Senior Living Guide - Summer 2021

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• ACTIVE SENIORS Interviews with senior center staff and clients about programs and social life

• STAYING SAFE AT HOME AND ON THE ROAD • FINANCIAL PLANNING AND YOUR IRA

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SUMMER 2021

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SHORT-TERM REHABILITATION

CONTENTS

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Senior Living Guide

Centers get into the swing of things, slowly

by Deirdre Bardolf Chronicle Contributor

Last week was Cathy Frank’s first time back to her senior center, the Ridgewood Older Adult Center and Services, in over 15 months.

Although senior centers were opened for indoor and congregate activities on June 14, Frank was hesitant to go back because of the pandemic.

“I wanted to see how the center was going to be run before I came in,” she said. She said she felt “all right” about it, though, and that it was good to be back and see her friends. She even got a special shout-out over the mic from John Santoro, another member of the center who was calling bingo after lunch that day.

John and his wife, Janet Santoro, were eager to get back to the center on June 14. They attend five days a week and John Santoro said it is his favorite center out of all those that he’s visited over the years. “Great people, good atmosphere — I have nothing to complain about,” he said.

He and his wife attend mainly for bingo, which Seniors including Bonnie Sholl, right, line up for a hot lunch outside the Queens Community he often leads, but sometimes she’ll join in the House Rego Park Senior Center, after an outdoor Zumba class there.

PHOTOS BY DEIRDRE BARDOLF exercise classes, like the “sit and be fit” classes “The social workers are going to, we think, Mayer Waxman is the managing director of that are resuming again following new guidelines from the Department for the Aging, which senior centers at Selfhelp Community Services, become busier and busier throughout the year which manages five city-funded centers, all in as people want to renew benefits applications or funds about 250 centers across the city.

“Senior centers are a center of activity for a Queens. He said there is a balance between they need assistance with other benefits and community,” said DFTA Commissioner Lor- encouraging seniors to come back to the centers entitlement,” said Foley.

“We’ve seen an increase in case management raine Cortés-Vázquez. “They have evolved from and continuing to offer virtual programs and needs,” Cortés-Vázquez said. “The pandemic just meal programs to social and educational services.

“We don’t want to encourage people not to has made people realize the full portfolio of hubs.”

“The pandemic illustrated for us the value come to the centers if it’s safe,” said Waxman. benefits they are entitled to.”

It has also increased the need for support for that they have in terms of socialization and how “We don’t want to keep them isolated.” He has noticed “two extremes” caregivers, like people who are caring for an they are a preventive meabetween those who want to older family member or are a senior caregiver sure from depression and “get back to everything” themselves. other health concerns,” said rom meal programs “Caregivers have been under incredible and those who are not yet Cortés-Vázquez. to community hubs. comfortable. Some have stress during this pandemic,” she said.

But it has not been so There is also an increased need for transporbeen pushing the centers to easy to get the senior centers back open for in-person activities. Besides open for months while others are saying they’re tation options as people are hesitant to use pubprotecting the attendees, it’s also important to “not doing enough to keep us safe,” he said. But lic mass transit systems, said Cortés-Vázquez.

Her agency is looking at the need for more “tarconsider the staff, said the commissioner. most fall somewhere in the middle.

“We’re as strict, if not stricter, than DFTA, geted transportation services” and recently “You’ve got to onboard staff and make sure that the staff feels safe, secure and able to come which is certainly as strict or stricter than the launched a pilot program called DFTA My Ride back,” she said. “Some people are having [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]. to provide transportation to eligible older adults.

Barry Klitsberg is the president of the It’s our mission to make sure they stay safe,” he challenges.”

Queens Interagency Council on Aging and he It is “not just turn on the lights and open the said.

Waxman and Katie Foley, managing director and the commissioner agree that funding for lock,” due to working with staff and employing safety guidance, she said. Centers must encour- of external affairs and communications at Self- older adult services is lacking.

“We hope to see the senior centers fully open age mask wearing and 6 feet of physical dis- help, have noticed an increased need for the and that funding is increased,” said Klitsberg, social workers on-site at senior centers. tancing, and conduct routine disinfection.

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F

including city, state and federal dollars. He also said that, in addition to affordable housing for seniors, isolation is a big problem. “This is something that has to really be recognized by civic leaders,” said Klitsberg.

Many seniors take it upon themselves to check in with the friends they have met at the centers and make sure they are doing well.

“We each have our phone numbers and if they don’t see you, they call you up saying ‘You OK?’ We’re pretty concerned about each other,” said Howard Zissel, a member of the Ridgewood Older Adults Center.

During the pandemic, staff at Self help’s Benjamin Rosenthal-Prince Street Innovative Senior Center in Flushing even dropped off a birthday cake for one of their “centennial” members who had turned 102 years old, said Jane Qiu, the center’s director.

The community that is formed at the centers but extends beyond them is evident at the Queens Community House Rego Park Senior Center, too. During the pandemic, the center provided wellness checks over the phone, said Irina Sarkisova, its program director. The center offers a daily “grab and go” lunch, and Stephen Sherman of Glendale often picks up his lunch and another for a friend he met at the center who is not well enough to come herself now.

Then, the two eat lunch together at her apartment, said Sherman.

Maria Padilla teaches Zumba at the Rego Park center. She has a group of about 20 women who show up every weekday morning for her outdoor class, no matter the weather. They also have a group chat over text, in which Padilla will share pictures she took of them and also send holiday wishes.

Bonnie Sholl of Rego Park took Padilla’s class. “It was lovely,” she said. “It was lowimpact and I’m going to make it part of my schedule this summer. I’m really anticipating utilizing the facilities that work for me.”

The Rego Park Center operates out of the Lost Battalion Hall Recreation Center and will open back up for indoor services in September once a summer camp program there ends. In the meantime, it does serve members for case management appointments.

Sholl is looking forward to more options that will come when the center opens fully. “Next, I’m going to get computer lessons,” she said. Q

John Rodriguez, 64, left, is new to the Ridgewood Older Adult Center and goes for lunch during the week. Janet and John Santoro, right, have gone there for several years and say it is their favorite one. Playing pingpong at the Benjamin Rosenthal-Prince Street Innovative Senior Center in Flushing are David Lam, left, Margo Eisenberg, Steve Tang and Amilcar Yip — the latter a champion player who now gives lessons at the facility.

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Senior Living Guide

NYPD, FDNY place premium on senior safety

by Michael Gannon

and alarm systems. In-depth security evaluations may be requested for various locations, including private houses, apartments, schools, building complexes and houses of worship.

Editor

The NYPD and FDNY have extensive outreach and online resources to keep senior citizens safe, whether from scam artists or fires.

Basic personal safety The NYPD offers a 20-page Crime Prevention book for seniors that can be viewed and downloaded on the department’s website at on.nyc.gov/3dXuZcU. The personal safety tips are geared toward people who are traveling or out and about.

Among the suggestions are: • While out walking, try to do so in groups and in well-lit areas. Try to stay on main streets with other pedestrians around you.

• If someone tries to snatch your pocketbook, let go of it. It can be replaced.

• Affix ref lective tape to walkers and motorized scooters. Doing so will increase your visibility to drivers as you use crosswalks.

• If someone bumps into you while shopping or walking in a crowd, be aware that this action might be related to a pickpocket.

• If someone is driving you home, ask the driver to wait until you are safely inside.

• Have your keys in your hand as you approach your home. This will allow you to unlock the door quickly.

The NYPD also recommends having identification, a doctor’s contact information and a list of foods and medications that you are allergic to at all times.

Property and home safety increasingly are the target of scams.

Police say if uninvited contractors come to your door to discuss repairs on your home, do not let them in. Genuine utility workers have photo IDs, and those from Con Edison, National Grid-Keyspan and the city’s Depart-

New York’s Bravest rescue a woman from an apartment building fire in Manhattan. But the FDNY FDNY PHOTO / TWITTER and NYPD would much rather talk about safety via prevention. ment of Environmental Protection can be vetted by calling the agency.

Call 911 if at all suspicious.

Also popular are phone scams in which a caller may say a utility bill is past due and service will be shut off; or that the caller is from the Internal Revenue Service seeking payment of delinquent taxes, even threatening arrest.

But those agencies to not ask for payments over the phone and do not require people to purchase gift cards to pay the debt.

If you get a call demanding money because a relative has been arrested or hospitalized?

“Hang up! It’s a scam,” according to the NYPD. Security surveys are provided free of charge by appointment by every NYPD precinct. Crime prevention officers will alert homeowners and renters to security vulnerabilities associated with their homes, and suggest corrective actions. Officers evaluate locks, doors, lighting, windows, landscaping

Fire safety “Seniors aged 65 and older are more than twice as likely to die in a fire,” according to the FDNY’s Official Guide to Fire and Life Safety. “Older adults are also at a higher risk of injury from fire.”

The 12-page guide, available on the department’s website at on.nyc.gov/3wtAqqe, states that the top three causes of fire deaths among the senior population are smoking, heating equipment and cooking.

Tips for the FDNY on senior safety include: • Make sure you have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

• Completely put out your cigarette butts if you smoke.

• Be alert when cooking.

• Place space heaters at least 3 feet away from anything that burns.

• Keep eyeglasses, hearing aids and walkers close by your bedside.

• Don’t smoke in bed or while lying down, especially when drowsy or taking medication.

• Don’t leave burning candles either unattended or burning overnight.

• Don’t use an oven, stove top, dryer or grill to heat your home.

• Don’t use water to extinguish a kitchen fire.

• Don’t wear loose-fitting clothing, such as a nightgown or robe, when cooking.

• Don’t use damaged or frayed cords, especially for warming equipment such as blankets.

• Don’t use extension cords, regardless of gauge, with large appliances. Air conditioners should be plugged directly into a wall outlet. Q

Older drivers may need a few adjustments

by Michael Gannon

For the latest visit S ENIOR L IV INGnews G UIDE • qchron.com Summer 2021

Chronicle Contributor

Even if one might have trouble driving at night, you don’t necessarily have to give up all drivFILE PHOTO ing and hand in your license.

According to the state Department of Motor Vehicles, there is no set age at which a person must give up a driver’s license.

“What is important is your ability to drive safely,” the agency cautions on its website at dmv.ny.gov/older-driver/alternatives-driving.

Two of the most important abilities for safe driving are: • to see hazards clearly; and • to react quickly to changes in highway and traffic conditions.

“These abilities may or may not decline as a person gets older,” according to the DMV. Older drivers should be alert to warning signs, such as a number of minor accidents or near misses; having trouble concentrating or reading common road signs; becoming lost or confused on familiar roads; noticing an increase in other drivers honking their horns; and hearing concern from family, friends or police.

Sometimes medical assistance or instructional courses of special interest to drivers 55 and older can address specific issues.

Instructional courses are offered by the A AR P, A A A and the National Safety Council.

Older drivers who want to reduce risks but still do not want to lose their independe nce ca n t a ke some pre caut ion a r y measures.

They include restricting driving to daylight hours when possible, and avoiding dawn, dusk and nighttime hours when it is more difficult to see; avoiding rush hours and other times when peak traffic can be expected; sticking when possible to familiar roads; taking shorter trips; using roads with lower speed limits; and avoiding eating, drinking or using a cell phone when behind the wheel.

If a driver decides to surrender his or her license, there need be no worries about having identification. All one needs to do is to

apply for a New York State Enhanced Nondriver Photo ID card, which is accepted for most transactions for which a photo ID is required, such as opening a bank account or cashing a check.

Applying for one requires the same documentation and proofs of identity and date of birth as a license application. It also has the same personal information and security features.

The DMV website also has links to and information from the New York State Office for the Aging website for travel options for those who no longer drive.

“Your travel needs continue,” the site states. “The need remains for you to go to medical appointments and to shop. You may also wish to continue your personal and social activities.”

Queens residents can check on buses, trains, ferries and even bike sharing services on the a city website at nyc.gov/html/dot/ Q html/ferrybus/ferrybus.shtml.

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Senior Living Guide

Be careful when hiring a financial planner

by Mark Lord Chronicle Contributor

Financial planning is a complex issue, but, according to the experts, handling it in a timely fashion and taking it one step at a time can help prevent a potentially confusing process from becoming overwhelming.

And while managing your personal finances is ultimately your responsibility, you don’t have to deal with it alone — there is plenty of help available.

Raymond Bergen, a certified financial planner in Forest Hills, offered a lot of tips during a recent telephone interview but, perhaps most importantly, he suggested that unless you’re knowledgeable about handling your own finances, “go to someone who’s qualified.”

Therein lies one of the most difficult aspects of financial planning: how to find the right person to work with you. Selecting a financial planner can be as important as choosing a doctor or lawyer.

Bergen recommends consulting the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards website, cfp.net, which indicates that “CFP certification is the standard of excellence in financial planning.”

The site recommends that you “partner with an experienced, knowledgeable CFP professional who’s committed to putting your best interests first.”

It offers suggestions on the types of ques-

tions you might ask a potential planner: What are your qualifications? What services do you offer? Will you have a fiduciary duty to me (putting the client’s interests ahead of their own)? What is your approach to financial planning? How will I pay for your services? Do others stand to gain from financial advice you give me?

While selecting the right planner, it’s important to keep in mind how he or she can help you. The Financial Planning Association (plannersearch.org) suggests that a planner can help you set realistic goals by assessing your current financial health by examining your assets, liabilities, income, insurance, taxes, investments, estate plan and other aspects of your finances.

The FPA further indicates that the person you hire should help you develop a comprehensive plan to meet your financial goals and then put your plan into action, monitoring its progress along the way. It is important, the FPA points out, to stay on track to meet changing goals and personal circumstances during the various stages of your life.

“Be wary of people who call themselves financial planners but who appear more interested in promoting specific financial products

Experts indicate that one of the most serious mistakes individuals can make is waiting too long to begin planning for their financial future.

The process needs to start long before a person becomes a senior citizen.

Delaying a plan often leads to the biggest problem facing seniors today: They can’t afford to retire. The first step might well be to calculate how your income stacks up against your overall expenses and to plan accordingly. Of course, certain aspects of your lifestyle will change over time, such as possible health scenarios.

The No. 1 concern for many individuals is running out of money later in life. Advisors suggest that you find a way to build a personal pension, a retirement plan funded and managed by an employer for the benefit of employees that would guarantee a stream of income for the rest of your life. Also recommended are Individual Retirement Accounts, or IRAs, which are funded and managed by each individual as part of a personal retirement savings plan. Investopedia. com indicates that there are several types of IRAs, each with different rules regarding eligibility, taxation and withdrawals.

Charles Schwab (on the schwab.com site) points out that rules regarding Required Minimum Distributions from your retirement accounts changed recently. You must take an annual RMD once you reach age 72 (as opposed to age 70 1/2 if you turned 70 1/2 Q before Jan. 1, 2020).

at the expense of your real needs and goals,” the site cautions. “All planners who are members of FPA abide by FPA’s Code of Ethics and commit to put their clients’ best interests first.”

“There are thousands of people with different credentials and certifications,” Bergen said.

“Anybody with a license can give financial advice. The person could just sell investments to make money.” He recommends first speaking with a tax preparer or a certified public accountant, but he cautions, “I’ve seen catastrophic situations” in which people were ill-advised.

“Shop around,” Bergen said, suggesting that the best way to choose an advisor is through a referral from someone you trust.

It should be noted that not every planner is right for everyone. Many planners specialize in working with certain types of clients. Therefore, the FPA recommends that you interview at least three professionals in person to find the right one to serve your needs.

In fact, according to smartasset.com, one of the most common mistakes people make is hiring the first advisor they meet. Among other errors it mentions are picking an advisor with the wrong specialty to meet your needs and selecting one whose strategy is incompatible with your own.

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