Northeast Ohio Boomer & Beyond | May June 2020 by Mitchell Media LLC: Northeast Ohio Parent & Northeast Ohio Boomer Magazines

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Northeast Ohio

BETTER LIVING AFTER 50

and Beyond MAY/JUNE 2020

Woodmere’s Joyce & Ben Holbert

Leaders, Mento rs, Partners

Great

Escapes

Close to Home

Courage & Character

Islands, Beaches & Ledges

When Times are Tough

Plus A Fresh Look at Home Cooking, Computer Games & Backyard Fun

Grow Your Own Food It's Easy — Here's How NortheastOhioBoomer.com

INSIDE

May/June

Grow Your Own Food

A Man for the Times

What to Plant & Where to Plant It

Bluesman Austin Walkin’ Cane

Village People Ben & Joyce Holbert

Missing Out Pandemic Grief

Beaches, Ledges & Islands

DEPA RTMENTS 9 WORTH NOTING

Love Letters, Virtual Trips

Better Living After 50

NEO GRANDPARENT

Boxed In, Cooking with Kids

TECH TALK

LEGAL

BOOM!

Computer Games to Share

The Sandwich Generation

Kent’s May 4 Legacy

On the Cover: Photo by Kim Stahnke

Are You Sure This is Ohio?

PUBLISHER´S NOTE

An Opportunity for Change Life, Interrupted

What are we thankful for? • The oft-used phrase, “Count your Blessings” can never be overstated. • For the friends that care. • For family members who stay in touch. • For spring’s return with its abundance of beauty. • For a roof over our heads and for peace. • For solutions that are closer with each passing day.

o one knew that our lives would be turned upside down this spring due to the coronavirus pandemic. With freedoms exchanged for the health of the common good, we have never lived through a time when the entire world was battling such a confusing and unknown enemy. I didn’t realize that I wouldn’t be able to see our 2-year-old granddaughter for days; that turned into weeks and months. Only 30 minutes away, the new gameplan of video chats and waves through the windows were bittersweet, temporary fixes. When we finally got the green light to hug our little angel once again, the joy was overwhelming. What have you missed the most? •G et-togethers with friends and family? •C hurch, synagogue services and fellowship? •G oing where you want – when you want? •A good night’s sleep? A good oldfashioned traffic jam? I know that many of our readers understand isolation all too well. Even before the stay-at-home order, many folks were far too familiar with loneliness, limited social interaction and mobility, and fear of severe illness. This pandemic has taken lives, stripped people of savings and livelihoods, forced us to hunker down and wait and wait and wait…

Better Living After 50

What has this taught us? • To live in isolation and “safety” or have healthier lives with more interdependence? • To teach us to slow down and simplify? • To value relationships over stuff? • In the quiet, can you discern what matters most? Health, people you love, mending things (relationships and other DIY projects)? • That people need people? Real people, real interaction? • That we long for real get-togethers and intimate friendships, not virtual substitutes? How will we look back on this time? If it has been a time of loss for you, our hearts go out to you. Things will open up again. Remedies will be found and a vaccine will be developed. Amidst the loss, fear and uncertainty — there is hope. At Boomer & Beyond, we will continue to strive to help you live your best life. Maybe this means taking a risk to mend a relationship. Maybe it means eating healthier and exercising or living with more purpose and conviction in the days ahead. We’ll all get to a new normal. Our hope is that yours is filled with improved health, stronger relationships, and the fortitude to seek joy and not despair.

Boomer Northeast Ohio

and Beyond

VOL. 6 ISSUE 3

May/June 2020 Northeast Ohio Boomer and Beyond is a property of Mitchell Media LLC

PO Box 1088 Hudson, OH 44236 330-822-4011 NortheastOhioBoomer.com /NEOhioBoomer

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PUBLISHER - Brad Mitchell brad@northeastohioboomer.com 330-714-7712 EDITOR- Marie Elium marie@northeastohioboomer.com COPY EDITOR/DIGITAL/ ASSISTANT EDITOR - Estelle Rodis-Brown estelle@northeastohioboomer.com EDITORIAL SUGGESTIONS editor@northeastohioboomer.com CALENDAR LISTING SUBMISSIONS calendar@northeastohioboomer.com CONTRIBUTORS Donna Hessel, Kathryn Kilpatrick, Judith Macek, Breanna Mona, Mike Olszewski, Estelle Rodis-Brown, Laurie G. Steiner, Tak Sato, John Selick, Karen Shadrach ART DIRECTOR- Laura Chadwick laura@northeastohioboomer.com ADVERTISING SALES Chris Geer, 330-614-8471 chris@northeastohioboomer.com Janyse Heidy, 330-671-3886 janyse@northeastohioboomer.com Sherrie Kantarovich, 216-299-5455 sherriek@northeastohioboomer.com Samantha Olp, 330-636-6127 sam@northeastohioboomer.com Yvonne Pelino, 440-971-0595 yvonne@northeastohioboomer.com Michelle Vacha, 440-463-0146 michelle@northeastohioboomer.com OFFICE MANAGER Kathleen Mitchell, 440-533-1208 kathleen@northeastohioboomer.com EVENT MANAGER Tara Tonsetic tara@northeastohioboomer.com DISTRIBUTION INQUIRIES info@northeastohioboomer.com PUBLISHERS OF

Boomer

BOOMER EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Northeast Ohio

and Beyond

Mindi Axner Executive Director National Council of Jewish Women/Cleveland

Coming in the

July/August Issue beginning 7/14

Sharon Dundee Director of Marketing & Communications Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center

• It’s Only Natural • Golf with Grandkids • Auditing • Consignment College Shops Classes

Kathy M. Hirko Owner KAZ Company Jeanne Hoban Marketing Communications Director Benjamin Rose Institute

Special Section: Home Healthcare and Hearing Well Guide

Kathryn Kilpatrick President Memory Fitness Matters, LLC

Stephanie Manning The American Heart Association, Cleveland

Susan Lieberman Director of Marketing & Public Relations Montefiore and The Weils

Steven Marsh Dr. Steve Marsh, DDS

Kelsey Loushin President Eldercare Professionals of Ohio

Fatima Perkins Director of Community Outreach Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging

Bob Pontius Director of External Relations Danbury Senior Living

Candyce Traci Vice President All Media Design Group Nancy Udelson President and CEO Alzheimer’s Association Cleveland Area Chapter

Leslie Royce Resnik President Royce Public Relations Laurie G. Steiner Partner, Solomon, Steiner & Peck, Ltd.

May/June 2020

NortheastOhioBoomer.com

EDITOR´S NOTE

Sorry for the Sluggishness It’s My First Pandemic

watched a robin build a nest Instagram, and maneuvering social outside my dining room window. encounters in six-foot increments. My other event that week was I know people who have made a virtual happy hour with college productive use of these downtime roommates. months. My neighbor sewed It’s been a productive few hundreds of COVID-19-barrier months, by pandemic masks for Cleveland standards. Aside from Clinic workers. A niece stumbling around with is passing out free food Zoom — the video at an elementary school. conferencing app — A friend is learning I’ve tackled several a foreign language. I projects: pitching failed mastered a home hair hair products jammed coloring kit but can’t get under the bathroom nail polish to last more sink; trimming hair from than 48 hours. my golden retriever’s It’s my first pandemic feet and matching and I’m not sure what plastic lids with bowls. to do. I’m FaceTiming I also sorted insurance because I miss seeing statements and moved people, sending more Editor Marie Elium in her mask with chickens on it. Her friend winter clothes to a back hand-written notes and (and flock co-owner) made it. closet. not letting my husband’s Now that I’ve written it down, it’s ice chewing get under my skin. an embarrassingly unambitious list. The other day, I attended a virtual I signed up for a free college veterinary school graduation in course (didn’t finish it), started Oklahoma (a family friend) and was a half-dozen novels (didn’t finish surprised both how odd yet oddly those), and thought about reviving familiar it seemed. A wedding I was my sourdough bread starter. I can’t looking forward to in June has been seem to get through the third season bumped to July and condensed to an of “Ozark” on our borrowed Netflix at-home affair with close family. The account. It’s all too much. bride will be married standing under I have a lot of things I need to trees where her swingset once sat. do. Instead, I’m going to bed early, Everyone is making adjustments, answering emails at odd times of some more easily than others. In the night, following celebrities on that spirit, we revamped our lineup

Better Living After 50

for this issue to better reflect how we’ll all be navigating life in the foreseeable future. Inside, you’ll find stories about fun things to do, new skills to learn and stories that inspire. There’s nothing like grocery shopping with a mask on to make you appreciate a home garden. Now that the ground has finally warmed up, it’s the perfect time to plant a few seeds, pop in a couple of tomato plants and wait for nature to do its thing. Our how-to guide begins on Page 32. If you're looking for ways to connect with a grandchild, think outside the box — or should I say inside the box? Our Grammy on the Go offers up ways to deliver cheap and easy fun that's as close as your recycle bin. And our tech columnist says video games can be a good way to spend time with a grandchild, regardless of how far away they are. The stories start on Page 17. And finally, Northeast Ohio’s Austin Walkin’ Cane was born to sing the blues, and he’s had his share of tough times. I think you’ll enjoy his inspiring story on Page 14. I hope you have a productive pandemic. I know I won’t. Stay safe,

WORTH NOTING Compiled by Marie Elium

Market Makeovers

THE BEST SIDE IS OUTSIDE

It’s a social distancing jungle out there. Masks. Hand sanitizer. Six-foot perimeters. Special store hours. One-way aisles. Skimpy selections. Remember when food shopping was fun? Or simple? Here’s some good news for foodies: it’s farmers market season. We’ll still be following good social distancing practices, but at least we’ll be doing it outdoors. Most local farmers markets resume this month. Expect limits on the number of people in the market area and special hours for people most vulnerable for the coronavirus. Other changes: Many markets will prohibit customers from bringing their own bags and touching items. Vendors will fill bags. Masks are recommended for everyone. Check with your favorite markets for specifics.

Game Changers

Tell Us Who’s Making an Impact

ortheast Ohio’s magazine for boomers is accepting nominations for the best of our region’s innovators who make a positive impact in the lives of people 50+. Dedicated to Better Living After 50, Northeast Ohio Boomer and Beyond magazine is celebrating its fifth anniversary this fall with its inaugural Boomer and Beyond Impact Awards. From housing to healthcare, employment, recreation and more, give us your nominees for people who are creatively addressing the needs of people 50+. Nominations may be submitted with our online ballot at northeastohioboomer.com through June 5.

May/June 2020

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WORTH NOTING

Love Letters Teen Tackles Loneliness with the Written Word

Better Living After 50

AUTISM SOCIETY PHOTO: KATIE WARREN

he pandemic put a spotlight on what Orange High School graduate Jacob Cramer has known for six years: that loneliness is rampant for many longterm care residents. Jacob Cramer's Letters Reach Worldwide with The rising Yale University Thousands of Volunteers junior founded Love for the Elderly after seeing how loneliness affected residents of long-term care facilities. As a volunteer, he was struck by how isolated some residents were, with infrequent visits from family and friends. He formed the non-profit Love for the Elderly to bring joy to the lives of older adults and started by sending letters to a local senior center. Today, Cramer’s organization has thousands of volunteers who work with more than 300 assistedliving facilities. Each letter or card is hand-written and first screened by a volunteer before it’s forwarded to residents. The group also provides care packages (Sunshine Bags) for and publishes Senior Storybook posts about special seniors and their impact. Love for the Elderly volunteers have sent more than 100,000 letters, a record 11,000 in April. Cramer says that with nursing homes and similar places under lockdown because of COVID-19 restrictions, isolation and loneliness have increased exponentially. So has participation in the program. “It’s so heartening to see all the love and kindness pouring out right now,” Cramer says. So, how do you write a letter to someone you don’t know? Cramer suggests starting a letter with ‘Dear friend,’ or ‘Hello there.’ “My advice is to write a letter like what you would want to receive. Tell them about yourself. Be yourself. Have fun. Just spread some love in your letter.” To volunteer or to donate to Love for the Elderly, go to lovefortheelderly.org.

Operation Cheer Keep Grandkids Busy

f you’re looking for a project with your grandkids, the Autism Society of Greater Akron has a suggestion: Use your crafting expertise to make items for their Operation Cheer. The group is collecting hand-drawn cards and pictures from children and forwarding them to people with disabilities who live in care facilities and group homes, isolated from friends and family. Mail the creations to the Autism Society of Greater Akron, 703 S. Main St., Akron, OH, 44311.

May/June 2020

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WORTH NOTING

LaptopFriendly Trips

Almost Like Being There

PEXELS.COM/ ALEX ZHERNOVYI

nstead of taking your laptop with you somewhere, let your laptop take you there. With many summer vacations scrambled, mix things up with a virtual trip. We know, it’s not as fun, but a real-time view of where you would have gone is better than nothing. Take a look at the pier and surf action at North Carolina’s Outer Banks at outerbanks.org/planyour-trip/webcams. Enjoy the majesty of Niagara Falls at earthcam.com/ canada/niagarafalls/ thefalls. Why stay domestic? Visit Florence, Italy at skylinewebcams.com and then venture off to other beautiful and interesting locales through the website. It’s a staycation summer but with a computer, you don’t have to stay home.

Better Living After 50

Bookshelf REAL-LIFE THRILLS

Take a Trip to Someone Else’s Life with These Book Picks Sometimes we’re too restless to settle in with a novel. That’s when non-fiction books come to the rescue; they’re easier to pop in and out of when you’re distracted by, well, whatever is distracting you these days. Dive into these non-fiction recommendations from the staff at Fireside Book Shop in Chagrin Falls. Find more at firesidebookshop.com.

When Life Gives You Pears By Jeannie Gaffigan Jeannie handles a dire medical crisis with humor (she was, after all, a co-writer and producer of the Jim Gaffigan Show) and vulnerability, but mostly with thankfulness, having to rely on her faith, family, friends and strangers in a “letting go” that allowed God to work His wonders. As Jeannie says, “He gives us lessons to be learned. I’m hoping to learn mine by reading rather than experiencing.”

Endurance By Scott Kelly A fascinating account of life on the International Space Station and how Scott Kelly made his way there from his start as a high school slacker. What is it really like to circle the earth for a year? Thrilling, boring, challenging? Yes, yes and yes.

Tattoos on the Heart By Gregory Boyle

Reading with Patrick By Michelle Kuo

The Disappearing Spoon By Sam Kean

Father Boyle is a speaker at events around the country, including Cleveland, and is the subject of a documentary film and the winner of many awards. He is to the gangs of Los Angeles as Brandon Chrostowski is to exfelons in Cleveland. Not a how-to or an autobiography, but an amazing testimony to people at the moment when they realize they are loved. Humorous at times, and very touching and inspiring.

Ms. Kuo was part of the Teach for America program and was assigned to Helena, Arkansas. Don’t expect a Hollywood story where the teacher struggles with difficult students and everything magically ends up rosy. This is a true story and the author is refreshingly honest and open in the way she deals with poverty and race. She makes real connections with her students, particularly Patrick, who gets sent to prison.

Bubbles in a glass of beer led to the invention of one of the most important pieces of scientific equipment. The Euro is the most sophisticated, counterfeit-proof money ever created. Delightful facts like these highlight our creativity and eccentricity. In a saucy style, the author helps us appreciate the most fundamental of resources, the elements and old ideas which we build on, reject or re-embrace.

May/June 2020

NortheastOhioBoomer.com

A N ew

Profile in

Courage

After 10 years of chasing after a cure, Austin requested the very thing heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d been avoiding his whole life: amputation of his left leg. Amputation translated into freedom rather than loss for Austin, his transportive chords carrying him farther than any two ordinary legs ever could.

Better Living After 50

Austin Walkin’ Cane was Born to Sing the Blues …and He was Made for This Moment

By Estelle Rodis-Brown Photography by Jef Janis (Shutter35 Photography)

e was looking forward to his 50th birthday. He would be at the pinnacle of his performance career, two weeks into a six-week European tour as a solo blues artist. But instead of celebrating with adoring crowds, Austin ‘Walkin’ Cane’ Charanghat was stuck at home in West Park, practicing social distancing with his two teenage sons. Despite the letdown, Austin took it all in stride. Disappointment has been a familiar lifetime companion, often accompanied by pain, loss and isolation. Maybe that’s why he’s a world-renowned blues musician. His deep, soulful voice, relatable lyrics and inspired guitar licks transport his listeners to calmer, deeper places. “Enjoy what you’ve got while you got it. That’s the message of my damn fine blues,” he explains. “Get lost in the music, wherever it takes you.”

MUSIC AS MEDICINE Austin’s music has been his best medicine since his youth. Born with arteriovenous malformation in both legs (“bad veins, bad bones,” he says), a simple run across the yard often resulted in painful swelling where the blood pooled in his legs and feet. It was so extreme that he couldn’t wear shoes. The left leg was especially problematic. He spent years in doctor’s offices, seeking a cure. He exhausted medical options in Northeast Ohio and his father took him to the Mayo Clinic, Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital. He was on a cane or crutches by 17, often recovering from an invasive treatment, surgery or a broken tibia or fibula. Austin grew up in Rocky River, the son of parents who emigrated to the U.S. from India in the 1960s. He made the most of life in the suburbs with the neighbor kids and a little sister who came 12 years after him.

Austin and his friends started sharing music when he was in seventh grade, grooving on the sounds of Jimi Hendrix, Duane Allman, Jimmy Paige, Eric Clapton and their bluesy musical influences. He bought himself an electric guitar when he was a high school freshman. Before long, he was performing with his Rocky River pals as the Stone Free band (the name inspired by a Hendrix tune). “Music took over in my teen years because my body was so wrecked. I was always recovering from a setback with my leg and recovery after a break was so slow for me… 16-20 weeks at a time. I had nowhere else to go than deeper into my music. It heals in lots of different ways. Even to this day, I go to my instrument whenever I’m upset and within five minutes, it calms me. I’m cool with it, whatever it is.” After graduation, Austin pursued an electrical engineering major at University of Toledo but quit after two years, simply for a lack of

passion in the subject. He was much more interested in playing gigs with his jam band, Skydogs (a Duane Allman nickname). He started out as the guitarist but was encouraged to accompany himself as a vocalist during Acoustic Jam Night at Angela’s Attic, a pizza place on campus. Soon, Austin’s deep, smoky vocals distinguished the band’s overall vibe. By the time Austin was in his early 20s, he felt healthy, was working out and getting in better shape. He recalls a day at the pool when he swam 25 laps then felt suddenly dizzy. The exertion had broken his leg. He crawled out of the pool, crawled into the locker room, crawled out to his car, drove to the doctor’s office, crawled into the doctor’s office and called it quits. After 10 years of chasing after a cure, Austin requested the very thing he’d been avoiding his whole life: amputation of his left leg. “I gave up. I had to move on with my life. It was time to amputate.”

May/June 2020

NortheastOhioBoomer.com

Despite going from the near-apex of his solo career to sudden confinement and overnight unemployment within a matter of weeks, Austin responds with a dramatic lack of drama. Accustomed to things suddenly going wrong, he’s finding a workaround to the situation.

FREE TO SOAR Amputation translated into freedom rather than loss for Austin, his transportive chords carrying him farther than any two ordinary legs ever could. His freshly-realized voice, which happens upon the listener like a raspy whisper until it amplifies like approaching thunder, fills the house and shakes your bones. It also got attention at the Memphis Blues Challenge. As a solo artist, he won the competition in 2009 and then found himself invited to a blues festival near Bordeaux and the FIMU (Festival International de Musique Universitaire) festival in Belfort, France. He was the only American asked to perform there, among 3,500 musicians from around the world, playing for throngs of 25,00030,000 fans for a three-day festival. Then, says Austin, “strange things started happening.” Good things, like being invited to a blues festival in Kathmandu, Nepal. Then on to Australia for Blues on Broadbeach in Queensland. Soon, Austin was back in France, then on to Belgium, Columbia, Switzerland, Ireland, England, New Zealand, Sweden, back to France and stateside, playing at B.B. King’s club in Las Vegas, college gigs in Florida, a music conference in Atlanta ... and on it went. In March, Austin was all set to perform a six-week tour throughout France, then in New York City before returning home.

Better Living After 50

“It was gonna be an outrageous time,” he says wistfully from his coronavirus quarantine headquarters. “It would have been my longest time yet on tour. I was really looking forward to it.”

THE CORONAVIRUS EFFECT All that’s on hold as the world holds its breath and does its best to flatten the curve. Despite going from the near-apex of his solo career to sudden confinement and overnight unemployment within a matter of weeks, Austin responds with a dramatic lack of drama. Accustomed to things suddenly going wrong, he’s finding a workaround to the situation. In collaboration with his fellow musicians, coffee roaster Chris Allen and restaurateur Kelly Wright, Austin is hosting virtual concerts through Facebook Live. Every Saturday and Sunday, Austin Walkin’ Cane performs live from Borderline Cafe in Lakewood, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Listeners are invited to Breakfast, Coffee & Blues by simply ordering breakfast food and drink from Borderline (carryout or curbside delivery) then tuning in for the blues over Facebook Live. Making the most of his versatile voice and acoustic slide guitar, Austin is playing to bigger crowds than ever— averaging around 1,000 per virtual gig — with fans from around the world who tune in for their morning blues. Applause for Austin is appreciated via PayPal or Venmo donations. It’s a win-win-win for local businesses, local musicians and hungry/thirsty blues fans.

Once again, it’s the blues that keep Austin happy, calm and assured of better days to come. “Virtual tips are pretty mindblowing. And the virtual platform is bringing me a worldwide audience. I have folks checking in from all around here but also from Canada, Australia, Bordeaux, Ireland and Columbia,” he says. In spite of the allure of exotic locales he’s visited, he says Northeast Ohio is his top choice as home base. “The Cleveland community ranks cooler than any other place I’ve ever been to,” he says. “Altogether, the music scene isn’t cut-throat like Chicago or New York, not to mention the fans. Cleveland’s musicians and audiences are so welcoming and supportive. They keep me — a performing musician — working six days a week under normal conditions. Add to that the fact that Cleveland is affordable and drivable. I can get anywhere around town in 20 minutes and can drive from here to just about anywhere in a day’s time for an out-of-state gig.” While it’s tempting to frame Austin as an optimist, he’s actually a realist who’s wired to find the possibilities in bad situations. To those chafing at the constraints brought about by the coronavirus, he warns, “Depression will slip in due to confinement. You’ve got to push back against it. Find a goal to achieve — something you’ve always wanted to do but never had the time. Whether it’s to finally read that book, pick up an instrument or fix up the house… whatever it is, you just gotta do it. You gotta find your way around the problem.” “Suffering can work in your favor, if you let it,” the bluesman says. “Find your way around it. Everything works out in the end if you make the best of it.” Estelle Rodis-Brown is a freelance writer and photographer from Portage County who also serves as digital/assistant editor of Boomer magazine. She is committed to lifelong learning, wellness and pursuit of better living at any age.

Grand Northeast Ohio

Shall We Play a Game?

Supplement to

Boomer Northeast Ohio

and Beyond

Boxes of Fun

+ Kids in the Kitchen May/June 2020

NortheastOhioBoomer.com

d n a r G

Shall We Play

a Game? Pull Up a Device By Tak Sato

hen I started reading my new coffee-table book, “The Game Console’’ by Evan Amos last fall, I wasn’t surprised that Atari’s Pong was not the first widely-available game console. That distinction goes to the Magnavox Odyssey, circa 1972. Playing games on smartphones and tablets has been around for more than a decade. Accessibility and the ease at which games can be played quickly probably surpass other forms of gaming and provide a common thread linking generations of game lovers.

GAMES FOR YOUR LAPTOP archive.org/details/internetarcade Description (from their website): The Internet Arcade is a web-based library of arcade (coinoperated) video games from the 1970s through to the 1990s. archive.org Description (from their website): Non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites,and more.

Better Living After 50

GAMES FOR IPHONE AND/OR IPAD USERS StockFish Chess: Play aggressive and dynamic chess with adjustable playing strength. • No ads • Free • Play against the machine or play both sides • A tool to teach the universal language of chess Trainyard Express: Puzzle-solving game that is easy to learn but very tough to master. Get each train to a goal station. Red trains go to red stations, blue trains go to blue stations, etc. • No ads • Full “Trainyard” app with 100 more puzzles for only 99 cents Mekorama: Help a tiny robot stumble home through 50 puzzling mechanical dioramas. • No ads • Play it for free for as long as you like then pay what you think it’s worth

PRO TIP GET TO THE POINT I can go on because, growing up in Japan, I lived through the video-gaming craze and remember my dad bringing home the bright orange video game console: Nintendo’s version of Pong. Right about now, my editor is thinking, “Enough geek talk and get to the tech talk.” The assignment was gaming and making a connection with grandkids. Sure, Millennials or Gen Z may call their grandpa a “retro” gamer, but one look in Google’s Play Store (apps for non-Apple devices) and Apple’s App Store (for iPhones and iPads) shows that retro gaming apps, both old games reborn and new games that have an ‘80s look, are quite popular. Gaming is a way to connect with grandkids, and a lot of the games will look familiar.

Buy gift cards for app purchases, (Google Play or App Store iTunes) and apply to your account instead of using a credit or debit card to limit your exposure for online theft.

Try the Internet Arcade from the free Internet Archives (see side story). Here you can play thousands of arcade video games that date from the ‘70s. The games are not only nostalgic but they also provide an opportunity to share stories of when you were their age and played the original version of the arcade games. (Maybe on a beach vacation? At the roller skating rink?) As noted earlier, the way we play electronic games has changed over the decades. Devices such as smartphones and tablets can

morph into your personal game console, right in the palm of your hands, through an app. As always-connected (to the cloud) devices, gaming apps can be played solo, with a partner who lives somewhere else, or sideby-side, each using his own device. Emotional connectedness, made possible through the internet, is the best medicine for loneliness and social isolation. Gaming is a language every generation understands. Tak Sato is a founder of the Cleveland-area nonprofit, Center for Aging in the Digital World (empoweringseniors.org), that teaches digital literacy to people 50+ through the free Discover Digital Literacy program.

GAMES FOR ANDROID (not iPhone/iPad) smartphone and/or tablet users OpenGemmy: A very basic match-3 game. • No ads • Free • No in-app pay • A simple rule of match three of a kind (or four for bonus) • Single-player game but grandkids will like it, too

BotSumo: A simple game that can be great fun when you have a few minutes to spare. Grab a friend & use the on-screen control, choose a bot, & push your opponent off the edge. It has ads but only costs $1.49 to get rid of them and to unlock all bots and levels.

DroidFish Chess: Play aggressive and dynamic chess with adjustable playing strength. • No ads • Free • Single or two-player mode on one device • A tool to teach the universal language of chess

SuperTuxKart: Karts. Nitro. Action! A 3D kart racing game with a variety of characters, tracks,and modes to play. • No ads • Free • Single-player race or multiple players race • Each on own Android tablet or smartphone • Race over the internet when away from each other • Race when connected to the same Wi-Fi

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d n a r G

Bof o xe s till stuck at home trying to entertain the grandkids? One thing I have found that grabs their attention (holding it for longer than two minutes) and feeds their creativity is a large cardboard box. Boxes can be collected from almost anywhere: deliveries, new furniture or appliances, a recent move or bought online. One large box can become a fort, castle, clubhouse, food truck or firetruck. The possibilities are endless. If you obtain a new box in these COVID19 virus quarantine days, please sanitize them with disinfecting wipes, such as Lysol, before using. ANYTHING GOES After the grandkids decide what they want to build, you can help them cut out windows and doors. Maybe you can add a steering wheel or ladder made from extra cardboard. Give them a box of crayons, some stickers and let them color and design their new box creation.

Better Living After 50

By Karen Shadrach

Cutting off the flaps on the box will give you the extra amount needed for decorations or to make a roof. Expand your structure to make it even bigger. Additional boxes may be placed sideby-side for extra rooms, or on top of one another to create a larger space to stand in. To add more rooms, cut out one side of the initial box and add an additional box by taping it together. Strong packing tape works the best. Make doors to crawl through or cut large openings to create a larger open space so they can walk in. Decorate inside walls with leftover wallpaper or wrapping paper, then apply stickers. To brighten up the inside of your box structure, hang light strings, either plug-in Christmas lights or small battery fairy lights. Tape them to the ceiling for a beautiful effect that will make the box feel special and magic. A medium-sized box can become a boat or car. My four grandchildren loved making a boat and giving each other rides—pushing it around the “lake” kitchen, taking turns riding in front or back, and being the ship’s captain.

If you have a smaller box, just large enough to fit one child, make a race car or a car to take to a makeshift drive-in movie. I could not find four identically sized boxes (they must be the same!) so I bought four plastic storage containers. The children used markers and many stickers to decorate their cars. I made steering wheels from black construction paper that they taped onto the inside front, plus four black wheels taped on the outside. To take a trip to Grammy’s DriveIn, they drove their cars around the house and then parked them in front of the TV. The drive-In featured a favorite movie, candy and popcorn. We filled the bins with pillows and stuffed animals to make them comfier. Karen Shadrach is an on-the-go, in-theknow Northeast Ohio grandmother of two sets of twins. Read her grandparenting blog at northeast ohioboomer.com.

PHOTO BY KAREN SHADRACH

Fu n

Deliver Cheap & Easy Entertainment the Kids Will Love

Time Out for

Time In

Kids in the Kitchen By John Selick

love hearing stories from people about how their cooking is influenced by their mothers. They have romantic tales of learning to cook by her apron strings, with fragrant aromas filling sunlit kitchens of their childhood home. They recall how a few simple ingredients that were often picked from the garden would be enjoyed with the family gathered around the dining room table.

I know that many people don’t have this kind of story to share, but this could change, thanks to the pandemic. Before the shutdown, we were too busy with work and dined out frequently, but we’ve now found ourselves cooking at home more than ever. It’s helpful that social media has live cooking demos that provide the confidence and inspiration to whip up a delicious meal enjoyed with family. Many of us are even dusting off family recipes usually reserved for special occasions. A generation of kids is benefiting from all this home

cooking, getting to work next to their parents or grandparents, creating memories and learning recipes that they’ll use for their children. MISTAKES & EXPERIENCE Lacking confidence is often the biggest hurdle for kids to get in the kitchen and to start cooking. They might be a master with the microwave but heating a pan to medium-high heat may cause some anxiety. One of the best cures for anxiety is experience. They may burn something and that’s ok; it happens to all of us.

Making mistakes is often the best way to learn. It’s an “I’ll never do that again” kind of moment, but hopefully, they’ll be eager to try again. Teach how cooking uses all five senses: seeing and hearing the food sizzle, using your sense of smell to tell when it’s time to add more ingredients, touching and feeling an ingredient to check for doneness, and most importantly, tasting to see if it needs more seasoning. This summer is the perfect time to grow a garden, even if it’s only a small one with tomatoes and fresh herbs. A garden will get you and the kids closer to nature, help you eat healthier, save a few trips to the grocery store, and give them confidence in the kitchen. I’ve had incredible luck with my four kids being interested in trying foods that we’ve grown in our garden. They get excited to pick and help roast tomatoes on the grill and peel the charred skin away while I sweat onions and garlic in olive oil. They also help by pulsing the tomatoes into a chunky mixture in the Vitamix, and then adding it to the pot and letting it simmer, tasting every 20 minutes until they think the sauce is perfect. It’s a pretty simple recipe with just a few ingredients but it gives them the confidence to try other recipes. I imagine that one day, they’ll recreate this dish with my future grandkids, reliving the aromas and flavors of their childhoods. Life has paused for many of us and we are reanalyzing our priorities. We are all eager for life to get back to normal. But hopefully, normal life in a post-COVID-19 society has us spending more time with our kids; cooking and spending time together. And one day, they will tell a romantic story of cooking with their parents.

John Selick is the senior culinary manager at Sodexo Healthcare Services for University Hospitals in Cleveland.

May/June 2020

NortheastOhioBoomer.com

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Village

, Ă&#x2026;People Public Servants Catching Up with the Holberts By Marie Elium Photo by Kim Stahnke

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en and Joyce Holbert didn’t plan to sit in a nearly deserted parking lot on a Friday afternoon and give a “where are they now?” update, and certainly not under these circumstances. Parking usually is a matter of luck at Eaton Chagrin Boulevard shopping center in Woodmere. But not today. A security guard drives what seems to be pointless rounds past the locked stores on a sun-filled afternoon. An occasional shopper taps on the Barnes & Noble door and grabs a bag, carryout style. For anyone, but for the Holberts in particular, it’s got to seem like they’re a long way from Cleveland TV reporter and personality to Woodmere village mayor, from busy IT consultant and volunteer to a homebound community activist. Throw in a pandemic, and the distance is more like a chasm. They’re up to the challenge: outgoing, engaged, and philosophical about the future, they practice social distancing but it’s not an easy fit. They prefer to be with people, not sitting six feet apart from them. OUTWARD FOCUS The Holberts are a big presence in a small village. Married 32 years with three grown sons, they’ve become mentors and leaders both together and each in their own right. Joyce is a former member of Woodmere’s village council, serving from 2001-2005, a longtime community volunteer, and is promoting the 2020 census and voter registration. Both are issues that are vital among under-represented populations and are areas of interest for Delta Sigma Theta, a historically African American sorority. A member of the Greater Cleveland

Chapter, she participates in its mentoring, scholarship and other development programs for young people. Ben is in his third year of a four-year term as Woodmere’s mayor. With 884 residents, most people know it as the home of the upscale Eaton Chagrin Boulevard with its Tiffany & Co., Brooks Brothers and Apple Store. Holbert was a Cleveland-area TV news reporter and anchor for 18 years. He worked for WUAB, WOIO and WKYC, among others. He was elected to Woodmere council in 2011 and became council president. With his news background, experience covering government officials and long ties to the village, Holbert’s election to mayor didn’t seem like much of a leap. The transition has been occasionally bumpy with divisions surfacing over economic development and other issues. He’s diplomatic about it. “We all have the desire to do what we believe is best for the community and village,” he says. A mayor in a village gets called about all sorts of things: power outages, errant tree branches, sidewalk repairs. This spring and into summer, Holbert is grappling with a new reality: governing in a pandemic. He reassures residents that while daily life is certainly disrupted, village services will continue, and has been pitching in to call senior citizens to make sure they have what they need.

Village work aside, Holbert maintains close ties with his alma mater, Kent State University, and was its summer commencement speaker in August. Until the world gets back to normal — whatever that means this year and beyond — the Holberts will continue with their community outreach work and maintaining family ties. Their son Ben, 28, lives at home with them, works at the Cleveland Airport and has a clothing line. Joseph, 26, is a hip-hop artist in Columbus who goes by the name “Joey Aich.” And, yes, they’ve gone to see him perform many times and are developing an appreciation for the genre. Their youngest, David, 23, is a graduate of Baldwin Wallace University, and an actor. He was touring with “The Color Purple” before the virus shut it down. He’s been staying with family down South and doing video auditions. “This is a time when kids will remember being home with their parents or having more family time,” Joyce says. “It will make us appreciate all the little things that you did before.” Adds Holbert, “I think that people now will recognize how serious things can be and how humanity comes into play.” Marie Elium is editor of Northeast Ohio Boomer and Beyond. She misses looking for a parking spot at Eaton Chagrin Boulevard.

May/June 2020

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YOUR MIND

issing M

'Despondent' is a word I am hearing a lot recently, either when working with clients or talking with family and friends. Understandably so; COVID-19 has turned our life, community, country, and the world, as we’ve known it, upside down, leaving many feeling discouraged, hopeless, lonely, oppressed or melancholy. Whatever words you choose, what many are feeling falls under the guise of grief and loss. FREEDOM AT A COST Sadness, anger, denial, yearning, acceptance and bargaining are all common emotions when grieving. It’s also natural for them to be experienced multiple times throughout the day, yet grief can be confusing when it’s not in relation to death. {This article addresses grief and loss not related to death. It is not meant to minimize the loss of life caused by COVID-19. If you have suffered the loss of someone you love and are seeking articles referencing grief, please refer to the article on grief in the Jan/Feb 2020 issue.} Regardless of whether it can be rationalized, life has changed and all are experiencing various forms of loss. Even those who continue to work and keep up with relationships through use

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of technology are susceptible during this pandemic. The main contributors to our grief are the loss of freedom and our sense of security. Prior to this pandemic, it wouldn’t have been uncommon to hear someone wishing for more free time, maybe to finish projects or to be home more. We’ve heard, “Be careful what you wish for.” I’m not saying anyone “wished” this into existence, or that it’s a punishment for wanting more free time, but it is a good example of the fragile complexity of the human psyche. It’s tough being satisfied when the free time happens under sub-par circumstances, and “free time” allotted under the umbrella of a pandemic is subpar. We’re accustomed to the privilege of choosing what, when,

where and how we do things. Social distancing and stay-athome orders have dramatically changed our choices and we’re not sure for how long. The brain usually does not do well with “not sure.” One of the brain’s jobs is to solve problems, and some problems cannot be solved, at least not in the immediate future. Our mind might begin to equate loss of freedoms to loss of control, and the loss of security to fear. Both lead to anxiety and sadness.

NOW WHAT? Remember, you have control over your thoughts. If you feel increased negativity, sadness, or anxiety after watching the news, limit your time viewing only credible sources like

Out Governor Mike DeWine’s daily news conferences or government informationcentered sites. You might also limit news exposure to once a day. Let this be an opportunity for anxiety to benefit you. Healthy anxiety levels help us perform optimally. In the case of the coronavirus, anxiety may make you mindful of preventative measures

That Feeling? It’s Grief By Judith Macek

such as washing your hands, sanitizing surfaces and keeping safe distances. Taking appropriate precautionary measures can restore a sense of control and decrease unhealthy anxiety levels. Use anxiety to motivate yourself to get outdoors. Exercise positively affects our mental wellness through increased production of chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine that help us feel good. Northeast Ohio’s weather doesn’t cooperate sometimes, so dress appropriately when you go out to take advantage of our many parks and trails. Writing can be cathartic, so consider journaling your COVID-19 experience. This can be done for your eyes only, or the possibility of benefiting future generations as they go through a similar experience. A

personal account for others can help them normalize their feelings. Remember to extend grace, not only to yourself, but also to others. Loss of any type requires change and getting used to the new normal. We are social beings, and most are grieving over the time not spent together. Even though we’re doing this to help keep each other healthy, it feels unnatural and can still cause mental anguish. If you feel you need to speak with a professional, counselors are available and taking new clients. Due to the extending circumstances, most sessions are being held through various modems such as Zoom, Skype, FaceTime or phone. We will get through this together, six feet apart.

Judith Macek is a licensed professional clinical counselor in Portage County who works with all ages and diagnoses, specializing in anxiety, depression and grief counseling. To reach her, call 330-398-5000.

May/June 2020

NortheastOhioBoomer.com

Beaches, Ledges & Islands LOCAL GETAWAYS THAT SEEM FAR AWAY

HEADLANDS PHOTOS BY ADAM M. WOHLEVER

By Breanna Mona

Pretending you’re a tourist on your own stomping grounds is a fun way to see Northeast Ohio in a new light while also giving your wallet a breather. ••• Check out these gorgeous beaches, ledges and islands that make it feel like you and Toto are not in Ohio anymore. Stay near; get lost.

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BEACHES EDGEWATER PARK – Cleveland

acres, Stretching across 147 es 9,000 Edgewater Park featur r dogs, (fo es feet of swim beach club, ht yac r, too) a fishing pie on, vili pa le tab boat ramps, ren It’s lls. gri d an picnic spots ual dip, perfect for a quick, cas thing or summer stroll, sunba friends casual gathering with and family.

KE GENEVA-ON-THE-LA – Geneva

urth Geneva is lit like the Fo g. lon r of July all summe ort, Ohio’s first summer res s been ha ake e-L Geneva-on-th spot on ati vac ily fam a favorite m fro ide As s. ion rat for gene imming, the boating, fishing, sw tels camping, cottages, mo the and homes available, loaded enter tainment strip is and es rid nt with amuseme balls of t cke bu a nightlife. Hit back k kic or e urs co lf on the go u yo y wa y An . ery at the win ort will choose, this little res e close make you forget you’r to home.

S HEADLANDS DUNE ERVE ES STATE NATURE PR – Mentor

ds Dunes Lake County’s Headlan adjacent State Nature Preser ve, s ne State to the Headlands Du Ohio’s es Park (which featur ach), be d largest natural san d in kin its of t is one of the las ong am lic fro can u yo Ohio. Here g and the collection of strikin imals. an d an nts pla ed specializ yo d ur Zen It’s a great place to fin . iet and appreciate the qu

Nature Preser ve and Headlands Dunes State Park offer visitors te Sta es Headlands Dun se to Nor theast Ohio. clo plenty to do and see rse and a walkway at Inset photos : a golf cou ke -La -the -on Geneva

CEDAR POINT BEAC – Sandusky

ough to drop Ohioans are lucky en thrilling the in at Cedar Point for it. But like l fee we rides whenever tage van ad e tak we how often do s sit it ach be s ou of the gorge dowed on? The often-oversha lusively beach is available exc rk, Soak to the amusement pa r Point City Waterpark, Ceda tinum pass pla d Resor t guests an Cedar at te -si holders. Stay on d boogie an rs ake Bre Point’s Hotel rties, out to the beach for pa rks. wo fire d an s me ga music,

C R OW D -B U ST

ERS

Before you head out, check desti nation websites for spec ial hours, facility availability and other restrict ions. Many place s have special hours fo r older visitors an d those especially vulne rable to the coro navirus. Up early? Morning ho urs are usually les s popular with visitors, mak ing it easy to have social distance-approp riate outings.

May/June 2020

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LEDGES NELSON-KENNEDY LEDGES STATE PARK – Garrettsville The state park is 167 acres of mossy crevices, rocky trails and soaring rock outcroppings, all under a canopy of trees. Don’t confuse it with the noisier and privately-owned Nelson Ledges Quarry Park next door. That park has a swimming area, a campground and notoriously rowdy concerts throughout the summer. At the quieter state park on state Route 282 a few miles north of Garrettsville in Portage County, you’ll find quiet pathways through slender slips in the rocks, thick patches of ferns and a small creek to explore.

WHIPP’S LEDGES – Hinckley Geology fans, listen up. This is one of the few spots in Northeast Ohio with exposed sandstone ledges of Sharon Conglomerate. This is a thick, almost pure quartz sandstone from the early Pennsylvanian Age that formed about 310 million years ago. Grab a permit and get busy rock climbing and then refuel and relax in one of the nearby picnic areas.

RITCHIE LEDGES CUYAHOGA VALLEY NATIONAL PARK – Peninsula This is another terrific place to see Sharon Conglomerate. An ultimate spot to hike, take the trail around the ledges to connect to a longer set of trails in the Virginia Kendall area. When it reopens, you can also schedule a ranger-led hike around the ledges to catch the inside scoop.

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ISLANDS ATE PARK BE KELLEYS ISLAND ST – Kelleys Island

ACH

nd g 67 7 acres, Kelleys Isla Comprising a whoppin 002,8 the of res sho oss the State Park spreads acr e’s Eri ich is known as Lake acre Kelleys Island, wh kayak or a t ren to ot sp s lou rve Emerald Isle. It’s a ma tional is famous for its excep gaze at nature. This isle es. tur fea al ical and geologic archaeological, ecolog y. mf co t ge , axation lovers Nature lovers unite; rel

STATE PARK SOUTH BASS ISLAND – Put-In-Bay t there’s home to Put-In-Bay bu South Bass Island is d m the party scene an more to enjoy aside fro The . for n ow kn is t-In-Bay nightlife attractions Pu sis oa an is rk Pa te nd Sta 33-acre South Bass Isla er a Aft . tes psi cam d an areas of beaches, wooded o tw on down to one of the day at the beach, hop e tastings and tours. wineries to enjoy win

theast Breanna Mona is a Nor freelance writer.

Ohio

May/June 2020

NortheastOhioBoomer.com

Grow Your Own Food It’s Easy; Here’s How By Donna Hessel

Online order hassles, masks, crack-of-dawn store hours, lousy selections. Wouldn’t it be nice to get food from your back yard instead of a grocery store? Like Victory Gardens during World War II, Pandemic Plots promise to be the go-to hobby this summer. Grab a shovel and get started.

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STEP ONE SELECT THE RIGHT SPOT Your garden needs to be in full sun and sheltered from the wind. Decide on how large a plot you want. Be realistic in terms of time and maintenance. You’ll need a couple of hours a week from now through August to keep a 10-foot by-13-foot patch sown, planted, harvested and weeded. Start small. You can always expand the space later. Clear the ground. Remove the grass (stack the turf somewhere upside down and it will compost into topsoil which can be put back into the beds in a few months).

STEP TWO HOW’S YOUR DIRT? If you don’t know what your soil type is, pick up a handful and feel it. If it’s slimy and you can make it into a ball, it’s clay – what most of us have. If it feels gritty and won’t stick together, its base is sand. Pour a bucket of water into a 1-foot hole in the soil. If it drains almost immediately, you have sandy soil. If it just sits there, you have clay. You should also do a pH test with a kit from a garden center.

FREE SMARTPHONE APPS FOR PLANT I.D.s AND TIPS

Or, you can send a soil sample to a soil testing lab. For sources, go to ohioline. osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-1132.) Your soil should drain well, contain plenty of topsoil with organic material (compost and manure) to a depth of about one foot and have an ideal pH of 6.5.

STEP THREE PLAN IT Lay out your garden so it produces delicious food and looks good. Dividing your plot into four areas with paths in between is one plan you might want to consider. Keep sections about four feet wide with as wide a path between them as possible. Paths should be a minimum of 30-inches wide. Anything narrower will be obliterated as plants grow. You will want to add two inches of mulch to your paths for both ease of accessing your plants and to keep weeds down. If you decide on the four-bed plan, the beds can then be designated for different types of plant groups: root vegetables, veggies such as beans and peas, salad veggies and herbs and miscellaneous selections. With this plan, you can rotate your plants from one bed to another every year. Rotating each bed over four years will prevent a build-up of pests and diseases. Once you have your garden designed, draw out the plan on a sheet of paper and then attach tracing paper over the design so that you can record what goes where each season, as well as make notes on what grew well or didn’t.

NO DIGGING? NO PROBLEM By Marie Elium Lasagna gardening is an alternative to the heavy work of removing grass clumps. With a shovel, cut in a deep, angled edge (4 inches) around your chosen space and toss the clumps into the garden spot. Layer newspaper and cardboard over the area. Cover with compost and highquality topsoil to create a garden OVER the grass.

GrowIt GardenAnswers GardeningCompanion PlantSnap iNaturalist

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STEP FOUR PLANT IT What do you want to plant in your garden? The key here is to choose as many plants as possible that you can harvest on a Monday for supper and, by the following Monday, they will have grown back so you can harvest again. Consider planting your favorite grocery store produce that’s also easy to grow: tomato plants or seeds for bush beans, leaf lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini and herbs. Use one of the garden websites listed to determine how much to plant.

After your garden is in, adding mulch around the plants prevents weed seeds from germinating and makes maintenance easier. If you have ample space, you might want to plant a border of flowers that will both deter insect pests and attract pollinators. Marigolds, nasturtiums, sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, calendula and sweet peas are good choices to plant from either seeds or seedlings. Now sit back, relax a bit and look forward to harvesting a variety of fresh veggies to enhance your family’s meals.

Donna Hessel is the author of Northeast Ohio Boomer and Beyond’s Gardening Sweet Spots blog. She’s a member of Emerald Necklace Garden Club emeraldnecklace gardenclub.com.

RAINY DAY RESEARCH • Insectid.ento.vt.edu Insect identification and remedies

• Finegardening.com A variety of information and sign up for newsletter

• Vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/home Plant diseases and controls

Frustrated with pronouncing the Latin names of plants? Find a pronunciation dictionary on this website.

• Davesgarden.com/guides/pf Plant database and other information

• Provenwinners.com See their plant grower’s sales site and sign up for free newsletter

• Gardensavvy.com/catalog Select a category and get a list of catalogs for flowers, vegetables, fruit, tools, exotic plants and garden associations ote: National Garden Clubs (gardenclub. N org) is included in the associations’ catalog list. Within their website, Garden Club of Ohio (gardenclubofohio.org) is listed and within that website, you’ll find Emerald Necklace Garden Club (emeraldnecklacegardenclub.com). Once we are able to have meetings again, we will welcome guests!

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• Thespruce.com VARIOUS GARDENING TOPICS • Gardiners.com Various garden topics, plus catalog offer and gardening tools • Garden.org • National Gardening Association Free newsletter and social media option • Plantersplace.com All things gardening and free newsletter • Gardendesign.com Variety of articles and free newsletter

CONSIDER CONTAINER GARDENING

ardeners in our area often find container gardening is the only way to avoid sharing their harvest with deer, rabbits and groundhogs. If you’re new to growing vegetables in containers or have had limited success, here are some tips: Containers. Select as large a container as possible. Small ones dry out more quickly and may need daily watering. You’ll want to think about weight — once the pot is filled with wet soil and plant material, it’s going to be very heavy. And you may want to think about appearance. Choose containers that will complement your house and other pots. Think about the depth of the container you’ll be growing in. Plants with deep root systems will be stunted and unhealthy if they don’t have adequate space. The deeper the pot, the larger the reservoir of moist soil and the less often you’ll need to water. Look online for alternatives to conventional containers such as AquaPots, grow bags and self-watering containers. Placement. Most vegetables require at least six hours of sunlight daily. Salad greens and herbs can usually get by with less. Tomatoes, peppers, beans and other sun-lovers appreciate as much sun as they can get. Containers on a base with casters can be moved to catch the sun as it changes position. Wind is another factor. If you use a trellis or other type of support in your container, make sure you have a heavy pot and/or that the trellis is secured to a railing or some other fixed upright. Wind can batter and dry out plants’ foliage. Use the shelter of a building or erect a temporary windbreak made from portable fencing or fabric. Arrange your pots so larger plants shield smaller plants. Clustering potted plants also helps raise humidity levels, keeping plants

more productive. Soil (again). Do not fill your container with soil from your garden or with bagged topsoil. You should fill the containers with a “soilless” potting mix that will retain moisture and resist compaction. Mix in a liberal amount of granular organic fertilizer and a shovelful or so of compost. Mix the elements in a wheelbarrow and fill each container at least 12 inches deep. If I am using a very large container, I put small, used plastic pots or plastic bags of packing peanuts (with slits cut in the bag bottom for drainage) covered with a disk of screen wire in the bottom of the pot before I add soil. This will reduce the amount of soil you need, keep the container weight manageable and make clean-up in the fall much easier. Water. Vegetables require a consistent supply of water to perform their best. Inconsistent moisture causes lots of problems, such as blossom drop, poor root development, leaf curling, insect problems and rot. Be sure to check your containers daily. An inexpensive water meter, available at garden centers or online, is a much more accurate measure of moisture than sticking a finger in the soil. Fertilizer is important when you’re growing vegetables in containers. In addition to mixing a granular organic fertilizer into the soil when planting, give your veggies a weekly feeding with a watersoluble fertilizer. Daily watering washes nutrients from the soil and there are a lot of plants packed in a small space, so regular fertilizing is critical to the success of your veggie container gardens.

Plants. Try potatoes, chard, lettuce, cherry and bush tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, summer squash, Asian greens or pole beans. And don’t forget herbs. A word about tomatoes. There are two types – indeterminate and determinate. Determinate types grow to a specific height (about 3 to 4 feet) and stop there. Indeterminate just keep on getting taller and can grow to 12 feet. Mix It Up. Maximize the output of your veggie container gardens by combining plants. When combining several different types of plants in one pot, it’s best to match plants that have a similar need for water and fertilizer. For example, rosemary, which likes hot and relatively dry conditions, would not be a good match with water-hungry cucumbers. To maximize space, you might want to combine a trailing plant with an upright plant. A good source for companion plantings can be found at the Gardener’s Supply website: gardeners.com/how-to/ companion-planting/8958.html It takes one to two weeks for most veggie seeds to sprout the first green leaves, depending on the weather and type of plant. Vegetable seedlings produce results faster and for containers might be preferable to planting seeds. You can find vegetable and herb seedlings at most garden centers and buy just the quantity you need. Don’t forget to include a container of herbs because fresh herbs added to your recipes taste so much better than dried. As with most projects, dream big but start small. Just one container of cherry tomatoes and a container of basil, thyme and parsley will improve your dinners and give you a taste of vegetable gardening.

May/June 2020

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 ESTATE/ELDER LAW ATTORNEYS

n case you were wondering, elder and special needs lawyers specialize in areas of law that involve representing, counseling and assisting seniors, people with disabilities, and their families for a variety of legal issues, from estate planning to longterm care issues. According to the Ohio

Laurie G. Steiner, CELA, OSBA Solomon, Steiner & Peck, Ltd. 6105 Parkland Blvd., Suite 1 216.765.0123 lsteiner@ssandplaw.com

Q: What are the four core documents of your estate plan? A:

1. Last Will and Testament A Will is a document signed by a person that directs the disposition of his or her personal property and assets at death and names the Executor. 2. Durable Power of Attorney A Durable Power of Attorney is a document in which the person names a “Financial Power-ofAttorney” to perform certain acts relating to the principal’s finances. 3. Health Care Power of Attorney A Health Care Power of Attorney is a document in which a person names a “Health Care Power of Attorney” to make all health care decisions for the person when he or she is incapacitated. 4. Living Will Declaration A Living Will Declaration is used by a person who desires to declare his/her wishes regarding “end-of-life” health care if he/she should be terminally ill or in a permanently unconscious state.

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Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, their primary emphasis is on promoting the highest quality of life for the individuals. Typically, elder law attorneys aid the client from a holistic viewpoint by addressing legal, medical, financial, social and family issues. While elder law planning seeks to preserve the money, income and assets to be used while clients are living, estate planning focuses on distribution of a client’s assets, typically in a tax-advantaged manner, after death.

 ESTATE/ELDER LAW ATTORNEYS

Q: How does the new SECURE Act affect my retirement accounts? A: Joseph L. Motta, LPA 32730 Walker Road, Suite J-1 Avon Lake 440-930-2826 joseph@josephlmotta.com

The age at which individuals must begin taking required minimum distributions from their IRA or other retirement accounts was raised from 70½ to 72. In addition, the Act allows working individuals to continue making contributions to their IRA account, regardless of age. Previously, if you were 70½ or older, you were no longer able to contribute to your IRA. Unfortunately, the SECURE Act negatively impacts those who inherit IRAs or other retirement accounts upon the death of the owner. Under the Act, most individuals who inherit IRAs or other retirement accounts are now required to withdraw the entire balance of the account within 10 years of the owner’s death.

Q: How can I prepare in the age of COVID-19

A: The COVID-19 pandemic is difficult for

David S. Banas, L.P.A. Hickman & Lowder Co., L.P.A. 1300 E. 9th Street, Suite 1020 Cleveland Hickman-Lowder.com

all of us. But with proper planning, you can minimize uncertainty and gain peace of mind. Living and legacy estate planning for you, and your vulnerable loved ones, is vitally important. To begin, you can easily complete two legal documents related to your future healthcare, so that they reflect your desires, should you become critically ill. You can appoint individuals to make healthcare decisions for you when you are no longer able to do so yourself with a Health Care Power of Attorney. Also, you can allow your loved ones access to your medical records, if they need to act in your place, by completing a HIPAA Authorization Form. Both forms are available to you on our website Hickman-Lowder. com or call 216-861-0360 to request copies. Our offices remain open and our team stands ready to work with you to help you prepare.

May/June 2020

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LEGAL

The Sandwich

Generation

e have all heard it before: the sandwich generation. Just as your kids are walking out the front door to college or to start their adult lives, your parents are knocking on the back door. There’s a lot of emotional planning that goes into this next step of your life, but there also needs to be legal planning if your parents move in after your kids move out. ROOM FOR EVERYONE Just because you have an empty bedroom doesn’t mean that your house is in move-in condition for your parents. Chances are, if your

Better Living After 50

Make the Right Moves By Laurie G. Steiner

parents need to move in with you, they may need some assistance walking or bathing. You may need to update your bathrooms to make them safe for your parents or widen doorways for a wheelchair. Modifications may be necessary to make your home accessible and safe. If you pay for the modifications because it’s your house, it might not make your house more valuable. Sometimes they make your home less desirable when you eventually sell it. You need an open and honest discussion with your folks as to who pays the costs, and it probably makes sense to put it in writing. Assuming your parents don’t have ownership in the home, they can pay

fair market value rent for their share. If they have paid for the modifications or to help purchase the home, this may not make sense. Conversely, if they are moving in with you and haven’t paid for fixing it up, a written rental agreement that spells out the arrangement can protect both parties and it may be necessary if they apply for Medicaid. Remember, rent is income and you pay income taxes on it. If your parents are ill and you provide care for them, your parents are allowed to pay you. Again, it’s income and there must be a written agreement if they apply for Medicaid. If you’ve got siblings, a written agreement is important so they can see why mom and dad gave you money every month. An agreement like this is often referred to as a caregiver agreement and, just like the above rental agreement, a

caregiver agreement must be fair and equitable. There is no one-size-fits-all plan. It depends on the circumstances. You also have to take tax laws and Medicaid planning into account if a nursing home is ever needed. Before you make these life-changing decisions, it makes sense to talk it out with the family and a Certified Elder Law Attorney to make sure the right legal documents are in place.

Laurie G. Steiner is a member of the law firm of Solomon, Steiner & Peck, Ltd. She is a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation and the Ohio State Bar Association and an accredited attorney for the preparation, presentation and prosecution of claims for veteran’s benefits before the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

May/June 2020

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