Q. Did you ever imagine you would live to be 100 years old?
A. Never in my wildest dreams, I’m one of the few to live this long in my family. I have a cousin in Canada and he’s in his 80s.

Q. How do you describe your health?
A. I have all of my marbles and that’s the most important thing to me. I can remember everything. I even remember a friend in grade school who had two different colored eyes! I have some trouble walking, so I use my wheelchair most of the time.

Q. Not many people reach 100 years of age. To what do you attribute your longevity — any secrets you could share with us?
A. I don’t smoke, never have, never will and I don’t drink alcohol.

Q. What do you do on a typical weekday?
A.  The nurses here get me up and ready for breakfast. Then I read the newspaper from one end to the other. Later in the day, I bring the articles to dinner and share them with my friends because some of them have a hard time reading the paper. I like to keep them up-to-date on the news. When I was a younger girl, I used to run outside to get the newspaper everyday for my mother-in-law.

I also enjoy knitting. I’ve crocheted afghans for all 14 of my grandchildren. Right now, I’m knitting mittens.

I also take advantage of the activities here at Loretto. Lately, I’ve been shopping, to Lights on the Lake and to different musical entertainment downstairs in the auditorium. I also attend church every week; I’m an avid churchgoer.

As a gift from my previous employer, companions from Life’s Changing Seasons visit with me three times per week for four hours each time. We play scrabble, Yahtzee, go for walks outside, really anything I’d like to do.

Q. Is there anything you look forward to doing each day?
A. I look forward to visiting with my granddaughter, Jill, receiving phone calls from my huge family and friends. For my 100th birthday celebration, I had 75 people at my party! I also like spending time with my friends here at Loretto. The staff calls my good friend, Esther, and I the, Bobbsey Twins!

Q. Before you retired, what did you do?
A. I retired at the age of 92. I loved my job. I was the caretaker of a private estate in Old Forge at the Adirondack League Club. I managed staff, took care of the books and hired employees. My husband was in charge of the outdoor work. We were treated like family, eating dinner with the whole family on a regular basis. Then at the end of the day, my husband and I returned to our camp, which was just a couple of miles down the road. I worked there for about 45 years.

Q. Do you miss anything about your job?
A. I miss it terribly, but the family I worked for always comes to visit me, calls me and sends me lovely gifts. When I was 99, I went to the estate and spent the day. It was great! The family bought two benches for the Town of Old Forge Library, in honor of my 100th birthday. The benches are located in front of the library, with plaques to commemorate the occasion.

Q. You wrote a book about your family. Tell us about it. How many pages does it have and what did you write in it?
A. The book is called, A Fabric of Memories Thread by Thread. When I lived in Old Forge, I took writing classes and loved to write and write and write. I published some of my writing in a collection among other writers called the Old Forge Anthology. My granddaughter, Jill, thought we should put all of my stories together. So, we started an outline and included things like my wedding invitation, photos of my family, photos of me when I was a child and things about my family history and life. The book has about 120 pages and we printed 30 copies for my family and friends.

Q. What do you think younger people could learn from your life?
A.  I wish they would dress more appropriately, pay attention to what their mother and father say, stay close to family, listen to your grandparents and have a relationship with faith.

My mother told me not to plan on getting old if I didn’t know how to play bridge. She was never a card player but discovered upon moving into an adult residence that it was the bridge players who ruled the roost and got the best community room space. If you wanted to just hang around and visit with friends, you had to find another place to sit, because talking would disturb the game.

I have a geriatrician friend who also espouses the need to play bridge, but for different reasons. She said playing bridge, mah Jongg, or learning another challenging new game, will help keep our minds sharp into old age.

So we formed a group that eats pizza, discusses events of the day and is learning to play bridge. The socializing part is an essential preliminary to our bridge game, and from what I’ve learned, perhaps an equally important part of everyone’s game.

In our bridge group we’re lucky to have two knowledgeable bridge players who have backgrounds as trainers and guide us along with a fair amount of patience. But if you don’t have friends like that, there are other options.

I spoke with Gerry Radway, who runs a bridge game open to the community and also gives lessons. As testament to staying sharp, in her group is 100 year-old Lillian Spector, She began playing only 35 years ago and still finds it a continual learning experience. “The best part,” said Lillian, “is that it gets me out around congenial people with the same interests. The game is always challenging and competitive, but it’s a friendly competition.”

I asked Gerry how she got into the game. “I learned to play bridge in college and when first married, I had a group of friends I played with regularly. After a time they either all got divorced or left town so I didn’t play for years. About 1994 I began to play again when a friend asked me to join a ‘duplicate’ group, but I really got into it in a big way when my job situation changed.”

Gerry also noted the social aspect of bridge saying “it gets you out of the house and you meet a whole different group of people who are also there to learn something new.”

Many of the people taking bridge lessons from Gerry have become really good friends with each other.
People often learn to play bridge when they contemplate retirement and start to give thought to filling the recreational time that will become available to them.

A game takes around three hours to play, so it’s helpful to have that time to get a good game in. If you happen to be a single man, it’s a good way to meet women with similar interests, as the ratio in Gerry’s group seems to run about 20 percent men to 80 percent women.

I asked Gerry about those of us who don’t think of ourserlves as having ‘card sense.’ “Even people who don’t want to play competitively can get something out of it. It’s a fun, addictive game. People say when they’re paying attention to what’s going on at the table, it takes their mind off their problems, so it’s like having a mini-vacation.”

Need more reasons to start playing? Would you believe that playing bridge can help your immune system? A Berkely University study of 12 women in their 70s and 80s who played bridge for 90 minutes, showed an improvement in their T-cells, the cells used by the body to help fight infections.

And I checked with my geriatrician about the connection between bridge and staying sharp. It seems that the concentration needed to play exercises the brain and may also increase the number of connections or pathways between brain cells, which is important for brain function. But also interesting is that much of the research speaks to the social aspect as being very important too.

I asked Gerry how she goes about teaching neophytes. “I use set lessons and a book. Beginner lessons are once a week for six weeks and the setting is very low key. You won’t get called on, it’s very non-threatening and by your first lesson you’re already playing. Another six week class will give you what you need to really start playing,” she said.

Okay, I was sold and ready for more specifics from Gerry.

“There is ‘duplicate bridge’ and then there is ‘kitchen or rubber’ bridge. In duplicate everyone gets the same cards and you and your partner compete against other tables of people who are playing the same hands. Rubber bridge is played among four players, often in friendly play but sometimes for stakes and you all play the cards that you are dealt.”

Do you need to have your own partner or can you come alone? Some bridge clubs require that you bring your own partner and some will pair you up with someone else looking for a partner. That is a question you can ask when you call the place you want to play.

Though Gerry teaches in Syracuse, there are several teachers in Rochester. You can also learn on your own by going online to “acbl.org” and downloading courses.

Gerry said that once you learn to play, you can go anywhere in the country and find a game. You can also play bridge online from the comfort of your own home with people from around the world. If you have a friend in another part of the country, or the world, who also plays bridge, you can arrange to meet online and play together. One free site to use for playing online is “bridgebase.com” and there are many other sites, some requiring payment.

I’d like to leave you with a few “Gerry-isms” that you might hear when taking lessons with her:

• If you can count to 13, you can play bridge.
• You’ll improve your score by 10 percent, if you just pay attention.
• If you can’t read “2” as low, you’re in trouble.
• Even a blind squirrel gets an acorn sometimes.
• I just found my stash of valium!

Happy playing out there.

Marilyn Pinsky is the president of the New York state chapter of AARP. She lives in Jamesville, near Syracuse. Opinions expressed in her column may not reflect AARP’s opinions.

My mother was also religious about having us “sweat out a cold.” She would give me a shot of Four Roses whiskey, then bundle me in three layers of clothing, rub down our chests with the aforementioned VapoRub covered with a cotton pad to prevent the bedding from getting oily. Then she would turn on the heating pad and make me disappear under the bed sheets and two blankets for a night of fitful tossing and turning. It may have been my imagination, but the next morning, even though it seemed I had just emerged from a swimming pool — that’s how sweated I was — the cold had magically disappeared.

My mother was also religious in her reliance on castor oil. Even as I am writing this, I am getting that funny feeling in my throat just thinking about the vile substance. To this very day, the mere thought of ingesting castor oil makes me queasy.

There is no question that I would not admit I was ill unless I was barely able to stand, because I knew that if I even hinted I might not be feeling well, I would soon be seeing the castor oil bottle in front of me.

My mother was humane, however. She would not force me to drink castor oil straight. Rather, she would pour it into orange juice. Unfortunately, the orange juice did not mask the flavor, nor did it protect me from the after-effects of the castor oil. I can still see myself as a 5-year-old — on my knees — retching into the toilet and sobbing uncontrollably. This was definitely a case where the cure was worst than the ailment.
My mother was also a big believer in Ex-Lax and Carter’s Little Liver Pills for regularity. She always had ample supplies on hand in the medicine cabinet.

I remember the first time I was introduced to Ex-Lax. As a 5-year-old, I was exploring one day after coming back from kindergarten classes. I thought the box contained chocolate candy, so I ate five or six pieces.
Needless to say, during the next few hours I spent some serious toilet time. I never told my mother that I ate the “chocolate” in the medicine cabinet, because I didn’t want to get into trouble.  The bout of diarrhea prompted my mother to give me paregoric, another one of those horrible-tasting medicines, which is today classified as a Class 3 drug. The next day, my mother found that I had placed the Ex-Lax box in the wrong spot in the medicine cabinet and put two and two together. I finally confessed to my transgression, which is when I found out that I had not eaten “chocolate” candy after all.

Since my parents were immigrant Italians, I can only surmise that my mom brought these home-made cures and over-the-counter remedies from the “old country.”

About two months ago, I stumbled upon a new book by two University of Indiana researchers, Dr. Aaron E. Carroll and Dr. Rachel C. Vreeman. Their work — Don’t Swallow Your Gum: Myths, Half-truths and Outright Lies about Your Body and Health — seeks to debunk or, in some cases, confirm some of these old, uh, spouses’ tales. (One must be politically correct, you know.)

Here are the five I found most intriguing:

• You only use 10 percent of your brain. Neuroscientist Dr. Barry Beyerstein has debunked this assertion in great detail. Much more than 10 percent of the brain is in play nearly all of the time, he found.

• You’ll ruin your eyesight if you read in the dark. Reading in dim light does not have a permanent effect on your eyesight, ophthalmologists agree. It may be uncomfortable for a little while, but that’s about it.

• If you don’t shut your eyes when you sneeze, your eyeballs will pop out. First of all, you can’t keep your eyes open when you sneeze. On the other hand, vomiting hard and frequently can cause your eyes to pop out.

• Cold or wet weather makes you sick. Not true, although some experts believe that cold weather makes people more likely to stay indoors together. This spreads colds and other viruses, they say.

• You should put butter on a burn. This is a bad idea, because butter is just about the worst thing you can put on a burn. Not only does butter hold in heat, which can make the burn worse, it can also make your burn hurt more and make it more difficult for a physician to determine the severity.

“Knowledge is power,” stated Francis Bacon, a philosopher who established and popularized an inductive methodology for scientific inquiry five centuries ago. With a new year and a new decade, it’s time for you to seize hold of your own personal medical knowledge. Following is a summary of things you should know about your own medical history.

• Your current medical history. Learn the correct names and details of any medical conditions that you have. It’s not enough to be aware that you have “heart disease.” That broad term covers a wide range of possibilities. Is your heart disease coronary artery disease, in which the arteries to the heart muscle are diseased? Is it congestive heart failure, a disorder in which the heart muscle is weak? Or is it atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm? If you don’t know your diagnoses, make it a point to ask your doctor. Problems that are controlled by medication or lifestyle still count as part of your medical history. If you have high blood pressure or diabetes that is under control, it’s still important.

• Your past medical history. Learn the names of medical problems that you’ve had in the past. If you were admitted to a hospital, why were you in the hospital? What kind of surgery have you had?

• Your current medications. It’s not enough to tell your health care providers that you take a little white pill for your blood pressure. There are many little white pills out there. Instead, learn the following information about your medicines: the names of your medicine, the strength, and how often you take the medicine (one pill three times a day? Three pills once a day?). Also learn why you take each medication.

• Your allergies. Learn the names of medications to which you’ve had a reaction, and learn what kind of reaction you experienced.

• What is the name of your pharmacy? Whenever possible, you should get all your prescriptions filled at the same pharmacy. When a person receives medications from several different doctors, it’s possible for one doctor to prescribe a medication that could interact with another pill ordered by a different prescriber. If you fill all your prescriptions at the same pharmacy, the pharmacist can identify potential harmful drug interactions.

• What are the names of your doctor(s)? Even though you’d think this would be obvious, the number of people who can’t remember the name of their regular physician amazes me. “You know,” patients often tell me in the urgent care, “the guy over in the medical office building that’s near one of the hospitals—I can’t remember which one—he’s a nice guy, short hair, somewhere between 35 and 55 years old…..” That describes a lot of doctors! Learn the names of any specialists that you see, as well as the name of your primary care provider.

• Your personal health statistics. Learn items that are relevant to you. For example, if you are being treated for high blood pressure, what is your usual blood pressure? If you have diabetes, what is your usual blood sugar?

Once you have gathered the above information, write it down. Put it in your wallet or purse and carry it with you. Keep it up to date. If you type it up on your computer, you can edit it and print a new copy when something changes. If you keep a handwritten copy, then re-write it if there are so many corrections that it is no longer legible. Keep a copy at home where your family can locate it in case of an emergency.

As a last piece of organization for the new decade, clean out your medicine cabinet and dispose of medicines that are no longer needed or are outdated. That will prevent you from accidentally taking the wrong medicine and reduce the chance that someone in the household will inappropriately self-treat an  undiagnosed medical problem.

Of course true depression is not a laughing matter but there is wisdom in Lucy’s suggested remedy. We have known of depression and have dealt with its kills and its cures. Seniors are particularly vulnerable as life throws its inevitable curve balls and nature breaks down our bodies and our minds. Retirement can be a minefield of depressing incidents and can be triggered by a myriad of maladies, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), which often is triggered by the loss of a spouse or other loved one. Another cause of depression is just plain boredom, which many elders experience because they have not filled their life with activity, which gives them plenty of time to dwell on their aches and pains.

Clinical depression, usually, is a chemical imbalance in the brain and, like alcoholism, is very much an inherited condition. When the demons invade our mind they can reside within us for months, years — or a lifetime. They bring with them:

• Agitation, restlessness, and irritability
• Dramatic change in appetite, often with weight gain or loss
• Extreme difficulty concentrating
• Fatigue and lack of energy
• Feelings of hopelessness, and helplessness
• Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, and inappropriate guilt
• Inactivity and withdrawal from usual activities, a loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed (such as sex)
• Thoughts of death or suicide
• Trouble sleeping or excessive sleeping

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression affects approximately 14.8 million American adults (6.7 percent of the adult population) in a given year. It is our country’s leading cause of disability.

Because of the stigma associated with this debilitating condition few people seek treatment and those who do, more often than not, receive inadequate care.

The days of lying on the couch and talking things out with your friendly psychiatrist is largely a thing of the past. Changes in psychiatry, the influence on both patients and physicians of drug industry promotion of medications, and the greater comfort of doctors in prescribing these medications, have led to antidepressant drug therapy as being the major tool of the psychiatrist. Prozac or Paxil are usually the drugs of choice.

However, unless depression is severe there is little evidence that antidepressants work and in most patients it results in a zombie-like existence.

Let’s return to Lucy’s method. Depression is not a physical condition — it starts and ends in the mind. You can talk yourself into it and, there is ample evidence to prove that a person can talk their way out of it.

The mind is like a bucket — if you fill it with a depressing thoughts there is no room for a positive thought. The trick is to fill the mind with positive thoughts and actions, and not give negative thinking a chance to fill your bucket. The demons often strike at dawn. If you lay in bed and think of all the potential problems of the day, you might want to pull the covers over your head — Alcoholics Anonymous calls it ‘stinkin thinkin.’

On the other hand, if you rise with a positive attitude for handling anything that comes along, the problems usually melt into the sunrise (my favorite time of day). You need to get your mind off your own troubles — real or imagined.

The best therapy is to help a dear friend or relative or mentor someone who has gone astray. You can readily find someone who has a worse problem than you. Volunteering for medical aid at a hospital or nursing home soon puts your own petty problems in perspective. My wife Janet spends time, almost every day, checking with and visiting friends who are ill or infirmed.

In the final analysis, it takes the same effort to be happy, as it does to be melancholy — you choose. When the demons try to return just remember Lucy’s wise words; “Snap out of it.”

It works for me.

Medical breakthroughs and technological advances — in combination with healthy lifestyles — will help improve the lives of older Americans during 2010, according to the Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging (MLIA) based in Evanston, Ill.

“Our older adult population continues to expand as each year passes, so more focus is being placed on ways to live a longer, healthier life,” said Linda Hollinger Smith, the group’s vice president. “Progress on extending human life, either through genetic research or living a healthier lifestyle, will be one of the top trends older Americans will witness next year.”

Among the top 2010 trends identified by MLIA are:
1.  Scientific breakthroughs will demonstrate that healthy lifestyles can actually repair DNA by boosting a key enzyme, telomerase, that is vital for improving the body’s immune response and may even increase longevity.
2.  The movement to more homelike environments for older adults living in long-term care communities will grow. Programs will provide care, support, individuality and promote safety in a residential environment.
3.  Improvements in health care will lead to ever slowing rates of aging, increasing the number of adults who will reach the age of 100.
4.  There will be an increased focus on positivity and its impact on happiness, health and longevity for older adults.
5.  The use of technology among older adults will grow exponentially — whether this means surfing the Internet, joining social networks such as Facebook, or using technologic devices in the home to monitor their health as well as promote independence and safety.
6.  Progress on extending human life will be a growing focus of researchers, as we learn more about how substances in our foods – such as resveratrol, found in the skin of red grapes and in several other plants  – may protect us from some life-shortening diseases such as diabetes.
7.  Older adults will play an increasingly important role in “helping the Earth age well”, by working in green jobs, volunteering, gardening, and teaching others about how to help the environment.
8.  Significant advances in treatments for diseases including cancer will occur through genetic research efforts that are preventing DNA mutations.
9.  Greater numbers of older adults will use the Internet to learn about their health. Health professionals will need to incorporate Beb-based health resources into their patients’ visits to assure that accurate websites are being sought out.
10.  Senior living residences will also make “healthy living” a priority as future prospects will be looking towards a variety of programs and amenities that support wellness lifestyles.
11.  “The ability to live a longer, healthier life will depend on the right combination of lifestyle choices, technology, advances and medical breakthroughs,” concluded Holliger-Smith.  “It’s something we call Aging Well, and the chances of that happening will continue to expand in 2010 and beyond.”

Better Than Viagra, Cialis, Levitra

New erection drug believed to be faster, safer

A still experimental erectile dysfunction drug — avanafil — promises erections in just 30 minutes or less, according to study results announced by the drug’s manufacturer.

The phase 3 study, not yet published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, included 646 men with erectile dysfunction (ED). At the highest dose tested (200 milligrams), nearly 80 percent of sexual attempts resulted in erections good enough for intercourse.

Study investigator LeRoy Jones, associate professor of urology at the University of Texas Health Science Center, said the new drug will offer a new alternative to men seeking “an improved experience” with current erectile dysfunction drugs.

“These data suggesting that avanafil achieves a full effect in 30 minutes or less, with a window of opportunity extending beyond six hours, would be a welcome option for ED treatment,” Jones said in a news release from Vivus Inc., which has licensed the drug from Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp.

In the study, men received either an inactive placebo or avanafil at a dose of 50 milligrams, 100 milligrams, or 200 milligrams. Successful intercourse was reported by:
• 27 percent of men taking placebo (up from 13 percent at the start of the study)
• 41 percent of men taking avanafil 50 milligrams (up from 13 percent at the start of the study)
• 57 percent of men taking avanafil 100 milligrams (up from 14 percent at the start of the study)
• 57 percent of men taking avanafil 200 milligrams (up from 12 percent at the start of the study)

Avanafil’s most frequent side effect was headache, reported by 7 percent of men receiving the drug and by 1.2 percent of men taking placebo. Other common side effects included flushing (4.6 percent of men on avanafil vs. none on placebo) and nasal congestion (2.3 percent of men on avanafil vs. 1.2 percent on placebo).

Avanafil works the same way as the three other ED drugs currently on the market: Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra. All these drugs target an enzyme called PDE5; avanafil appears to inhibit this enzyme more selectively than the other.

A Vivus news release suggests that in addition to working faster than Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra, the new drug may have fewer side effects.

The current study, dubbed REVIVE, is the first of four phase 3 trials of avanafil. Two of the other studies will look at how well the drug helps erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes and in men who have had prostate surgery. A third study, enrolling 600 men at 40 U.S. medical centers, began in March 2009 and will continue for one year.

Vivus expects to submit avanafil for FDA approval in late 2010 or early 2011.

Study: More Older Americans Abusing Drugs

A new government study indicates a rise in substance abuse in older Americans that is likely to lead to an increased need for mental health treatment in the next 10 years.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said in a report in January that the need for substance abuse treatment among Americans over 50 is projected to double.

The agency said in a statement that substance abuse is dangerous at any age, but physiological and social changes make older adults more vulnerable to the harmful effects of illicit drugs.

The report suggests that an estimated 4.3 million Americans over the age of 50 used illicit drugs in the past year. The agency said 8.5 percent of men aged 50 to 54 used marijuana, as opposed to about 4 percent of women.

In adults over 65 who abuse drugs, nonmedical use of prescription drugs was more common than smoking marijuana.

Volunteering May Prevent the Elderly from Becoming Frail

Frailty is a geriatric condition marked by weight loss, low energy and strength, and low physical activity. UCLA researchers followed 1,072 healthy adults aged 70 to 79 between 1988 and 1991 to determine if productive activities — specifically volunteering, paid work and child care — prevent the onset of frailty.
At the beginning of the study, 28 percent of participants volunteered, 25 percent performed child care duties and 19 percent worked for pay. After three years, participants in all three activities were found to be less likely to become frail. After accounting for levels of physical and cognitive function, however, only volunteering was associated with lower rates of frailty.

The study suggests that participating in volunteer activities may prevent frailty in older adults. A randomized trial is needed to determine whether volunteering itself prevents the onset of frailty, or if there is something about the types of people who volunteer regularly that keeps them from becoming frail.

The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. It appears in the Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

Active older adults find haven at North Area YMCA

Although the “golden years” are typically a time to slow down and take it easy, you won’t normally see Baby Boomers doing that at the North Area YMCA in Syracuse.

Active older adults are active indeed. Men and women alike come to the Y for fun, friendship and fitness.

A typical day might begin with a fitness class such as Zumba, Tai Chi or Yoga, a walk on the treadmill or perhaps some water aerobics. Once their exercise is complete, the front lobby is bustling with activity. Five days a week, they exercise together and then sit and enjoy a cup of coffee, an occasional homemade baked treat and good company.

Conversation can get lively with the sound of laughter often heard in the far reaches of the YMCA.
The active older adult population also gets involved in many other YMCA activities.

Once a month, they enjoy their book club. They take turns choosing books and engage in discussion. Book selections range from non-fiction to light romance and historical fiction.

Another monthly activity is the knitting and crocheting club. On the third Wednesday of every month, along with their workout clothes, they tote in bags filled with yarn and their latest project.

While the formal group was initiated by a staff member, the seniors had been showcasing their talents for years and had been giving informal knitting lessons to anyone who was interested.

The most recent activity established at the Y has been dominoes. What began as a small group quickly expanded—one person taught another and then another.

It is such a popular activity that the Y is now featuring a dominoes tournament.

While it may sound like active older adults sit around at their Y all day, quite the opposite is true. In order to encourage seniors to participate, activities and classes are scheduled early in the morning.

When they are not volunteering, they are out seeking other opportunities—such as taking computer classes so they can use the Internet or learning to use a digital camera so they can capture all of their adventures.

“We have a member who lost her husband several years ago. She was alone, isolated and very lonely,” a North Area YMCA spokesperson said. “Finally, she joined the Y and it changed her life. She has a reason to get out of bed in the morning and she knows she will be missed if she doesn’t show up.”

• Submitted by the North Area YMCA in Syracuse.

By Margaret McCormick

A luminous Meryl Streep looks out from the cover of the January issue of Vanity Fair magazine. Her skin, pale as alabaster, looks as smooth as it, too. Her cheekbones are sculpted, her eyes are a brilliant blue, her lips and cheeks a soft pink.  Her blonde hair, tinged with a touch of gray, is brushed back from her forehead.
Her face shows few lines, just a few fine ones around the eyes, delicate as crazing on a vintage porcelain plate.

Beneath this image of Streep, stunning in its simplicity, is a headline that reads “Meryl’s Magic, 30 Years with America’s Greatest Actress.’’ Above that is a quote that gets your attention, especially if you are a woman of a certain age:

“I’m 60 and I’m playing the romantic lead. Bette Davis is rolling over in her grave.’’

Streep, who follows 23-year-old heartthrob Robert Pattinson, star of several hit vampire movies, on the Vanity Fair cover, is far from an actor in her twilight. Inside the magazine, in a profile by Leslie Bennetts, she gushes about being “bankable’’ at the box office at her advanced age.

The actress follows her role in “Julie and Julia,’’ in which she gives a masterful and memorable performance as American food icon Julia Child during her transformative years in France, with a comedic turn as a divorced woman with three grown children and two suitors (her ex-husband and the architect working on an addition to her house) in “It’s Complicated.’’

Go Meryl!, Go Meryl!, you say to your 50-year-old self after seeing the movie’s trailer and laughing out loud as the star of “Sophie’s Choice’’ and other serious cinematic fare confides to her girlfriends about her affair with a “new” man: “Turns out I’m a bit of a slut.’’

For Streep’s character, the words “It’s complicated’’ are far more than a relationship status update on Facebook, the popular social networking site. Those words describe her relationship with her ex, played by “30 Rock’’ star Alec Baldwin, himself 51, with whom she drinks, dances, carries on and has what she initially thinks is a one-night-stand at the college graduation of their son.

Back home, he turns up at her house and in her bedroom, and they’re sneaking around, unbeknownst to their children, his much-younger wife and her would-be-beau, played by silver-haired Steve Martin.

Complicated also describes Jane’s state of mind — and body. She has everything — a successful bakery and cafe, a beautiful home in California, three adult children who love her and talk to her openly, a trio of loyal women friends — but no man in her life.

Her middle-aged body seems to be sagging everywhere, and she briefly contemplates plastic surgery as a pick-me-up, until hearing an “eyelid lift’’ described in graphic detail. Baldwin’s character, Jake, meanwhile, pats his big “spare tire’’ and has a heart scare while in the throes of passion.

New York Times reviewer Manohla Dargis describes “It’s Complicated’’ as a “September-September’’ romance, a reference to the mutual middle age of the movie’s lead characters, and it is a pleasant change of pace from the “June-December’’ romances often seen on screen, usually with an older man and a much-younger woman.

“This movie turns our stereotypes upside down,’’ says licensed marriage and family therapist Susan Hartman Brenizer, 56, whose practice is in Fayetteville. “A middle-aged woman who is naturally beautiful, not heavy but not skinny, has wrinkles and most of all is absolutely beautiful because she is comfortable on her own skin, even running from the plastic surgeon’s office when told of the brutality of plastic surgery…
“Women were laughing the loudest at the showing I attended. ‘

Call it what you will —  a romantic comedy, film lite, a chick flick — but “It’s Complicated’’  makes you wince a little even as it makes you smile.

A female friend notes that the lead characters were married as long a couple you know (almost 20 years) and divorced just as long (10 years), and points out that in movie land, just as in real life, grown kids have “issues” long after divorce rocks their world and still hold out hope their parents might reunite and live happily ever after.

“As a culture, we completely underestimate the effect of divorce on children, from infancy to adulthood,’’ Brenizer says. “…Yes, 10 years later, children can still be ‘getting over’ their parents’ divorce.’’

Streep’s character, Jane, is so confused by the turn of events with her ex and concerned about the repercussions that she makes an appointment with her therapist to ask his advice — another reason Brenizer gives “It’s Complicated” her “thumbs up”:

“A very good time to do so (consult a therapist) is when one is about to make a major life-altering decision,’’ Brenizer says. “However, the advice he gave her, in my opinion was off the mark. ‘Let it go Jane’ is what he said, with complete disregard for the consequences to her. (She almost lost what seemed like a great budding relationship because of this, to say nothing about the confusion to the children.)

“OK, this is a comedy,’’ Brenizer continues, “but the most ‘sane’ advice she got was from the Steve Martin character: ‘Come back to me when you have really detached from your ex-husband. This was ‘spot on’, and much better than the advice from the therapist.’’

Take Brenizer’s advice and mine too: If you’re a woman or a man of a certain age, married or single, see this movie in the theater (the shared experience of a room loud with laughter is a mood-lifter) or rent it when it comes out on DVD.

Brenizer, who never misses an opportunity to see Meryl Streep on the big screen, saw the movie with her husband, 64, a matrimonial and family attorney with a practice in Syracuse (“he laughed harder than I did,’’ she says).

“I would absolutely recommend it to women over 40 who are afraid of the very things made comical in the movie: Get a bit older, gain a bit of weight, get menopausal, be invisible to men.

“All of that is too funny,’’ the therapist says, “except that it is also true.’’

By Margaret McCormick

Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home. But if you or someone you know is over the age of 70, the question is: Is home sweet home also home safe home?

Surveys show that the majority of elderly Americans wish to remain in the place they call home as long as possible (“you’re never going to put me in a nursing home!’’ is a common refrain) and that many baby boomers plan to stay in the home they own now until retirement and beyond. If they had plans to retire to Sun City, those plans changed a year ago, when the economy took a dive and the country entered a lingering recession.

“It is costly to move to assisted living or a retirement community or a nursing home,’’ says Cynthia Stevenson, director of the Caregiver Resource Center at the Onondaga County Department of Aging and Youth. The resource center provides information, education and support to family caregivers of people age 60 and older, and offers a variety of free courses through the Institute for Caregivers.

“We do see more people, especially with this recession, staying in their homes and having family members and friends and neighbors help with this,’’ Stevenson says.

Ron Dimon, owner of Dimon Construction in Fayetteville, calls the trend of seniors staying put “aging in place.’’ The market for “aging in place’’ has grown in the past year, Dimon says, as people tackle questions about their lifestyles and living spaces.

Sometimes, he says, the hardest part about helping seniors be safe in their homes is for adult children to initiate a conversation on the subject.

“There’s emotion involved,’’ he says. “There can be incredible stubbornness.’’

He and his team have been called on to make such changes as replacing old toilets and dishwashers with comfort-height (elevated) models; adding attractive grab bars in bathrooms and along stairways (they don’t have to look institutional, he says); brightening kitchen and desk areas with task lighting; and making shower stalls “curbless’’ for people who don’t get around as easily as they once did — and people who get around with walkers and in wheelchairs.

Dimon Construction also has done additions of large, multi-purpose rooms that double as an accessible space for a parent who can no longer maneuver stairs and a home theater or home office space for younger members of the household.

“Meeting the needs of older people can extend the quality of life for people,’’ Dimon says.

Stevenson says that loss of mobility, combined with poor hearing and eyesight, put the elderly at increased risk for accidents and injuries at home.

There are many elements of safety and security to consider, from assisting with the management of medications, if necessary, so they are administered and taken properly, to helping seniors protect their increasingly fragile skin and bones by taking precautions to reduce the risk of falls.

“So many older homes are built on two or three levels,’’ Stevenson says. “We hear about people sitting down on steps and going down them on their bottoms, and backing up the same way. Having the necessary household equipment on more than one level presents a real problem.’’

A logical first place to begin with home safety and fall prevention, Stevenson says, is to adapt a home’s first floor so it includes bedroom, bathroom and laundry room, which isn’t always an easy task, especially in older homes. Remove all scatter and throw rugs that can cause a person to trip and fall.

Another easy do-it-yourself fix is to make sure there is adequate lighting in all rooms. Install nightlights in the bedroom, hall and bathroom to allow safe access to the bathroom at night.

The home thermostat should have a dial that can be read easily, so the heat is set at 60 instead of 90. Kitchen appliances should have easy-to-read and easy-to-operate controls. Microwave ovens should be at counter level, rather than above the stove, for safety and convenience.

Phones should be in easy reach throughout the house and have large and lighted dials. For peace of mind, Stevenson says, consider paying for an emergency response system, so your loved one has help at the push of a button – in the form of a medallion worn at all times.

How to Make Home a Safer Place for Seniors

Every year in the U.S. about 7,000 elderly people die in home-related accidents, and millions are seriously injured. Falls are the leading cause of injuries, but the elderly are also at risk for being burned by the stove or scalded by hot water. To help make your parent’s home a safer, more age-friendly place to live, here are some tips and resources that can help.

Get Informed—Your first step is to learn where the potential hazards lie in your parent’s house and what you can do to reduce them. A good place to do this is at the Home Safety Council’s Web site (www.mysafehome.net) where you can take a house tour that points out the possible dangers room-by-room. Many of the changes the site suggests are simple and inexpensive, like removing clutter and throw rugs to avoid tripping, installing brighter bulbs in existing light fixtures to improve vision and adding grab bars to the bathroom for support.

Get an Assessment—If you or your parents have medical issues like chronic arthritis or poor vision, ask the doctor to prescribe a home evaluation by an occupational therapist who specializes in home modifications. They can analyze the potential challenges and shortcomings of your parent’s home (or youra) to come up with a plan that you, a handyman or a contractor can easily follow. Many health insurance providers, including Medicare, will pay for a home assessment. However, they will not cover the physical upgrades to the home.

Another option is to contact your nearby independent living center (see www.ilru.org). These are nonprofit centers that provide information on home modifications and assistive living equipment, and many even offer free or low-cost home assessments.

Ways to Pay—If you or your parents need or want to make substantial changes to their home, but don’t have the cash to pay for them, you should consider taking out a home equity loan. Another possibility is a reverse mortgage. Available to people over 62, a reverse mortgage will let your parents convert the equity in their home into cash that doesn’t have to be paid back as long as either one of them are living there. But the fees can be substantial, so be sure to speak with a financial planner before taking out this type of mortgage. For information on ways you can tap into your home equity, go to www.longtermcare.gov, a site run by the Department of Health and Human Services.

If you happen to have long-term care insurance, they should call their insurance agent and ask whether home modifications are covered under their plan and what documentation they need to be reimbursed. A policy will not pay for upgrades if they are still healthy.

If funds are scarce, contact the Area Agency on Aging (call 800-677-1116 or visit www.eldercare.gov to find your local office) near your parents, and inquire about home modification loans and services available to seniors. Many state and local communities have low or no-interest loans, tax credits or other programs to those with low or moderate incomes.

In addition, get in touch with Rebuilding Together (www.rebuildingtogether.org, 800-473-4229), a national nonprofit organization that repairs and modifies homes of older, low-income homeowners to help them age in place. (By Jim Miller)

Is Your Home Safe?

The following home safety checklist is from the American Association of Retired People (AARP).

Steps/Stairways/Walkways
• Are they in good shape?
• Do they have a smooth, safe surface?
• Are there handrails on both sides of the stairway?
• How about light switches at the top and bottom of the stairs?
• Is there grasping space for both knuckles and fingers on railings?
• Are the stair treads deep enough for your whole foot?
• Would a ramp be feasible in any of these areas if it became necessary?

Floor Surfaces
• Is the surface safe?
• Nonslip?
• Any throw rugs or doormats that might slip underfoot?
• Is carpeting loose or torn?
• Are there changes in floor levels? If so, are they obvious or well marked?
• Do you have to step over any electric, telephone, or extension cords?

Driveway and Garage
• Is there always space to park?
• Is it convenient to the entrance?
• Does the garage door open automatically?

Windows  Doors
• Are windows and doors easy to open and close?
• Are locks sturdy and easy to operate?
• Do doorways accommodate a walker or wheelchair?
• Can you walk through the doorways easily?
• Is there space to maneuver while opening and closing doors?
• Does the front door have a view panel or peephole at the right height?

By Aaron Gifford

In the decades to come, more elderly residents will be increasingly likely to live on their own or in small group homes that promote independent living skills, Central New York health care representatives say. With that shift, there will be more doctor visits by seniors and a greater demand for home health aides. There will be a need for more senior housing and transportation services. Improvements may be needed in community-based long-term care, with an emphasis on outreach services, wellness/healthy aging programs and adult day care services.

Part of this change, said Tim Bobo, executive director of Central New York Health Systems Agency, can also be attributed to the fact that today’s seniors are typically wealthier than their predecessors and can afford better options than nursing homes for living out their twilight years.

“The long-term care service delivery system is increasingly being driven by consumer expectations for greater choices and services which are provided at home or in home-like environments. Changing expectations among the elderly are due, in a large part, to life style change and greater wealth resulting from the growth of contribution based retirement plans and changes in inheritance taxation,” Bobo wrote in his agency’s concept proposal for new or expanded services in the region. “It is uncertain what the future will bring, but it is almost certain that the percent of the elderly who will live in institutional settings and the traditional nursing home or adult home bed (currently 7 percent) is likely to decline as more alternatives become available.”

That’s not to say Central New York’s population is graying rapidly, or that drastic changes are needed immediately. Executives in the region’s health care sector will be well-aware of what’s in store for them long before the 2010 Census figures are released.

For Onondaga County, the largest county in the region, the population of those between the ages of 65 and 74 is on track to increase from 30,860 this year to 36,256 in 2014, or 17.5 percent, according to a study commission by Loretto, a Syracuse agency that provides health, housing and rehabilitation services to older adults. The population of those between 75 and 84, however, is expected to decrease by 6.4 percent in the same five-year period, from 21,298 to 19,922. Moreover, the number of those 85 and over is expected to decrease from 10,235 to 9,016, or 11.9 percent.

“There’s a lot of attention given to the aging of the Baby Boom population, since boomers are in better relative health in comparison to previous generations,” said Sally Berry, Loretto’s senior vice president of policy and programs. “Their impact is certainly felt sociologically, but doesn’t really hit long-term care services until 2020 and later.”

Still, physicians should plan on busy times ahead. The average person 65 and over visits a doctor’s office or medical facility seven times a year, roughly twice as much as adults between the ages of 25 and 64, according to the Central New York Health Systems Agency. In Onondaga County, 36 percent of hospital admissions are by persons 65 and older.

“People are living longer and living independently, but they’re utilizing health care services to do that,” Bobo said. “It’s a changing scenario and a relevant topic today. In general, we’ll have a healthier elderly population, but there’s going to be a need for more support services.”

Sandra H. Martin, president of Home Aides of Central New York, said her agency is already experiencing a greater demand for services. Their average number of clients increased from 436 in 2002 to 649 last year — a 49 percent hike.

“At the same time that there has been an increase in the number of people who need supportive services to remain at home,” she said, “there has also been a decrease in the number of workers available to help them.

This is commonly called a care gap, and it is happening right here in our community.”

Martin said serving seniors in rural areas is an additional challenge. In 2002, her agency launched a mobile recruitment office that traveled to outlying areas. Seven years later, the search for enough home health care aids to serve rural residents continues.

“For instance, if someone calls for service in Elbridge at seven in the morning, that may be difficult to service, because of the distance first, and the time second,” Martin said. “The closest aide that we might have to travel to that area might be from a western suburb, but if it for only one client then the cost of providing that service might be restrictive.  It is a complex situation that will become even more pronounced in the next 10 years.”

Meanwhile, the demand for nursing home beds is decreasing. Loretto, one of the largest providers of senior care services in the region, is in the midst of a $40 million overhaul of its housing options. Under its “Green Community” initiative, more than 100 nursing home beds will be replaced by 13 small homes that house 12 elders each. These assisted living facilities are a residential alternative to nursing home care.

With the decrease of nursing homes and the deinstitutionalization of elder care, said Janet Dauley Altwarg, director of the Long-Term Care Executive Council, it will be crucial in the years to come to assure there are options for seniors who rely entirely on Medicaid, which many non-institutional settings don’t accept.

“There will always be a need for skilled nursing home care because many people have care needs that are too significant to care for in the home or community,” Altwarg said.  “However, there is a definite need to support patient-centered care and a transition plan toward home and community-based care.

Unfortunately, there is currently a gap in resources to care for people in the community.  Many people in skilled nursing facilities do not need skilled nursing services, but there are limited options available to them.”

By Sandra Scott

Ask anyone who has visited Apalachicola, Carrabelle and St. George Island and they will say, “It is what Florida used to be like.”

Franklin County, an hour’s drive south of Tallahassee on the Florida Panhandle, is 87 percent national preserves, state forests and protected lands with virtually deserted pristine beaches and something for everyone — fishing, kayaking, museums, shopping, golf, swimming, or doing absolutely nothing.
It is the last vestige of Old Florida, a Florida that does not exist anywhere else: no high rise hotels, no traffic congestion making it the ideal place to relax, kick back and do whatever tickles your fancy.

In the waters—Gourmands generally agree that Apalachicola oysters are the best in the world. They are plump with a mellow taste that should be enjoyed raw untainted by sauces. Oystering tours show visitors how commercial fishermen have been harvesting these delicacies for over 150 years plus they will learn how to tong, cull and harvest oysters. They can even take home two bags. Or, enjoy bay, river, gulf or pier fishing for redfish, speckled trout, flounder, snapper, grouper and king mackerel, to mention a few of the fish waiting to be caught.

For a different kind of water experience rent a kayak, or bring your own, to explore the Carrabelle River or investigate the sandy coves and salt marshes of St. George Island State Park. Or, take a relaxing tour of Apalachicola’s historical waterfront and estuary with Captain Larry of Wheelhouse Tours. Have your own boat? There are several marinas waiting to accommodate boaters.

Wildlife—Birds are everywhere but a hike in Tate’s Hell State Forrest, St. George Island State Park, or with birding expert Alan Knothe in the Apalachicola National Estuarine Reserve, will tickle the feathers of all birders. The Apalachicola National Forest is home to blue-headed vireos, pelicans, egrets, herons and boasts the world’s largest population of red-cockaded woodpeckers. St. George Island State Park comprises nine miles of undeveloped shoreline, and features some of the state’s best shell hunting opportunities. Visit Cape St. George Isle with its diverse bird population especially during the spring and fall migrations. Expect to see peregrine falcons, bald eagles, oystercatchers and snowy plovers. The entire Franklin County is filled with wildlife, including deer, bear and other critters but the most amazing are the sea turtles. From May to November the sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs as they have for over a thousand years. Viewers should be careful not to disturb the turtles. Most accommodations have information on how to protect the turtle. Keep house lights off in the evening as it confuses the turtles, and don’t leave beach chairs on the beach overnight. As Bruce Drye explains in the seminars he offers to visitors, “Turtles operate by instinct. They are not decision makers.” Magnificent dunes, protected coves, salt marshes and long-leaf pine forests create an environment that encourages wildlife exploration.

Golfing and Shopping—Golfers will love St. James Bay golf course. It is an Audubon International “Certified Silver Signature Sanctuary” 18-hole, par 72 championship course with wetlands and water hazards present at every hole. Wildlife spectators include herons, egrets and even an occasional lazy alligator. St. James Bay “Stay and Play” packages include condos and villas for the dedicated golfer.

The charming historic communities of Carrabelle, St. George Island, and Apalachicola have art galleries, antique shops, and boutiques making shopping a joy. The beauty of the area has inspired artists including watercolorist Linda Clark featured at Sea Oat Art Gallery on St. George Island and photographer Richard Bickel’s whose insightful photographs featured in his Apalachicola studio depict local people at work.

It’s historic—Pick up a self-guided walking tour at the Apalachicola Chamber of Commerce or take an Olde Town Golf Cart Tour of Apalachicola from the Water Street Hotel. Visit the 1838 Greek-Revival Trinity Episcopal Church, which was shipped in sections from White Plains, NY, by schooner and assembled with wooden pegs. Interestingly, the 1838 antebellum Orman House, which is beautifully situated on a rise above the river, was constructed in Salina, NY, and shipped to Apalachicola. The recently renovated Dixie Theater was built in 1912 and is once again hosting live theater. At the John Gorrie State Museum learn about physician John Gorrie, whose concern for his yellow fever patients motivated him to invent a method for cooling their rooms. He became a pioneer in the field of air conditioning and refrigeration by inventing an ice-making machine receiving the first U.S. Patent for mechanical refrigeration in 1851. A replica is on display at the museum, as well as exhibits chronicling the colorful history of Apalachicola. More than 900 historic homes and buildings are in Apalachicola’s National Historic District.

In Carrabelle climb the 112-year-old fully restored Crooked River Lighthouse and tour the recently opened replica of the Crooked River Lighthouse Keeper’s House. The historic St. George Light was reconstructed by a dedicated group of local citizens after the original succumbed to beach erosion.

The Camp Gordon Johnston World War II museum is dedicated to the 250,000 amphibious WW II soldiers and support groups who trained at the camp. Driving the amphibious “duck” was tricky and it was found that soldiers with no previous driving experience were the easiest to train. A video shows their intensive training, which included practicing for the D-Day landing. Apalachicola’s Vietnam Memorial is the only city in the U.S., other than Washington DC, to feature a partial replica of the bronze sculpture of the three soldiers designed by Frederick Hart.

Sleeping and Eating—There are accommodations to suit every need from beach houses that accommodate entire extended families to comfy cottages for two to historic B&Bs. Fresh fish and Apalachicola oysters are part of every menu prepared at the area’s restaurants by Culinary Institute of America (CIA) trained chefs. Franklin County may be the Old Florida but it comes with all the comfort and amenities of the modern world without destroying the ambiance. For more information check www.anaturalescape.com or call 866-914-2068.