise program. These exercises should be supervised by a physical therapist, at the direction of a surgeon: • Initial Exercise: Straight Leg Raises, Standing: Using support if needed, from a standing position, slowly lift your leg forward keeping your knee straight. Return back to standing and relax. Repeat 10 times.

• Intermediate Exercise: Terminal Knee Extension, Supine: Lie on your back with a towel rolled underneath your knee. While supported by the towel roll, straighten your knee and hold for five seconds. Slowly relax your leg, bringing your knee back to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

• Advanced Exercise: Step-Ups, Forward: Leading with your operated knee, step forward onto a 6-inch high

stool. Step down to return to starting position. Repeat 10 times. As your strength increases, you can increase the height of the stool accordingly.

Another common joint surgery is arthroplasty, which is the replacement of a joint. During this surgical procedure, the surgeon removes damaged bone and cartilage and positions prosthetic components in its place. This type of surgery typically results in a hospital stay for a few days and a longer recovery period. Patients are often encouraged to use their “new” joint shortly after surgery and early postoperative exercises are essential for hip or knee replacements.

Many exercises can be done while in the hospital bed, including: • Ankle Pumps: Slowly move your foot forward and back, out toward the wall in front of you and in toward your body.

Repeat several times.

• Ankle Rotations: Move your ankle inward and rotate it outwards in clockwise circles. Repeat five times in each direction.

• Bed-Supported Knee Bends: Bend one knee as you slide your heel on the bed toward your buttocks. Do not let your knee roll inward.

For any type of surgery, recovery time will reflect on the individual and the type of surgery. In many cases, physicians will recommend that patients get in shape prior to the surgery. Cutting down or quitting smoking altogether, eating well and doing exercises to strengthen the body are customary recommendations. If you are a candidate for joint surgery or are experiencing discomfort in your joints and are considering treatment options, know that you can take a proactive approach to your situation. Ensuring a successful outcome includes a commitment to finding the right treatment option for your condition, as well as committing to the healing process.

With offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres, Athletic Orthopedic and Reconstructive Center (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 239-936-6778 or visit www.bone-fix.com.

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 13

Leave A Legacy W

hat does it mean to donate your body to science? Most people think of medical school anatomy classes when the topic comes up. But whole body donation doesn’t end with universities.

Every day, across the world, medical organizations are making scientific breakthroughs. From the continual study of diseases and their progression to the development of less invasive patient surgical techniques, medical researchers rely on whole body donation to push medicine forward. The resulting advancements lead to improved medical care and lowered surgical costs.

If you are considering whole body donation, there are a number of factors you should weigh when selecting the program that is right for you.

• Accreditation – Is the program fully accredited through the American Association of Tissue Banks? The AATB assures that the highest standards of care and procedures are practiced by accredited programs.

• Costs – Are there any hidden costs to donation? Many programs provide no-cost services for donation-related

expenses, but some programs do not cover items such as death certificates and transportation to and from an institution or facility.

• Support – Can the program be contacted 24-hours a day, 365 days a year?

• Acceptance – How broad are the acceptance criteria? Many programs do not have upper age limits, but criteria related to body size and the presence of communicable diseases such as HIV and hepatitis B or C are common.

• Medical network – How extensive is the program’s network of medical researchers and educators that utilize donations? The broader the medical communities that a program supports, the more likely a donation will be put to good use in a timely manner.

There are many whole body donation programs available in Florida that provide support to medical research in the state and beyond. By donating your body to one of these programs, you’re helping advance science while minimizing your end-of-life expenses.

It’s a great way to pay it forward.

MUSIC & MEMORY Music & Memory is Juniper Village at Naples’ newest program.

Your generous donation will help brighten the spirits of our residents while bringing them joy and relaxation.

Please contact Maria Ciocca for more donation information.

239-598-1368 ALF 9761 Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 14

9 Great Apps and Services That Help You Get Ready For Your New Home

By Sarah Ficek

I

f you’re a seasonal resident, packing up your life and moving it across the country is no easy task. Fortunately, an armada of awesome apps and services can make the transition easier. Search the web or your app store for the helpful services below, download and relocate with ease:

1. Store your off-season items with MakeSpace. When you schedule a free MakeSpace pickup, pack the bins with your winter stuff and they will pick it all up, store your bins in their secure storage facility and create a visual catalog of your stuff so when you need something delivered, it’s just a few clicks away. Snowbirds in NYC, Chicago and Washington can take advantage of their free Goodwill donation pickups as well. (makespace.com) 2. You’ve got an old house to winterize and a new house to get ready.

Outsource your chores to TaskRabbit.

Like personal assistants, Taskers, who are fully vetted by TaskRabbit and reviewed by other customers, take care of pretty much anything, including cleaning carpet, helping someone move into a new place, mounting a TV, getting groceries, cooking, etc. (taskrabbit.com) 3. Give your home the deep clean it needs after you’ve been away by using Handy. Background-checked and certified professional cleaners will come to your home and clean every room. Handy will even wash your dishes, do your laundry, make your bed and take out the trash. (handy.com) 4. Do you need help around the house? Get a personal butler using Alfred. Twice a week, a carefully-vetted Alfred will swing by and complete chores and errands while freeing up your time.

Alfred will sort mail, tidy up, do grocery shopping, stock the fridge and pick up and drop off dry cleaning, laundry and pharmacy items. (helloalfred.com) 5. Use OfferUp to easily sell just about anything to people in your neighborhood. All you need is the app, your phone’s camera, and 30 seconds to list any item for sale. Just be sure to double check the buyer’s reviews so you can get your cash with confidence. (offerupnow.com) 6. Have unwanted video games, Blurays, CDs, or DVDs? Send them to Decluttr and collect dollars. The app turns your phone’s camera into a barcode scanner so you can get an instant value for your discs. Ship your discs to Decluttr using their free shipping label, and get paid after they finish processing your collection. (decluttr.com)

8695 College Parkway, Suite #2012 Fort Myers, FL 33919 www.GibbsLawFL.com Phone: 239-415-7495 E-mail: info@gibbslawFl.com

7. While purging your closet, send items across the country using Shyp.

All you have to do is take a photo of the item and enter its destination. Shyp picks it up, securely packs it, and sends it anywhere in the world using the most efficient option. (shyp.com) 8. Get rid of stacks of documents by downloading and using Scannable to scan and digitally save any paper.

Got an important business card? Use Scannable to transform it into a contact in your phone, complete with his/ her LinkedIn details. (evernote.com/ products/scannable) 9. A pile of mail collecting at your vacated home lets thieves know you’re not around. Stop receiving junk mail with PaperKarma.

Just snap a photo of the mail and PaperKarma will contact the sender to remove them from their distribution list. (paperkarma.com)

3 Estate Planning Steps You Can Take Now To Protect Loved Ones!

Hello, Lifestyles Friends & Colleagues!

H

bank accounts (checking and savings), CDs, Mutual Funds and Stock Trading Accounts. A POD or TOD will designate a beneficiary upon the death of the account holder to avoid probate.

1. Check Your Beneficiary Designations On Insurance and Qualified Financial Accounts!

3. Check Your Real Estate Titles and Other Vehicle Titles!

ere are a few steps that you can take to prevent unnecessary estate planning complications as follows:

Steven J. Gibbs, Esq.

Insurance products have beneficiary designations and many people do not complete the designation form and so designate “the estate” by default. Qualified Financial Accounts such as 401k, 403b and IRA accounts also have beneficiary designations and this same problem arises.

2. Utilize Transfer Upon Death (TOD) or Pay Upon Death (POD) options for Non-Qualified Accounts!

Non-qualified accounts are accounts without unique tax treatment such as

If real estate assets only include one person’s name on the title, probate may be required to transfer it to beneficiaries. In many cases, simply adding a spouse to title or another beneficiary will simplify things dramatically.

All of the above assumes that you already have your necessary estate planning documents, so please do not ignore this when taking the above steps.

As always, I hope this is helpful! — SJG Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 15

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 16

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 17

TRAVEL

See Florida’s Natural Wonders Florida’s Other Nationally Designated Recreational Sites: • Big Cypress National Wildlife Refuge, in and around Collier County in southwest Florida, is one location where the roaming Florida panther can be spotted.

• Timucuan National Preserve, in northeast Florida, once home to the native Timucuan people and a treasure of natural and archaeological history.

The Everglades

By Kenneth Morgan-Schleuning, VISIT FLORIDA

Biscayne National Park

Coral Reefs: In waters just offshore are the only living coral reefs in the continental United States. In otherworldly shapes and colors, Florida corals are home to countless species of sea life, protected within Biscayne National Park.

Islands: To the south is Dry Tortugas National Park, within the famous chain of islands called the Florida Keys. Also on site, visitors can take a step back in history at Fort Jefferson, built between 1846 and 1875 to protect shipping along the Straits of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, among other strategic needs.

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 18

Canaveral National Seashore

Seashores: Lesser known yet magnificent are Canaveral National Seashore, which includes 25 miles of Florida’s Atlantic coastline, and Gulf Islands National Seashore, the longest tract of protected seashore in the nation.

These two seashores offer miles of pristine sand, sea oats and sea grapes with coastal views that stretch to the horizon. Dolphins and manatees thrive in the waters here, and sea turtles return year after year to nest on the shores.

Crystal River Preserve State Park

“The department is eager to share its State Parks and natural treasures,” said Donald Forgione, director of the Florida Park Service. “We are committed to helping our citizens and visitors discover and explore our natural resources here in the Sunshine State.”

Accessible National and State Parks

J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge

• J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, near Sanibel Island, is renowned for birding and other wildlife-watching.

The National Park Service invites visitors to these and other parks to share their experiences using #FindYourPark.

Florida’s State Parks

Florida’s National Parks The Everglades: Out of the three National Parks in Florida, the environmental crown jewel is Everglades National Park, unique to the planet with millions of acres of tropical, watery grasslands, mangroves and ecosystems that nurture myriad species of wildlife.

Here, visitors may see endangered species that thrive in the wilds of the Everglades: manatees, sea turtles, Florida panthers, long-legged birds such as the blue heron, ghost orchids, and thousands of other wild plants and animals. With an estimated 1.25 million alligators in Florida, many of them can be spotted in Everglades National Park.

• Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, a Spanish fort in St. Augustine, on Florida’s northeast coast, which is the oldest European-settled city in the nation, founded a half-century before Jamestown and Plymouth.

• De Soto National Memorial, in Bradenton on Florida’s central Gulf Coast, commemorating Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto’s 4,000mile expedition in Florida, which began in Tampa Bay in 1539.

A

merica’s National Parks are legend, drawing visitors from around the world. As tropical counterpoints to the nation’s grand mountains, canyons and glaciers, Florida’s nationally designated parks, preserves and seashores attract nearly 11 million visitors a year, indicating that for Florida’s 98.9 million visitors last year, the state’s natural attractions were an important part of visitors’ travel experiences.

“Visitors to our world class cities enjoy fine dining, shopping and nightlife.

But just beyond the tropic cityscape, Florida’s National and State Parks include beaches, waterways and thrilling wildlife,” said Paul Phipps, chief marketing officer for VISIT FLORIDA (visitflorida.com).

“For example, minutes from Miami Beach, the scenic and wild canvas of the Everglades can be experienced aboard an airboat adventure.

We encourage everyone to take advantage of how accessible our natural wonders are throughout the state.”

Florida Caverns State Park

Complementing the National Parks, 171 Florida State Parks received more than 27 million visitors last year.

Maintained by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Park Service, Florida’s State Parks include nearly 800,000 acres of land, 100 miles of Florida’s 825 miles of beaches, and more than 2,000 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails.

Highlights include Florida Caverns State Park, featuring natural limestone caverns; John Pennekamp State Park, the nation’s first undersea park; Crystal River Preserve State Park, where visitors can observe manatees; and Wakulla Springs State Park, home of one the nation’s largest freshwater springs.

Florida provides visitors with comforts and amenities within manageable miles of its wilderness areas. These include gateway destinations, Five Star resorts and world-renowned theme parks.

• An hour’s drive from the glitz of Miami Beach, visitors can take an airboat tour in Everglades National Park.

• Only a two-hour car ride from Pensacola, home to the dare devil stunts of the Blue Angels, Florida Caverns State Park is an easy afternoon trip.

• Just under three hours from Tampa’s Ybor City, J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is a drivable distance for serious birding.

• Two hours south of Miami, visitors can reach John Pennekamp State Park for an underwater adventure.

• Attracting visitors to theme parks and attractions, Orlando provides a central home base for visitors to explore National and State Parks in every direction throughout the Sunshine State.

To learn more, visit VISITFLORIDA. com/trails, National Parks Service: Florida, FloridaStateParks.org, and NationalGeographic.com/Travel/Florida.

TRAVEL

See Florida’s Natural Wonders Florida’s Other Nationally Designated Recreational Sites: • Big Cypress National Wildlife Refuge, in and around Collier County in southwest Florida, is one location where the roaming Florida panther can be spotted.

• Timucuan National Preserve, in northeast Florida, once home to the native Timucuan people and a treasure of natural and archaeological history.

The Everglades

By Kenneth Morgan-Schleuning, VISIT FLORIDA

Biscayne National Park

Coral Reefs: In waters just offshore are the only living coral reefs in the continental United States. In otherworldly shapes and colors, Florida corals are home to countless species of sea life, protected within Biscayne National Park.

Islands: To the south is Dry Tortugas National Park, within the famous chain of islands called the Florida Keys. Also on site, visitors can take a step back in history at Fort Jefferson, built between 1846 and 1875 to protect shipping along the Straits of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, among other strategic needs.

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 18

Canaveral National Seashore

Seashores: Lesser known yet magnificent are Canaveral National Seashore, which includes 25 miles of Florida’s Atlantic coastline, and Gulf Islands National Seashore, the longest tract of protected seashore in the nation.

These two seashores offer miles of pristine sand, sea oats and sea grapes with coastal views that stretch to the horizon. Dolphins and manatees thrive in the waters here, and sea turtles return year after year to nest on the shores.

Crystal River Preserve State Park

“The department is eager to share its State Parks and natural treasures,” said Donald Forgione, director of the Florida Park Service. “We are committed to helping our citizens and visitors discover and explore our natural resources here in the Sunshine State.”

Accessible National and State Parks

J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge

• J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, near Sanibel Island, is renowned for birding and other wildlife-watching.

The National Park Service invites visitors to these and other parks to share their experiences using #FindYourPark.

Florida’s State Parks

Florida’s National Parks The Everglades: Out of the three National Parks in Florida, the environmental crown jewel is Everglades National Park, unique to the planet with millions of acres of tropical, watery grasslands, mangroves and ecosystems that nurture myriad species of wildlife.

Here, visitors may see endangered species that thrive in the wilds of the Everglades: manatees, sea turtles, Florida panthers, long-legged birds such as the blue heron, ghost orchids, and thousands of other wild plants and animals. With an estimated 1.25 million alligators in Florida, many of them can be spotted in Everglades National Park.

• Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, a Spanish fort in St. Augustine, on Florida’s northeast coast, which is the oldest European-settled city in the nation, founded a half-century before Jamestown and Plymouth.

• De Soto National Memorial, in Bradenton on Florida’s central Gulf Coast, commemorating Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto’s 4,000mile expedition in Florida, which began in Tampa Bay in 1539.

A

merica’s National Parks are legend, drawing visitors from around the world. As tropical counterpoints to the nation’s grand mountains, canyons and glaciers, Florida’s nationally designated parks, preserves and seashores attract nearly 11 million visitors a year, indicating that for Florida’s 98.9 million visitors last year, the state’s natural attractions were an important part of visitors’ travel experiences.

“Visitors to our world class cities enjoy fine dining, shopping and nightlife.

But just beyond the tropic cityscape, Florida’s National and State Parks include beaches, waterways and thrilling wildlife,” said Paul Phipps, chief marketing officer for VISIT FLORIDA (visitflorida.com).

“For example, minutes from Miami Beach, the scenic and wild canvas of the Everglades can be experienced aboard an airboat adventure.

We encourage everyone to take advantage of how accessible our natural wonders are throughout the state.”

Florida Caverns State Park

Complementing the National Parks, 171 Florida State Parks received more than 27 million visitors last year.

Maintained by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Park Service, Florida’s State Parks include nearly 800,000 acres of land, 100 miles of Florida’s 825 miles of beaches, and more than 2,000 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails.

Highlights include Florida Caverns State Park, featuring natural limestone caverns; John Pennekamp State Park, the nation’s first undersea park; Crystal River Preserve State Park, where visitors can observe manatees; and Wakulla Springs State Park, home of one the nation’s largest freshwater springs.

Florida provides visitors with comforts and amenities within manageable miles of its wilderness areas. These include gateway destinations, Five Star resorts and world-renowned theme parks.

• An hour’s drive from the glitz of Miami Beach, visitors can take an airboat tour in Everglades National Park.

• Only a two-hour car ride from Pensacola, home to the dare devil stunts of the Blue Angels, Florida Caverns State Park is an easy afternoon trip.

• Just under three hours from Tampa’s Ybor City, J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is a drivable distance for serious birding.

• Two hours south of Miami, visitors can reach John Pennekamp State Park for an underwater adventure.

• Attracting visitors to theme parks and attractions, Orlando provides a central home base for visitors to explore National and State Parks in every direction throughout the Sunshine State.

To learn more, visit VISITFLORIDA. com/trails, National Parks Service: Florida, FloridaStateParks.org, and NationalGeographic.com/Travel/Florida.

Marodyne Medical’s LivMD Therapeutic Strength Building Exercise: Wrist Curl Vibration Medical Device Goes International

F

What you need: Hand-held weight

3. Slowly bend your wrist up and down.

This exercise will strengthen your wrists. It also will help ensure good form and prevent injury when you do upper body strength exercises.

4. Repeat 10 – 15 times.

1. Rest your forearm on the arm of a sturdy chair with your hand over the edge.

2. Hold weight with palm facing upward.

5. Repeat with other hand 10 – 15 times.

6. Repeat 10 – 15 more times with each hand.

For more exercises, http://nihseniorhealth.gov.

visit

ighting conditions that come with aging such as bone, joint and muscle issues are large priorities for many people. LivMD is a product that has had great success using therapeutic vibration to treat these issues in the USA. Recently, the developers of LivMD, Marodyne Medical, announced the product has been approved for export to the European Union in a breakthrough for innovative health care in Europe.

Treating musculoskeletal conditions can often be a challenge. One method which is becoming more popular among medical professionals is using therapeutic vibration.

Biomedical research and development company Marodyne Medical, along with their partners at Stony Brook University (New York, USA) have been leaders in the United States in this area, with their therapeutic low intensity vibration device LivMD. The company recently announced after great success in the United States, the LivMD was recently approved for export to all of the European Union for treatment of osteoporosis and other musculoskeletal conditions.

“We are extremely excited about the opportunity to offer our customers in Europe a technology that has the potential to improve a myriad of musculoskeletal conditions,” commented Dr. Clinton Rubin,

Marodyne Chief Scientific Officer and Chair of Biomedical Engineering at Stony Brook University. “LivMD is a remarkable device developed from 30 years of research.”

According to Mardoyne Medical, some of the uses the LivMD has been approved for in the European Union include: safe and effective treatment of osteoporosis; relief of minor aches and pains; restores range of motion to joints; improves circulation and lymphatic drainage; to name just a few of the device’s indications for use.

LivMD’s low intensity therapeutic vibration technology was developed over three decades ago at New York’s Stony Brook University using funding from NASA, NIH and the U.S. Army. The LivMD is the only device of its kind. It has become a popular therapy tool used by seniors, athletes, those with flexibility issues, the injured, and many more.

Feedback from the medical world has been very positive.

Stephan Becker, MD, recently stated, “I am very much looking forward to being able to offer Marodyne’s LivMD (Low Intensity Vibration Medical Device) to my patients through our clinics in Austria, Spain, Korea, France and Finland.”

For more info, visit www.marodyne.com and http://livmd.us.

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 19

Living with Cataracts

Stay Active With Meaningful Travel and Feed Your Soul

By Jonathan M. Frantz, MD, FACS Medical Director, Frantz EyeCare

By Lynn Lotkowictz

M

L

to not just remove your cataract, but minimize your need for glasses.

Eyesight is truly a precious commodity and there are more sunsets and a life full of beautiful pictures and memories waiting. If you think you may have cataracts, call our office at 239-418-0999 or visit. www.BetterVision.net to learn about the difference between traditional cataract surgery and Bladeless Laser Dr. Jonathan M. Frantz Cataract Surgery.

any of us feel that our eyesight is the most precious of all of our senses. How beautiful is it to look into the eyes of a child, to see the sunrise or sunset in brilliant color?

When a cataract develops, it interferes with our ability to enjoy these things. Even more devastating, vision loss from cataracts can take away our independence, making it impossible to drive to the grocery store or to visit a friend or family member.

Cataracts are a major cause of preventable blindness, and yet many people aren’t sure what a cataract is or how it is treated.

When surgery is needed, keep in mind that not all cataract surgeons possess the same skill or have the same success rate.

At Frantz EyeCare, we have the capability with skillful microsurgical techniques, lasers, advanced measuring devices and the latest technology in intraocular lenses

Jonathan M. Frantz, MD, FACS, is named in The Guide to America’s Top Ophthalmologists. He and his team of doctors at Frantz EyeCare offer a broad spectrum of patient-focused comprehensive care from eye exams and eyewear to bladeless laser cataract removal, treatment of eye diseases, bladeless WaveLight LASIK laser vision correction, and eyelid surgery with office locations in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Punta Gorda, Lehigh Acres, and Naples.

FOCUS on the things that matter most to YOU

with Bladeless Laser Cataract Surgery from Frantz EyeCare

For improved vision and an overall improved quality of life, call us to schedule your cataract evaluation today!

418-0999 |

BetterVision.net

Jonathan M. Frantz, MD, FACS One of our Country’s Top 5 Bladeless Laser Cataract Surgeons For t Myers | Cape Coral | Lehigh Acres | Punta Gorda | Naples

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 20

ooking toward retirement, I’m trying out some new adventures.

In October, 2013, I signed on for a two-week volunteer vacation in Crete, Greece with Global Lynn Lotkowictz (L) and other volunteers Volunteers.

The taught English to students in Crete, Greece (R) program revolved Here’s a short exerpt from the letter: around teaching English five to six hours “They (the volunteers) had made us a day at a local private school. Most of my students were teenagers who had feel more confident with ourselves.

They had become a part of our English studied English for a few years.

The teaching experience was school routine and we couldn’t wait for wonderful, the students very receptive the afternoon to come so we could see and the hospitality exceeded my them. They gave us a chance to get to expectations.

Global Volunteers know a faraway place a little better. provides an all-inclusive package with Their stories made us travel to America. basic accommodations, three good When the last day came, it was difficult meals a day and on-site support staff. not to cry as we said goodbye.” - Nefeli Free time is available each day.

When you touch a child’s life like this, When I returned, one of my outstanding it opens your heart in ways you didn’t students, Nefeli, sent me a short article know possible. For details on Global about her experience with our group. Volunteers, go to globalvolunteers.org.

New Books For October “Cancer Survivorship Coping Tools – We’ll Get You Through This”

By Barbara Tako “I’ll never forget the day my doctor told me I had cancer— the day my life changed forever,” says Barbara Tako.

“Doctors can address all of the medical aspects of your condition, but who picks you up off of the floor after you’ve been dealt the news and what helps you get through your shock of diagnosis, your active treatment time, and then the recovery process afterwards? It is my intention to fill that void for cancer patients and their loved ones with this book.”

Breast cancer and melanoma survivor Barbara Tako’s book, Cancer Survivorship Coping Tools, is an honest and sometimes humorous account of Tako’s process. It features tips for emotional health to foster positivity, no matter where patients are in their personal journey to conquer cancer. Available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

“Cinderella Has Cellulite: And Other Musings from a Last Wife”

By Donna Arp Weitzman As Ann Boleyn, Angelina Jolie and Katie Holmes experienced firsthand, life as a later-in-life wife of a multiple-marriage man isn’t always all smiles and diamonds.

While these women may not have found their Prince Charming in these marriages, Donna Arp Weitzman did as the second and last wife to her husband, Herb Weitzman. But Donna soon faced a firing squad of questions, comments, smirks and smiles from old friends, unsuccessful prospects, their children, in-laws, and much more. Reflecting on the trials and tribulations that come with a new, later-in-life relationship, she offers an off-the-wall, satirical look at it all in her new book, Cinderella Has Cellulite: And Other Musings from a Last Wife, available on Amazon.com.

Save Money With Car Sharing

I

f you find you don’t use your car as often as you used to, or if you’re going to be spending a lot of time in another city for your vacation and you just need a car for short trips around town, car sharing programs may be a more affordable option than owning a car or renting one by month. If your car is taking up space in your driveway, you may even be able to make money renting it out to others.

Futureofcarsharing.com describes three types of car sharing services you can take advantage of. One is peer-to-peer, where a fleet of cars is owned by a community and a marketplace matches owners of cars that are available to other drivers to rent. One example, Relay Rides (relayrides.com), lets you borrow a car or rent out your own.

The business-to-consumer model involves a company, such as a rental car company, that owns a fleet of cars and facilitates the sharing amongst members.

Services like Zipcar (zipcar.com) and Car2Go (car2go.com) fall under this model. Zipcar has partnered with AARP to offer discounted rates for seniors.

The not-for-profit or co-op model involves a local organization or community that facilitates car sharing with the goal of changing driving habits over making a profit. City Share (citycarshare.org) based in California, is one such service.

How It Works Assuming you have a valid driver’s license, decent driving record and credit history, you typically apply for a monthly or annual membership to the service (usually averaging $10 a month) and use an online or app reservation system to schedule a car, paying a small fee per miles or hours (usually averaging $6 an hour). You are issued a remote entry pass, such as a card, key fob or smartphone pass, that lets you unlock the car. You can then pick up the car at a designated location and return it to the same spot (or another pre-arranged location) when you are finished. Rules regarding fuel, insurance, pets, smoking and so on vary from service to service.

There are a few cons: first of all, you need to have transportation to the pickup site. Secondly, cars might be hard to book during busier times of the day and popular locations. There are also liablity concerns, depending on how insurance is handled with your service.

On the pro side are costs and convenience. According to AAA, owning a vehicle costs an average of $9,000 a year in gas, insurance, depreciation and maintenance, and rental car fees can range from $30 to $80 a day. Sharing cars can mean less money spent overall on transportation as well as less carbon emissions in the environment.

Depending on your needs, car sharing is growing in popularity as a cost-effective alternative for short jaunts. Learn more at Futureofcaresharing.com.

Take A Senior Skip Day P

articipate in Senior Skip Day on Oct. 8, 2015. On Senior Skip Day, national parks will be free to those 62 and older, who are encouraged to skip out on what they’re doing and enjoy a healthy day at a national park.

You can also download the free Charity Miles app for Android or iPhone, select the National Park Foundation, and for every mile logged during your healthy activity—at a national park or in your own neighborhood—Charity Miles will make a donation to the National Park

Foundation. A donation will be made for up to 10 cents per mile for bikers and up to 25 cents per mile for walkers and runners.

Visit findyourpark.com to discover parks across the country and learn more about National Park Service Centennial events, including healthy park programs like Humana’s “Park Rx.” Health care professionals at select MetCare Clinics in South Florida will develop prescribed activity in local parks to help patients take a step toward better health.

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 21

Breast Cancer: What’s Your Risk?

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ctober is Breast Cancer Awareness month. In the United States, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women and one in eight women will develop the disease. According to Mount Sinai experts, early detection and screening are important for saving lives.

Symptoms and Detection The most common breast cancer symptom is a lump. Other symptoms include swelling, skin irritation, nipple pain or retraction, and an unusual discharge.

Early diagnosis saves lives. The combination of a mammogram, a clinical breast exam and self-exams is recommended by healthcare experts to reduce breast cancer deaths.

A mammogram is a breast x-ray. If mammography finds an abnormality, confirmation by biopsy is required. In a biopsy, a tissue sample is taken for analysis.

About 2/10 percent of mammograms lead to a cancer diagnosis. About 10 percent of women examined will need another mammogram. Only about 10 percent of those women will need a biopsy. Out of those biopsies, 80 percent will come back negative for cancer.

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 22

Women 40 and older should have an annual mammogram and breast exam by a healthcare professional. As long as a woman is in good health and would be a candidate for treatment, she should continue to get mammograms and exams.

Research has shown that self exams help find breast cancer. Self examination teaches women how their breasts feel normally and to notice changes. To learn how to perform a self exam, visit nationalbreastcancer.org/ breast-self-exam.

Facts About Breast Cancer • A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if her firstdegree relative (mother, sister, daughter) has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

• About 15 percent of women who get breast cancer have a family member diagnosed with it.

Tips for Breast Cancer Prevention • Limit alcohol. The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer. Limit yourself to no more than one drink a day.

• Control your weight. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer. This is especially true if obesity occurs later in life, particularly after menopause.

• About five to ten percent of breast cancers can be linked to gene mutations (abnormal changes) inherited from one’s mother or father. Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common.

Women with these mutations have up to an 80 percent risk of developing breast cancer during their lifetime, and they are more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age (before menopause). An increased ovarian cancer risk is also associated with these genetic mutations.

• Be physically active. Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight, which, in turn, helps prevent breast cancer. The recommended activity is 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly.

• Limit dose and duration of hormone therapy. Combination hormone therapy for more than three to five years increases the risk of breast cancer.

For more info, visit mountsinai.org.

Take Your Best Shot at Avoiding the Flu This Season

“T

he most vulnerable members of our society, the very young and the elderly or chronically ill, and pregnant women, are hit the hardest by the flu,” says Jorge Parada, MD, MPH, the medical director of the Infection Prevention and Control Program at Loyola University Health System.

Everyone knows that the best way to avoid the flu is by getting an annual flu shot. Vaccines are offered by many doctor’s offices, clinics, health departments, pharmacies and college health centers, as well as by many employers, and even by some schools. But a trip to your physician every autumn for the vaccination can help you avoid much more than the dreaded flu bug. “At the doctor’s office, the focus is on you and what is going on with your health. This is your time to talk about concerns to improve your well-being beyond the flu season,” says Parada.

When is the best time of year to get the flu shot? The official flu season is October 1 – March 31, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

“Getting the flu shot in October gives you the best chance of avoiding the flu this year,” says Parada.

“If you get your flu shot in the beginning of September, you may start running out of infection immunity

by February or March, when the virus is still around.” The flu season traditionally peaks in late December to early February, he notes.

“Remember that it takes up to two weeks after the flu shot for the full effect to kick in,” says Parada. “And if you were exposed to the flu around the time you get your flu shot, you may still experience the flu— but don’t blame the shot.” (Newswise)

FUN IN FLORIDA

Boktoberfest Is Back!

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rab your lederhosen and come to Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales for their 7th Annual Boktoberfest on Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission is free!

Boktoberfest celebrates the start of Florida’s gardening season where plant lovers and gardeners can come to find a wide variety of Florida plants and learn from experts to help make the most of their gardens. Enjoy 45 plant vendors, live German entertainment, German food, craft beers, gardening experts, tree climbing, children’s activities, petting zoo, live carillon music, and much more!

On October 16, Bok Tower Gardens

Members get exclusive access to their annual plant sale the evening before it opens to the public. Skip the crowds, meet the vendors, and get first pick of plants and other natural products. The Blue Palmetto Café and Tower & Garden Gift Shop will remain open throughout the evening. Stop by the membership tent to meet the staff and participate in their silent auction.

Upcoming Events: • Join the Florida Citrus Celebration on Nov. 7 and 8 with grove tours, plant sale, gardening tips, art and activities, cooking demos and more.

• Christmas at Bok Tower: Enjoy holiday decorations, special concerts on the carillon, festive plant sales, decorating workshops and other special events.

Bok Tower Gardens is located at 1151 Tower Blvd, Lake Wales. For more information about the gardens, upcoming events or becoming a member, visit boktowergardens.org.

MEDICARE ANSWERS

Medicare Open Enrollment Is Here What You Need To Know: ou can sign up for Medicare as soon as you become eligible, regardless of what month it is. But each year, you have the option of making changes to your Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plan (or Medicare Part D) during open enrollment. Open enrollment for the coming year runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, so open enrollment for 2016 will begin on Oct.15, 2015.

During that period, you can switch from original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, or vice versa. You can also switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, or from one Medicare Part D (prescription drug) plan to another, or drop your Medicare Part D coverage altogether.

There’s also a Medicare Advantage disenrollment period (MADP) that runs from January 1 to February 14 each year. During this time, Medicare Advantage enrollees can opt to switch back to original Medicare, and can then sign up for Medicare Part D as well.

If there’s one mantra for the open enrollment season, it’s “review your options.” Insurance carriers may change co-pays, premiums, maximum out of

Y

pocket, and some “extras.” Like every year, it will be important to compare your current plan to what it will offer in 2016 and what other plans offer to ensure you have the plan that is best for your situation.

Here is some tried-and-true advice: • If you have Original Medicare and a supplemental plan (often called a Medigap) and are happy with your coverage, you do not need to make a change.

• If you have a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, you should review all of your coverage options even if you are happy with your current coverage, because plans change their costs and benefits every year.

• Read your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), which you should receive from your plan by Sept.30. It will list the changes in your plan and will compare the benefits in 2016 with those in 2015.

• Shop around to find a plan that best meets your needs and makes the most financial sense to you.

• If you decide to enroll in a new plan, do so by calling 800-MEDICARE rather than the plan itself. (Medicare.gov) Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 23_R

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 24

Last of “The Honeymooners”

By Nick Thomas

show was filmed with a live audience at the Adelphi Theater in Manhattan, and rom “I Love Lucy” and “All in the generally without full rehearsals.

“Jackie hated to rehearse and wanted Family” to “Married with Children” and “Seinfeld,” structuring a sitcom shows to be spontaneous, so Art, Audrey around four lead characters often proved and me would go over the script together on Saturday mornings,” said Randolph. a successful formula.

“It was the perfect format for ‘The “Jackie ran everything and nobody Honeymooners,’” said Joyce Randolph, told him what to do. He was extremely who starred as Trixie in the popular 1950s talented, and for a big guy was incredibly series based on two tenement-dwelling light on his feet doing physical comedy. couples—the Kramdens and the Nortons. For one roller-skating skit, I went with Art and Audrey to practice at a roller-skating palace here in New York. But we never saw Jackie practice.

He just came out on the skates and amazed us.”

“Audrey was very professional and would have the whole script memorized. If Jackie forgot a line, she got him back on track. Art was quiet and it was well-known he had a long history of problems with alcohol, but was a wonderful and Jackie Gleason, Art talented guy.”

Carney, Audrey Meadows Randolph continued in and Joyce Randolph in the role when it once again “The Honeymooners.” became part of a new Jackie Gleason show. But As the sole surviving when Gleason moved to member of the original Florida and revived “The series cast—which included Honeymooners” in several Jackie Gleason, Art Carney TV movies and in another and Audrey Meadows— show from 1966 - 1970, Randolph, who turned 90 Randolph wasn’t invited. last year, continues to be “Years later I saw Audrey identified with the show.

Joyce Randolph today. and she said Jackie had “I worked mostly in theater and early TV, but people still recognize looked for me, but couldn’t find me,” me as Trixie,” said Randolph. “I’m Randolph recalled. “Well, that was a lot of nonsense. Jackie wanted to use his longamazed by the show’s longevity.”

“The Honeymooners” was originally a time friend Jane Kean to play Trixie, and series of short sketches on the DuMont that’s what he did. But that was fine with Network’s “Cavalcade of Stars,” and me because I wasn’t going to move from later featured regularly on “The Jackie New York where my husband had his job and I was happily raising my son.”

Gleason Show” at CBS. Today, when she ventures from her “I had done a breath mint commercial and got a call that Jackie wanted ‘that New York apartment of 55 years, serious actor’ to audition for a skit called Randolph happily greets devoted ‘The Honeymooners’ and to play the Honeymooners’ fans.

“Strangers still come up and want to hug sewer worker’s wife,” recalled Randolph.

“It didn’t pay much and my character and kiss me and tell me how much they was less developed than the other three, love the show,” she said. “You learn to accept it, but it’s fun and people are nice. but I was happy to have a job.”

Gleason recognized that the chemistry The show continues to influence my life.”

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn between himself, Carney, Meadows and Randolph had sitcom potential, and University at Montgomery, Ala., and has expanded “The Honeymooners” into written features, columns, and interviews a half-hour series that ran initially for for over 600 magazines and newspapers.

39 episodes during 1955 – 1956. The Follow on Twitter @TinseltownTalks.

BRIDGE BITES

A Joy To Behold

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By Brian Gunnell and the American Contract Bridge League

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his deal was played in a team-offour game. At both tables South opened 2NT, showing a balanced hand and 20-21 HCP, and North raised to game. West’s opening lead was the ♦K. Do you see how to make 9 tricks?

Clue: There is some trickery involved!

At the first table, Declarer counted eight top tricks and the only prospect for a ninth was to score a second Diamond.

One possibility was to let the ♦K win the first trick, in the hope that West would be lured into continuing Diamonds, allowing Declarer’s Jack to score (the so-called Bath Coup). But that was

unlikely to work, as West (who had not been born the day before) would surely shift at Trick 2, presumably to a Club. Another chance for the ninth trick was to establish a second Diamond winner by force, eventually setting up Dummy’s Eight. So, Declarer took the ♦A on the first trick and returned the ♦J, won by West’s Queen. However, that line of play was also doomed to failure when West promptly shifted to a Club and the defense got their five tricks before Declarer could rustle up his nine tricks.

Down one.

At the other table, West also led the ♦K, but this time Declarer found a rather surprising play. She smoothly dropped the Jack! Playing Declarer to have started with doubleton AJ, West confidently led a low Diamond to East’s presumed Nine. It was a joy to behold the look of astonishment on West’s face when it was Declarer who produced the Nine and claimed her nine tricks.

Visit acbl.org for more about the fascinating game of bridge or email marketing@acbl.org. To find a bridge club in Florida, go to district9acbl.org /D9Clubsmap.htm. Bridge article provided courtesy of St. Petersburg Bridge Club: stpetebridge.org.

Oct. Horoscope: Libra and Scorpio Libra: (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) You need to decide on your own goals and follow your own course in life. There is no need to seek the assistance of others or adapt to situations.

Domestic issues and psychological health will dominate over career this month.

Professionally, even otherwise you are on the right course and will be happy.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 22) Balance your personal ambitions with the interests of other

people this month. If you have your way sometimes, during other times you will need to depend on the guidance of others.

Career becomes important this month.

Home and family issues along with emotional matters can be de-emphasised for the time being.

You will indulge in religious activities and charitable work. You can review the happenings in your life so far and take corrective actions for the future. (From sunsigns.org) More horoscopes: lifestylesafter50.com.

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 25

Spicing Up Your Meals Might Extend Your Life S

ome like it hot, and a new study finds that folks who favor spicy foods might also have a lower risk of premature death.

“The finding is very simple,” said study lead author Dr. Lu Qi, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. “If you eat more spicy food, it’s better for your health and lowers the risk for mortality, especially as it relates to cancer and heart disease.”

Investigators generally found that eating fresh spicy foods as little as once or twice a week was associated with a 10 percent drop in the overall risk for death during the study, compared with eating such foods less than once weekly.

Eating spicy foods between three and seven days per week appeared to lower mortality by as much as 14 percent.

“We do know that spices are high in potent antioxidants that could be protective against cancer and heart disease,” said registered dietician Lona Sandon, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. “Spices have been used for years in traditional medicine practices to cure or treat a variety of ailments.”

And, she added, “the capsaicin in peppers

is known to help fight inflammation.

Peppers are also a good source of vitamin C, a known potential cancerfighting agent.” Fresh chili peppers— among the most commonly used spicy foods—were specifically linked to a lower risk of dying as a result of cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes Past research has also suggested that other spices, such as curry and garlic, are protective against cancer and beneficial in the fight to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, Sandon pointed out.

She noted that spices add flavor, add no calories and risk no harm.

“And if they bring an added health benefit, then that is a bonus,” she said.

(HealthDay) Easy Indian-Style Chicken Recipe by Ania; allrecipes.com.

“This is an easy and authentictasting Indian dish that the entire family will love! It tastes great with plain basmati rice topped with a couple tablespoons of yogurt (especially if you made the chicken spicy!)”

HALLOWEEN FUN • OCT 30!

Ingredients 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon cumin seed 1 onion, finely chopped 1/4 cup tomato paste 1/4 cup water 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed 1/2 (14 ounce) can coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon hot chile paste (optional) 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional) 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup chopped cilantro Directions Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add cumin seeds, and fry for a few minutes until they become fragrant and begin to pop. Stir in chopped onion, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir together tomato paste and water, and pour into skillet. Stir in chicken, and cook until it has firmed and turned white, about 5 minutes.

Add coconut milk, brown sugar, chile paste, cayenne pepper, turmeric, salt, and pepper.

Bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue to simmer until the chicken is tender and no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving.

The Forensics of Famous Movie Monsters

Everyone’s Invited!

Y 1155 Encore Way, Naples 34110

ALF 9761 Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 26

ear after year, Hollywood releases movies based on the terrifying tales of monsters such as Count Dracula and the Wolfman, and those classic figures continue to be Halloween staples. But, how exactly did these myths get their start? Greg McDonald, director of forensic medicine at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, says that like many myths and scary stories, both Dracula and the Wolfman stemmed from a poor understanding of medical maladies.

Porphyria, for example, is a group of disorders that affects the skin and nervous system. Symptoms of that disease include sensitivity to sunlight, insomnia and skin redness, which might make the skin look bloody. Sound familiar?

“In the 10th or 11th century, Romanians at the time often didn’t bury their dead in very deep graves,” McDonald says. “Sometimes, the bodies would shift. So imagine you’re a peasant, and you come across a body that is pale and looks like it has blood around the mouth.

You might think he’d been walking around, feasting on the blood of others.”

While that condition helped fuel the myth of the vampire, McDonald notes that the first appearance of the character Count Dracula occurred in 1897, with the first printing of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Rabies symptoms, which include rage, panting and foaming at the mouth, helped give rise to the myth of the Wolfman.

“And of course, hypertrichosis—the excessive growth of unwanted hair— was also a factor,” McDonald adds.

Armed with this knowledge, Dracula and the Wolfman might seem less frightening the next time they appear on screen to stalk their prey. According to McDonald, they’re not fearsome; they’re just not feeling well. (Newswise)

Seniors Getting Together WOMEN SEEKING MEN 4119 SEEKING CHRISTIAN GENTLEMAN Former airline stewardess and model, 5’4”, 104 lbs., widow, slender, white with Ph.D. in healthcare.

Fulbright scholar, eats healthy and exercises. Likes sports and animals.

Loves the Lord. Florida.

4486 FORMER NATIONAL MODEL, healthy W, F, 62, 5’6”, 140 lbs, long blonde hair, blue eyes, great figure, many interests, can relocate. ISO w, s, m, NS, SD, NDrg, compassionate, romantic, intelligent “one woman man.” LTR, marriage, serious only, letter/photo. Madeira Beach area.

4490 PETITE WW NICE sweet lady, ISO attractive, Italian-American gentleman.

SOH, 75 – 79, R, P, FF, Cape Coral or Ft. Myers area. Active, warm, friendly, honest, NS, SD, likes dancing, theatre, dining out. Please write and send photo.

4491 W, WIDOW, ISO W, gentleman, 70’s – 80’s, likes music, dancing, boating, RVing. I am 5’2”, 130 lbs, good health, active. Likes traveling, owns condo in Lehigh Acres. Please write.

4497 SEEKING FRIENDSHIP Are you an honest, caring, W, widower, early 80’s?

I am WW, R, P, SD, attractive, SOH, 5’5”, HWP, enjoy walking, music, art, sports fan, dancing, iPad games and family.

Reply with telephone number. Estero/ Bonita Springs area.

MEN SEEKING WOMEN 4452 MAN, 71, NS, SD Likes music, movies, books, plants, animals, evening classes. ISO woman, 55 – 72, NS, NDrg, SD for FF, who looks good in shorts or a skirt, likes bicycle riding, kissing, touching, hugging, going out to a pub for a bite and light social drinking.

Port Charlotte area.

4500 TO BARBARA. I received your note card in response to my Ad #4452.

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,

RUN YOUR AD FOR ONLY $6 A MONTH

SENIORS GETTING TOGETHER Personal Ad Placement

Deadline for ads is the 15th of the month prior to placement.

Only $6 to place an ad!

Mark The Edition(s) You Would Like To Run Your Ad In: Polk Tampa Bay & Suncoast (Hillsborough/Pinellas/Pasco) Lake/Marion/Sumter Southwest (Lee, Collier, Charlotte)

Ad Copy • Please Print Neatly • 30 Word Limit Title (First 4 Words):

City (No Charge):

If more room is needed, please use separate sheet. Mail this form along with $6 for each ad per month (add $4 for each additional edition/market in the same month).

We cannot accept your ad without it. This information is confidential.

Name: Address: City: Phone:

State:

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MAIL TO: ATTN. / SENIORS GETTING TOGETHER, NEWS CONNECTION, USA, INC. • P.O. BOX 638., SEFFNER, FL 33583

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.

MEET OTHER SENIORS

Over 3,000 seniors have met through Seniors Getting Together.

Send in your ad today!

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: News Connection USA, Inc. Seniors Getting Together P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL 33584

A Word From Our Readers L ast month, some of our readers wrote in to tell us what they were up to. We heard from a friend in Punta Gorda with New York pride, and a gentleman whose writing career took off after retirement.

Check it out:

“The Punta Gorda Chamber created an event to dress in the costume of your home state or country and walk ‘Across the Bridge.’

I thought it would be fun, and since I came from Cooperstown, New York, the home of baseball and the Baseball Hall of Fame, I went online Lee Royston and found this outfit from a company in California.

“I just did not have time to get the New York Yankee logo or patches to sew on,

and people mistook me as being from Boston. The ‘B’ is actually for baseball.

“But I did have a New York state flag.

It was fun, but hot and humid with a big turnout. ‘The Jersey Girls’ won the prize for most people representing New Jersey, and New York came in second.

The top prize for costume went to a couple in authentic American Indian costumes. It was fun.” – Lee Royston I have been retired for ten years. In that time I have written five books, some magazine and Yahoo articles, made three YouTube videos and been hired to teach from my books at three local colleges. None of this was planned.

Thanks and be well, — Don Lubov Lifestyles After 50 Wants to Know: Are You a Snowbird?

In 50 words or less, tell us about yourself! Where are you from, and how do you plan to spend your time in Florida?

Include your name and city if you desire, and email it to editor@lifestylesafter50.com so we can share your story!

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 27

I’D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT... o o o o o

o o o o o o

New & Used Cars, RVs, Motorcycles Travel Insurance, Health/Medicare Healthcare Cell phones/Computers

Housing Options Home Improvement Leisure Time Finance/Law Funeral Planning Other:

Please contact me by: o Mail o Phone o E-mail

Name: Address: Age:

Phone:

Zip: Date:

E-mail: I am: o Single

o Married

o A Group Leader

SW

Complete this form and mail it to

Lifestyles After 50 P.O. Box 638 Seffner, FL 33584 FINANCE

Three Work From Home Ideas

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hether you already work and want to make more money, or are retired and looking to supplement your income, there are jobs out there that fit the bill.

“Many people who are retirement age opt for ‘patchwork careers’—they piece together a variety of jobs they can do from home or on their own schedule,” says Christine Durst, a home-based career expert and co-founder of RatRaceRebellion.com.

Here some suggestions.

1. Call Center & Customer Service Rep As a home-based agent, you’ll field calls for companies like Bluefly, Spiegel, American Agents, Hilton, HSN, 1-800-FLOWERS, and others. Depending on the company, you may work as either an employee or an independent contractor, but you can usually pick your own hours.

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 28

It is a deeply poignant story.

In addition to a vivid portrayal n the evening of the Pacific War from the of my 50th army—not the usual navy birthday on Pearl and marine—perspective, it Harbor Day, 1980, I is a very human story of a was sitting on the cold married couple dealing with concrete floor of my a long separation. Norma unfinished basement dealt heroically with her reading some dozen responsibilities to her family, letters my father, including her wartime baby.

Wilber, had written And Wilber, far away, me from the Pacific managed his own great battlefields more challenges, also heroically. than 35 years earlier. Wilber on the day he returned But for Wilber, the final During the war, my home from overseas on the USS return to home and family mother, Norma, had General Pope, October 8, 1945. ended tragically when he San Francisco Call-Bulletin archives, collected his letters Credit:Bancroft Library, U. Cal. Berkeley. took his own life. He was a to me and submitted much decorated and twice them to the Atlantic Monthly for, as I wounded army officer, a hero, and a dimly recall, a contest for the best letters man finally unable to carry on. Norma from an overseas soldier or sailor to his continued on for another 40 years. children. I still have the brown envelope in which the letters—not having been chosen—were returned to her.

Now, on that 50th birthday, prompted by an argument with a sister about her wartime paternity, here I was reading my dad’s letters with tears in my eyes. I had thought I might find some record that would clarify his whereabouts on certain dates, but instead found words that were vivid, humorous, poetic and insightful.

My dad could write! I had always Norma at her piano, 1938. known he wrote home continuously Credit: Wilber Bradt. during the war, mostly to my mother, but now—as an academic—I recognized What does all this mean for me, the son? not only their literary merit but also their I will say that the quest has been a most historical importance. At age 12, none rewarding—and yes, great fun—pursuit of that had occurred to me. Now I saw for me over these decades. I have come that if there were more such letters, they to know my parents’ inner lives far better would provide a new and incomparable than most people ever can. I have seen an view of the Pacific War. intimate and revealing view of the entire From that day on, I was driven to Pacific War through an artillery man’s chase down Wilber and Norma’s eyes, along with the challenges faced story. I soon had collected some 700 by those on the home front. So much letters written by Wilber during the of the story is sad, but it does portray a war years. I interviewed his military generation that rose to great heights as it colleagues and his siblings, visited the coped with enormous forces that, quite Pacific battlefields and even met with literally, changed the world. a former Japanese colonel he had fought Hale Bradt served in the Korean against. I more or less War in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He had the whole story in is Professor of Physics Emeritus my hands by the mid at the Massachusetts Institute of 1980s, but only now, Technology. His trilogy, Wilber’s 70 years after the war’s War: An American Family’s Journey end (and at age 84), through World War II, was published have I finally pulled it on the 70th anniversary of V-J Day, all together in a trilogy Aug.14, 2015. See wilberswar.com. titled Wilber’s War.

O

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A Brown Paper Envelope with Wartime letters, 70 Years Later

By Hale Bradt

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Sept. Sudoku Sudoku requires no arithmetic skills.The object of the game is to fill all the blank squares with the correct numbers. Each row and each column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Each 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9 as well.

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Question: When does Daylight Saving Time end in 2015?

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Get Growing This Fall W

arm days and cool nights make fall in Florida the perfect time to start a garden. Here are a few tips for this month:

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Edibles: Start heat-tolerant Brassicas like collard greens, broccoli, cabbage, mustard and kale. You can also plant beet, Brussels sprout, carrot, onion and okra directly in the garden. With afternoon shade, you can even start lettuce. Chives, oregano, parsley, cilantro, garlic and sage are hardy herbs that thrive in the fall. Wait to plant cukes, squash, and corn until after the rains have stopped. Prepare beds and set strawberry plants this month.

Flowers: Want roses? Get the soil ready, then plant rose bushes about mid-month.

They’ll acclimate and bloom over winter and be adjusted to your conditions before scorching summer weather returns. Other flowers that thrive in cool temperatures here include poppies, petunias, carnations, nasturtiums, dianthus and pansy. Plant lily bulbs now for spring/summer blooms.

Foliar Feeding. Once the rains have stopped, spray plants with a compost tea to help suppress foliar diseases, increase the amount of nutrients available to the plant and speed the breakdown of toxins.

Spread the Wealth: If you’ve been composting all summer, spread it around now. Bury or cover it so that the sun doesn’t burn up the organic matter before it can nourish your soil.

Fertilizer Tips: This is the last month of the year to fertilize underperforming plants. Controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer provides nutrients for lawns and shrubs over a longer period of time.

Mulch: Lay down a fresh layer to prevent weeds and keep soil insulated in cooler months.

For more gardening tips, visit UF/IFAS Extension’s website at solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu.

Tech Talk Giveaway: ZOINX W

elcome to this month’s Tech Talk column, where we cover the latest apps, products and websites that make life a little easier.

This month, we’re giving away a pair of black Zoinx Clip Sunglasses. (Includes Nylon Case, Zipper Pouch and Sport Strap) Valued at $119.00.

Zoinx Polarized Sunglasses feature a patented clip integrated into the temples.

This clip not only allows you to keep better track of your shades, it allows you to easily accessorize your sunglasses for whatever activity you have on your plate.

The convertible Zipper Pouch can be clipped into the sport strap or worn on the wrist. The Pouch is the perfect place to hold your car key, a few extra dollars and a sealed Emergency Info Card (included) just in case. Instead of sitting them down, clip your glasses to your bag or your belt—never lose your sunglasses again!

Learn more at zoinxsunglasses.com.

Editor’s Note: The zipper pouch includes a flotation insert, which comes in very handy at the beach or pool!

To enter the giveaway, email editor@ lifestylesafter50.com or snail mail us at: Attn: Zoinx Lifestyles After 50 P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL 33583

L

ong time passing. Where have all those phrases gone? Long time ago: Pshaw.

The milkman did it.

Think about the starving Armenians.

Bigger than a bread box.

Banned in Boston.

The very idea!

It’s your nickel.

Don’t forget to pull the chain.

Knee high to a grasshopper.

Turn-of-the-century.

Iron curtain.

Domino theory.

Fail safe.

Civil defense.

Fiddlesticks!

You look like the wreck of the Hesperus.

Cooties.

Going like sixty.

I’ll see you in the funny papers.

Don’t take any wooden nickels.

Heavens to Murgatroyd!

In the grid below, twenty answers can be found that fit the category for today. Circle each answer that you find and list it in the space provided at the right of the grid. Answers can be found in all directions – forwards, backwards, horizontally, vertically and diagonally. An example is given to get you started. Can you find the twenty answers in this puzzle?

Send us your name, address and phone number by October 19. The drawing will be held on October 20, and the winner will be contacted and announced in the next issue of Lifestyles After 50. Look for more giveaways in upcoming editions. Good luck!

Congratulations!

To last month’s winner: Lewis Brinin of St. Petersburg He won the VIM & VIGR Socks!

Where Have All Those Phrases Gone?

By Janice Doyle

Word Search October

And awa-a-ay we go!

Oh, my stars and garters!

It turns out there are more of these lost words and expressions than Carter had liver pills. (From the internet.)

Send your answers along with your name, address and telephone number to: LIFESTYLES AFTER 50 P.O. BOX 638, SEFFNER, FL 33583

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MYSTERY PRIZE!

WIN! WIN! WIN! GREAT PRIZES!

MYSTERY PRIZE!

(Puzzles must be received by October 20, 2015.)

Word Search Answers From Sept.

Priscilla Hoon is last month’s winner!

Congratulations!

Lifestyles After 50 • October 2015 • page 31

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