By Ken Little

Some people are calling it the “Silver Tsunami.” And when the wave of baby boomers on the verge of retirement sweeps over Central New York, it will be felt in all levels of society.

Those born between 1946 and 1964 are known as the Baby Boom generation. During the course of their lifetimes, baby boomers have had an impact on all aspects of life in America, from the youth culture and societal attitudes, to the healthcare system.

Prepare for the first wave. The youngest members of the Baby Boom generation will reach 65 in 2011. By 2030, nearly one in five Americans — about 72 million — will be age 65 or older.

“We are going to see an onslaught of older adults who are going to age in better health than any previous generation. We’ve helped people live longer and now we’re going to have to manage those consequences,” said Sharon A. Brangman, chief of the division of geriatrics at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.
Brangman is also the president of the American Geriatric Society. She said baby boomers are used to having things their way, and won’t settle for spending their twilight years in a traditional nursing home setting.

There’s much work to be done.

“I think the expectations are going to be great. With aging baby boomers, we’re not going to be able to provide one size fits all,” Brangman said. “The country as a whole and Central New York in particular is not ready to provide care and services to the aging population.”

‘A Coordinated Effort’—A unified response from government, the healthcare field, private business and boomers themselves is needed to make the transition smoothly, Brangman said.

“The whole model needs sort of a coordinated effort. I think baby boomers are going to be demanding individualized services,” she said. “I don’t think we’ve come together as a community to discuss how aging is going to impact all of our services, not just health care.

“What we see are pockets of people doing things here and there,” Brangman said.

Older adults currently comprise about 12 percent of Onondaga County’s population. But that group is responsible for 26 percent of all doctor visits, 35 percent of hospital admissions and prescriptions and 38 percent of all hospital emergency room visits, “so they use up a significant amount of health services,” Brangman said.
Fast forward to 2030, when 20 percent of Onondaga County’s population will be age 65 and older.

“That’s the term I use — silver tsunami. We’re going to be hit by a huge wave and it’s going to have a big impact on all aspects of our society,” Brangman said.

Lisa D. Alford, commissioner of the Onondaga County Department of Aging and Youth, said the county is approaching the Baby Boom challenge in several ways.

“Our focus is very much on creating and sustaining livable communities, places where older adults can live for as long as it is safe and feasible for them to do so,” Alford said. “We are achieving this by working closely to educate community planners about the needs of those who wish to age in place.”

Those needs will be many, Alford said, including reliable public transportation, safe and walkable streets, access to expert medical care and a social support system.

“Emphasis within the planning and aging communities is on universal design and livability. We are working to continue and expand that conversation to increase programming around fall prevention and in-home care, both of which increase safety and security at home,” she said.

A primary challenge to government and healthcare providers is long-term care for baby boomers. While healthier than previous generations, a percentage of the generation will eventually need assisted living or more intensive healthcare arrangements.

Brangman said many boomers don’t care to admit the probability of chronic disease. The Alliance for Aging, a nonprofit group based in South Florida that serves as an aging resource center and a “focal point for information and access about service to elders,” reports that by age 65, nearly nine out of 10 Americans will have at least one chronic condition.

Aging At Home —An overwhelming majority of baby boomers prefer to remain at home. That’s an initiative supported by New York state, where the population of those aged 60 and over is projected to increase from 3.5 million to 4.9 million by 2025 — a 39 percent increase in that age bracket that will comprise nearly one-quarter of the state’s population.

Volunteerism and other community-supported initiatives will help keep seniors in their homes and conserve limited government resources, said Michael Burgess, director of the New York State Office for the Aging.

“We have to maximize the informal support to do these things or it’s going to make it that much more difficult to do,” Burgess recently said. “Community-based agencies, local offices for the aging and caregivers are going to lift some of the burden. We have to look at other ways to deal with it because it is overwhelming.”

The demographics of Central New York, along with its rural nature, will create special challenges in terms of providing services for boomers, Brangman said.
“Central New York has a very older demographic and that is projected to continue for several decades. Older people stay here and younger people leave to find jobs,” she said.

The aging of Upstate New York means there will be challenges in fields like healthcare.

“We have an aging workforce. The average age of the nurses is approaching 50 years old,” Brangman said.

In general, she said, “The workforce is just not ready to handle older adults.

There’s a shortage of geriatric specialists, and all doctors need a better understanding of the aging process “and how aging and disease intersect,” Brangman said.

That’s also true for healthcare specialists in fields like nursing and physical therapy, she added.

There is plenty of available housing in Central New York, but many of those homes currently aren’t accessible to those with disabilities. Many boomers expect to live out their years in the limited accessibility multi-story homes they currently occupy.

That fact reinforces another truth about the Baby Boom generation.

“There’s big denial,” Brangman said. “I think people do recognize they are aging, but they consider the superficial solutions like hair dye and Botox and eye surgery. I think we’re in denial and we’re not addressing the things that have lasting impact. In terms of aging, Botox isn’t going to do it.”

Rural Challenges—In rural communities, Brangman said it’s already challenging to provide home health care aides and services like Meals on Wheels, particularly in the winter. There are fewer available doctors and pharmacies.

“It’s kind of difficult to get services out to a home,” she said. “Most people don’t want to be in a nursing home. They want to get services in their own home. People will be shocked to discover Medicare does not cover home health care services, and many people can’t afford it on their own.”

The culture of existing assisted care facilities needs to change in order to be accepted by baby boomers, Brangman said.
“Nursing homes need to change to meet the needs of the Baby Boom population who will want to stay active and do activities that are engaging,” she said.

The Syracuse-based OASIS program offers educational experiences for mature adults “who want to continue to grow, learn and be productive during the best years of their lives,” according to the organization’s website. OASIS offers classes in areas including the arts and humanities, computers, and health and fitness.
OASIS can serve as a model for similar organizations across the state to help engage baby boomers in meaningful activity, Brangman said.

“Not everybody wants to play bingo and make crafts with Popsicle sticks,” she said.

One approach to senior housing is “The Green House” concept, a joint effort between some nonprofit senior housing organizations and the state department of health. The Green House model “creates a small, intentional community for a group of elders and staff” emphasizing “the relationships that flourish there,” according to NCB Capital Impact, a national, nonprofit community development organization.

The Green House concept represents a radical departure from traditional skilled nursing homes and assisted living facilities. It alters facility size, interior design, staffing patterns and methods of delivering skilled professional services.

“It’s primary purpose is to serve as a place where elders can receive assistance and support with activities of daily living and clinical care, without the assistance and care becoming the focus of their existence,” the NCB Capital website states.

Brangman said The Green House model is one solution to the challenge of housing aging baby boomers. But there are a host of other issues to consider, not the least of which is transportation and dependable public transit.

“If you don’t drive in Central New York, you become very isolated. Transportation is another example of a system that is going to have to be addressed,” she said.

Those living in rural counties may have to move to cities to receive the services they need, Brangman said.

By the year 2025, the over-60 population in rural areas like Oswego County and other counties across the state will grow by 50 percent.

By 2025, the over-60 population in will be 50 percent larger across the state in Oswego County and other counties across the state.

“In the age 60-plus population, you’re seeing the county demographics change pretty dramatically in what you’re going to see over the next couple years,”

Laurence Schmidt, administrator for the Oswego County Office for the Aging, recently said.

Officials are beginning to realize that solutions with have to be found to stem the tide of the Silver Tsunami.

“I know there’s a lot of cost to this, but these are very big questions that will impact the lives of all of us because we’re all going to experience old age,” Brangman said. “Everyone gets it when it’s their mother or mother-in-law, but soon, they’re going to have to get it when it’s them.”

Are you looking for just the right volunteer position that uses your particular skills and availability? Check out AARP’s Tax Aide program.

This program began in 1968 with only four volunteers who served 100 people in that tax season. Today the AARP Tax-Aide program has attracted more than 34,600 volunteers and has helped more than 47 million people file their tax returns!

AARP Tax-Aide is a confidential, free and quality service supported by friendly people in local communities across the nation. This service is available to low- and moderate-income taxpayers of all ages with special attention to those aged 60 and older. IRS-certified volunteers are trained to assist in filing basic tax forms. A variety of service options are available at nearly 6,500 locations nationwide:

1. On-site tax assistance and preparation, from late January/early February to April 15;

2. 24 hour tax assistance on the Internet all year.

Since 1980, the program has operated under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as part of its Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program.

AARP Tax-Aide sites are operational from late January/early February through April 15 each year. During that time, taxpayers can find the site closest to their home by visiting www.aarp.org/taxaide  or by calling toll-free number 1-888-AARPNOW (1-888-227-7669) or tax assistance on the Internet is available all year round.

Increasing Community Involvement—AARP Tax-Aide was one of AARP’s early efforts to use volunteers to ensure important services were available to older people. Today, the more than 34,600 AARP Tax-Aide volunteers are made up of individuals of all ages, races, ethnic groups, income levels and educational backgrounds. AARP Tax-Aide offers a myriad of volunteer positions such as:

• Regional coordinator
• State coordinator
• Administrative specialist
• Partnership and communications specialist
• Technology specialist
• Training specialist
• District coordinator
• Communications coordinator
• Instructor
• Tax volunteer
• Local coordinator

There are many kinds of volunteer opportunities — from tax volunteers to greeters as well as well as communications and technology coordinators. One might be right for you! Review the volunteer descriptions below then complete and submit the AARP Tax-Aide Prospective Volunteer Form (www.aarp.org/apps/Volunteer_with_AARP_Tax_Aide/).

Like working with numbers? AARP Tax Volunteers interact with clients by filling out tax returns. Even if you don’t have accounting or tax preparation experience, becoming a tax volunteer may be right for you.Like working with people better than working with numbers? Greeters make sure the clients have all the necessary paperwork before meeting with a tax volunteer and manage the flow of clients being served.

Have a knack for computers and technology? Technology coordinators manage computer equipment, work to ensure taxpayer data security or provide technical assistance to volunteers at multiple sites on technology issues.

Love getting the word about community services? Communications coordinators promote AARP tax-aide to potential clients from February to April and recruit volunteers in the fall for the following tax season.

Good at managing people and programs? Leadership positions at the local and district levels manage volunteers, synchronize plans with other volunteer leaders, and assure smooth program operation. Get the joy and satisfaction of helping others by applying to join the AARP Tax-Aide volunteer team today!

Your expertise will be appreciated more than you can imagine.

AARP Foundation volunteers will receive equal opportunity and treatment throughout recruitment, appointment, training, and service. There will be no discrimination based on age, disabilities, gender, race, color, ethnic origin, religion,  or sexual orientation. AARP Tax-Aide is administered by the AARP Foundation.

By Marilyn Pinsky

What do a trombonist, a law professor, a steel worker, a nursing professor, an X-ray technician and a fire coordinator have in common?

They all volunteer for their local fire departments.

When you read their stories and realize that age is not a barrier to performing many needed tasks and that not everyone in a fire department runs into burning buildings wearing heavy equipment, I hope you will consider becoming a volunteer yourself.

Most fire departments in Onondaga County are staffed with volunteers 55 and older, according to Joe Rinefierd, director of the fire bureau for Onondaga County Emergency Management.

“There is such a shortage of volunteers that everyone is needed. And not everyone needs to be a firefighter,” he said. “Many departments are corporations with boards of directors that need people familiar with business and Robert’s Rules of Order to run the organizations.”

Let’s start with the Maroneys.

Thomas J. Maroney’s day job is professor of law at Syracuse University College of Law. For the past two years, he has been a volunteer fire police officer in the Fayetteville Fire Department. Dr. Mary Kay Maroney, director and professor emerita of the department of nursing at Utica College, is an emergency medical technician with the fire department.

“Though I had been a nurse and nurse educator for many years and enjoyed the patient care aspect of nursing, I soon learned that being an EMT is very different from professional nursing care,” said Maroney.

“EMT work is pre-hospital care, basically assessing, stabilizing, treating and transporting,” he said. “As an example, in a dog bite situation, when we reach the scene we are concerned about everyone’s safety, not just the person who has been bitten. We need to ask ‘where is the dog?’, stabilize the patient and transport to the hospital if necessary.”

Having been U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York for five years, and a volunteer with the U.S. Coast Guard auxiliary for 15 years, Maroney knows how law enforcement works.

“The fire police are an adjunct to law enforcement, with very limited law enforcement authority of our own,” he said. “The primary mission is traffic and crowd control. Everything is safety first—for yourself and for the scene. We set up traffic cones to protect the area where the firefighters and EMS are working, and that could be anywhere from a busy road, to a mall, to a residential neighborhood. You get there, assess the situation and block off the area if necessary.”

In tune with volunteering—The fire police captain for the Fayetteville Fire Department is William “Bill” Harris. A charter member of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Harris retired as principal trombonist after 48 years.

He is professor emeritus of music at Onondaga Community College and artist affiliate in Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music. His most recent honor is induction into Nottingham High School’s Wall of Fame.

How does a classical musician become a volunteer firefighter?

“In 1992, the SSO had a money crisis and shut down from March to November,” explains Harris. “A great friend of mine from Syracuse University Marching Band days in the ‘60s, Tom Cook, was the fire police captain in Fayetteville where I’ve lived since 1966. So I knew all the guys socially but never had the time to be involved except to be friends.”

“I was always a fire buff and when the symphony shut down, Tom asked me to be in the fire police. I started taking fire course after fire course and absolutely loved it,” Harris said.

“It’s been a great 20 years. In the fire department, instead of an ‘I-me’ mentality, it’s ‘we-us’; it’s neighbors helping neighbors like our founding fathers intended. If you’re in the ‘we-us’ mode to make America better, this is the place to be. Compared to what I did all my life, I especially like the uniqueness of this whole thing,” Harris noted.

Vital to help others—Paul Whorrall, 58, retired from the U.S. Postal Service, is the volunteer fire chief and administrator of emergency services for the village of Manlius.

What is the main reason why people volunteer?

“It’s the sense of being able to help the community in an activity that is exciting,” said Whorrall. “Not only are you helping your own community, but it is personally fulfilling. True, there is a little of the adrenaline rush, but the main thing is what you can do to help people.”

“We have different levels of activity and allow people to do what they feel they’re capable of doing, from interior firefighting to scene support to fire police. There are people who do emergency medical services, drivers, EMTs and paramedics. We train people for everything. Most classes are held locally at night and on weekends.”

“For instance, to drive trucks and ambulances, all you need is a valid driver’s license, and over a couple of days, we will put you through an emergency vehicle operators course,” Whorrall said. “If you want to be an EMT, we provide the training and if you want to go on to become a paramedic, we’ll pay for that too.”

A volunteer firefighter since 1960, Mike Waters is a member of the Jordan Fire Department. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as public affairs officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel and was the fire coordinator for Onondaga County for over 29 years.

“I had wanted to be a fireman since I was a little kid and that feeling never left,” said Waters. “You build life-long friendships in the fire services, and sure, there’s a certain amount of excitement to it and, if you want, there are mental and physical challenges involved.”

‘Man against nature’—What’s it like to be a firefighter?

“It’s man against nature, it’s teamwork, it’s like a symphony where all the different parts have to be working together for it to be successful,” Waters said. “s a retired military officer, it’s a lot like a military operation. A bond is built with people who have faced the same adverse emergency conditions. You have to rely on them and they on you.”

The Onondaga Nation volunteer fire chief is Ronald Shenandoah, age 62. Shenandoah was a structural iron worker for many years, then an over-the-road truck driver for Jaquith Industries for over 13 years, He now works for the Nation.

“The Onondaga Nation Fire Department has been in existence in its new incarnation for 11 years,” Shenandoah said. “Prior to that, we had our own patrol and when the Nedrow Fire Department got a call that was on the Nation and would respond, I met them and showed them where to go.”

“Then Nedrow Fire Chief Harold Smith asked if volunteers on the Nation would like CPR and First Aid training so we could take care of patients until the Nedrow FD arrived,” said Shenandoah.

“Next, he asked us to join the fire department in Nedrow, so we started working with them,” Shenandoah said. “In 1998, we had a house fire on the reservation where a person died and all the people involved except two were from the Nation. A couple of the chiefs suggested we have our own fire department and that’s how it started.”

Many roles to fill—“Not everyone has to be an interior firefighter and there’s a place for everyone. In our department, the ages run from about 25 to 62 and we have two women firefighters. My youngest brother is an EMT and an interior firefighter, and for me, it is a privilege to have the opportunity to serve with him,” he added.

“From a chief’s point of view, the concern for your members starts whenever the sirens ring; not necessarily for a fire, it could be a sick person. It lasts even after you’ve parked the rig and it occupies your mind all night. You’re either worried that your members might get hurt or you’re feeling good that you know they are home safely,” Shenandoah said.

Bob Milton, 83, of the Jordan Fire Department, is still active after 61 years, 18 as chief and now as a life member. Leaving the Navy after World War II, he retired as a tool and die maker from Welch-Allyn. “I really enjoy helping people in need and working on and operating apparatus,” Milton said.

“Chief Milton” seems to be a family title, as Bob’s son Doug is the present Jordan chief and 13 other family members are also involved.

No gender barrier here—Rosemary Donnelly, 72, is from neighboring Meridian in Cayuga County.

By profession, Donnelly is a medical assistant X-ray technician, and as a volunteer, she is a first responder in the Meridian Fire Department for any emergencies requiring the rescue truck.

“I got involved with the Meridian Fire Department when we moved here from New Jersey 35 years ago. This is a rural community, and as many of the men farmed and were not available during the day, women became involved,” she said.

Because her mother was active in the fire auxiliary, Donnelly is still involved in her fire department auxiliary.

Like the Miltons, Donnelly also has family involved.

Another female firefighter hails from Oswego County. Joni Hinds, 55, was the first woman chief of the Cleveland Fire Department.

“My husband has been a firefighter since he was in high school, and our two sons joined when they each turned 16,” she said. “When the youngest joined  I was left home alone. My son suggested I join too. I was 43 at the time.”

Hinds progressed through the ranks.  She started as treasurer, became engineer of a vehicle, then president and chief engineer overseeing all engineers. She spent several years as a lieutenant, then worked her way up the chief ranks. During this time, she was also in school working on an ALS degree through the Corning/NYS Fire Academy.

“My father taught my brother about machinery but because I was a girl, he didn’t think to teach me, so I loved the opportunity the fire department gave me to do things with vehicles. As a firefighter, you are genderless; it is just respect for the job you do,” she said.

Madison County firefighter James Clark, 55, joined the Lincoln Fire and Rescue Department when he was 51. “I’ve lived in my community for 30 years and when the department was looking for volunteers, I saw this as my chance to give back,” he said. “It keeps me young, keeps me in shape and I’m doing something worthwhile.”

So when does the fall planting season technically start, and why is it touted as a great time to put your shovel in the ground once again?

Once the day lengths begin to shorten, and the soil temperature is still nice and warm while we start receiving the anticipated gentle rains that begin sometime in August, it’s time to begin the fall planting season.

Weed seed germination has really declined, which gives whatever we plant, including lawns, a fighting chance to become well established. The cooler evenings mean I can see what I am doing, as the sweat from my brow usually makes peering through my glasses to inspect my labor a chore during the heat and humidity of summer.

Basically, it’s a lot more fun to do something outside in the landscape at this time of year. It’s fun to be alive and working with the soil; it gives pleasure while burning calories.

You can improve your green outlook with little effort and small budget by fertilizing things that look a bit long in the tooth, and my favorite material right now is the organic Neptune’s Harvest Fish and Seaweed Tonic.

The Iroquois were here for thousands of years planting the “3 Sisters” (corn, beans, and squash) and they recognized the value that fish can add to the soil. It’s not too late to try to bring around stressed plants or even a section of turf with this product, used every two weeks right through the end of October.

I also like to take this opportunity to attract as many butterflies to my yard as possible. Knowing that butterflies need water, I like to take a group of old wine bottles and stick them in the ground upside down. My wife and I empty them one at a time, enjoying the contents while helping our landscape.

The raised area in the bottom of the bottle, called the “punt” and used to collect sediment as wine ages, is a perfect place to fill with water once the bottle is inverted. The edges of the bottle are a nice landing strip for butterflies to light upon as they gain a sip, and then these flying flowers are off again to collect nectar as their fluttering wings make the garden come alive.

It always works best if you have perennial plants to attract butterflies as well as these used bottles for a drinking station.

Hint: The more colorful plants that you have in your landscape, and the larger the colors and sizes of your wine bottles, the greater variety of butterflies you will attract. Plus your place looks interesting, and that alone is well worth the price of the products.

Until next time, keep planting until you are planted.

Jim Sollecito is the first lifetime senior certified landscape professional in NYS. He operates Sollecito Landscaping Nursery in Syracuse. Contact him at 468-1142 or by e-mail at jim@sollecito.com.

By Jim Sollecito

Frequently I am asked to provide landscape plantings that are considered nativars, or basically selections of native plants that have great landscape value and few problems.

We all want to reduce pesticide use, and by using things that might have been found in our area from the get-go, we are already on the right road. We do not have native azaleas, rhododendrons or hollies growing in our area. Had they been able to survive, the deer would have finished them off by now.

So stop buying and planting out this buffet line, unless you treat them as annuals. We’ll talk about annuals in a column later this year, and why friends don’t let friends plant annuals. Personally, I want things that will last with a minimum of care.

So whenever I am invited to a potential client’s home to review their landscape opportunities and constraints, I always try to take a peek in the garage. I can see the level of chemical involvement the homeowners have, and also see what kind of treasures—some might refer to as “ junk”—that might work in their landscape.

You see, we all came from a tree—a family tree. If I can locate an old rusty coal scuttle, or maybe a piece of metal something or other that the family might have used in the past, I can add that to their landscape as a feature.

It would be in a location where they might see the item in a new light while it becomes a landscape focal point, or at the very least an item of interest.

I love old saws. They look sharp when nailed with aluminum nails on to a tree. Old chainsaw blades are cool too. Picture frames can be painted, and leaned against a tree to add a splash of color even in the shade. You can also paint an old wheelbarrow and place it anywhere.

But my favorites are old bicycles; the rustier, the better. It is difficult to grow things in the shade. This breaks the “LAWS,” which in a nutshell means you have to have good “Light, Air, Water and Soil” in order to have healthy plants. Bend one rule, maybe you’ll get away with it, but break two and you end up with “ever-browns.” That is not a good thing.

Enter the Schwinn, which functions perfectly as something pleasing to look at all year round, evokes memories of days gone by, and heck, you can even put a vine on it to create color during the growing season. Any clematis comes instantly to mind.

Want something edible? How about pole beans, or even cucumbers?

I bet if you look around when you do some spring cleaning, you’ll find at least three interesting objet de art that might put a smile on your face, jazz up your back yard, and when the kids come home, they’ll say, “hey, I wondered what happened to my old …

Plus, for the most part, you already own them.

Until next time, keep planting until you are planted.

Jim Sollecito is the first lifetime senior certified landscape professional in NYS. He operates Sollecito Landscaping Nursery in Syracuse. Contact him at 468-1142 or by e-mail at jim@sollecito.com.

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 Mary Beth Roach

You have lost your spouse, and the home where you raised your family is too large to maintain by yourself.

You are empty nesters and want to downsize.

You have spent some time in a hospital and you’re going to be discharged, but the layout of your home is a physical challenge and care management seems stressful.

You never married or are recently widowed and you have no children to assist you.

You are an adult child, living hundreds if not thousands of miles from your mom and/or dad, and you are concerned about their health and well-being in their current home.

Is the retirement nest egg going to be enough?   What resources are you or your parents eligible for?
What kind of residence is right for you? High-rise apartment? Community-like settings? Independent? Assisted living?  An urban location in Syracuse? A residence in the suburbs? Or a more country feel? The decision to transition to a senior residence can be filled with emotion, and with the multitude of options from which to choose, the whole experience can become downright overwhelming.

Mattia Kinslow, 90, knows all too well the trepidation of making such a move.
Her husband had passed away, and she found it difficult to move from the house they had shared in the Liverpool area, a home he had built, to the Hearth on James.

“Just leaving the place with so many memories was the most difficult,” she said. But once she became acclimated to her new residence, she thrived. She was elected president within her first year there and has since served on numerous committees. Kinslow meets and greets all the new residents, presenting them with small welcoming gifts.

The community aspect of the Hearth is what appealed to Kinslow.

Her home had always been filled with people, she said, and now she is surrounded by new friends.

he Hearth on James, owned by Hearth Management LLC, also operates the Hearth at Greenpoint in Liverpool and its Keepsake Village, a memory care community for those with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

The joy of a community such as the Hearth is the socialization, said Kelly Kiggins, executive director at the 71-unit facility on James Street in Syracuse.

They offer independent living and also enriched housing, which provides such services as daily care needs for residents in the morning and evening and medication management.

Breakfasts and dinners are provided for all the residents, allowing staff to do a safety check. If a resident doesn’t show up for dinner, Kiggins explained, a staff member is  going to visit that apartment. The pricing structure varies, depending on the level of care.

Just around the corner from the Hearth are two high rises called Ross Towers, one of several  senior residences run by the Syracuse Housing Authority.

SHA properties are public housing, with rents based on income and family size. The waiting list is centralized, with applicants’ preferences taken into consideration, and currently the average wait is about nine months.

Some of SHA’s housing are high-rise buildings and a couple of them are rehabbed schools; all have a community room with a kitchen space, a computer center, and central laundry.

Transportation is offered to area grocery stores, and the activities offered are more diverse than one might expect.

“Our persona is more diverse than people think,” said Deborah Banks, program coordinator for elderly services for the SHA.

With approximately 940 residents at least 60 years of age, they range from the “baby boomers” who are entering the ranks of senior citizens to the older, more frail population.

“They’re a very mobile bunch,” she added. Banks strives to develop programs and activities to coincide with their many interests.

While SHA facilities are all within the city of Syracuse, Christopher Community, a not-for-profit development and management company, has properties in Onondaga, Cayuga, Chemung, Erie, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Oneida, Oswego and Seneca counties.

The rent at most of the properties is subsidized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Most of the properties are one-bedroom units, with differing amenities, and each site manages its own waiting list, according to Cindy Bird, vice president for property management at Christopher Community.
One of newest properties managed by Christopher Community and owned by Loretto is the O’Brien Road Apartments in Baldwinsville.

Loretto offers an extensive package of housing options in terms of the levels of care and the number of facilities they run throughout the area.

The Bernardine high-rise complex in the Valley section of Syracuse offers varying levels of care—independent and supportive living and enriched and assisted living programs—and residents can transition through these without having to relocate.

Buckley Landing in North Syracuse offers  the enriched and assisted living programs; Sedgwick Heights in Syracuse provides an adult home program and assisted living; and The Heritage, on Loretto’s Brighton Avenue campus, is a residential program for those with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Of all of Loretto’s  properties, The Nottingham, a retirement community in the eastern part of Onondaga County, offers an extensive range of health care in one location.

A private pay model for the most part, it has apartments and cottages on the independent end of the spectrum; enriched housing; and a 40-bed skilled nursing program on the other end of the spectrum.
Like The Nottingham, Springside at Seneca Hill, run by Oswego Health and situated in a wooded area off of state Route 481 between Fulton and Oswego, offers both apartments with a community hub, and single-home dwellings.

It is a private-pay facility, and part of a 138-acre campus that includes a health service center with a VA clinic, radiation, oncology and dental surgery; and The Manor at Seneca Hill, a skilled nursing care facility.
The area was designed with acreage to expand within the next several years to include an assisted living component, according to Teresa Ferlito, vice president of Springside at Seneca Hill.

Springside’s main building features 44 units—24 one-bedroom and 20 two-bedroom, all situated on one floor, with a community area at its hub.

In addition, there are five sets of duplex houses and three single cottages. The homes are all two-bedroom, two-bathroom units, all have garages, and all have patios of different sizes. Some have an additional room to be used as a den or sunroom; some have fireplaces; some have breakfast bars.

Because the main building has all the units, services and amenities on one floor, with no stairs to challenge the residents, they are able to heighten their mobility, she said.

“When you give up some of those physical challenges, your body reacts to that well and you really do live a healthier life, especially when you remove some of that stress,” Ferlito added.

Monthly rates for the apartments include dinner plans, while residents prepare their breakfasts and lunches in their apartments.

Gathering everyone together for the evening meal also enhances the social environment, one of the biggest assets of Springside, and provides staff a way to account for the residents. A “good morning” call by staff is optional.

The apartments and homes are all private pay, and it was designed, Ferlito said, to fill a void for those whose income surpassed the limits at subsidized housing units.

Springside is at 100 percent capacity in the apartments, and just recently they are starting to see some of the houses become available.

Farther north, just off state Route 481 in Oswego overlooking the Oswego River, is Bishop’s Commons at St. Luke, an assistive living facility with 60 units, with both studios and one-bedrooms, and a common area.
They provide three meals a day, activities, laundry service, housekeeping and transportation. They are at full capacity, with a short waiting list, according to executive director Karen Murray. Like most assistive living residences, Bishop’s Commons offers three meals a day, activities, laundry service, housekeeping and transportation, and the common areas include a library, fitness center, beauty/barber shop and more.

Like Ferlito, Murray underscores the need to remove stress from the lives of seniors.

Daily matters, such as maintaining a home, lifting groceries, dealing with transportation, whether it’s with one’s own vehicle or waiting on cabs or buses, making sure the sidewalks are shoveled and the driveways are plowed during Central New York winters—all these challenges can be taxing for seniors, Murray pointed out.

Not to mention the concerns of adult children who might live a distance from their parents and cannot be as hands-on as they’d like to be.

Bishop’s Commons, like the other residences, aims to offer a quality of living that removes or lessens these concerns, and therefore goes  a long way in promoting an overall sense of health and well-being.

“Knowing when to move is probably the hardest thing for some of the seniors to realize,” said Ferlito.

And navigating through the financial aspects of it all can be a daunting undertaking.

“You really do need a road map,” said Sally Berry, senior vice president for policy and program development at Loretto.

But some of those in the field offered some advice in helping one find their way along that map.

Don’t wait for a health crisis to begin looking at retirement living options, said Ferlito.

The experts all agreed—plan ahead, do research, have conversations, set up tours of residences and facilities, see those living in the communities, meet staff, and surf the Internet.

Most of these facilities have Web sites, as do local and state agencies such as the following:

• The New York State Office for the Aging’s site at www.aging.ny.gov

• seniorhousing.state.ny.us

• The Onondaga County Department of Aging and Youth at ongov.net/ay

• The Oswego County Office for the Aging at  www.co.oswego.ny.us/ofa.

Yet, some seniors find themselves forced to make  changes in living arrangements as a result of a medical crisis and hospitalization and they can often find discharge planners at the hospitals to be a good resource, according to Kiggins.

They can lay out options and are familiar with choices available to seniors. Berry said there are geriatric care and consultation advisers that families can meet with, as well.

What does senior living look like for the future?

One trend will most likely be a continuing care model, similar to what is being done at The Nottingham and Springside, where all different levels of care are in one location or one campus.

And some in the field see a move away from the  institutional settings toward more independent living arrangements in residential settings, an example of which will be Loretto’s Green Community initiative.

As statistics show, people are living longer, with retirement still being a dynamic part of life.

As Ferlito said, “You can plan for quality of life in retirement.”