Treating sun-damaged skin

page 6

Replacing home equity

page 14

Retirees enjoy the green life

page 4

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Retirees enjoy the green life 4New Elder Affairs head praised 5State testing elder drivers? 5Long-term-care and health reform 7Drug company deal premature? 8Drugs pose breast cancer risk 13New Alzheimer’s test? 13Home sales drop for retirees 15Pulse on the job market 17Obama’s Medicare plan grumblings 17SOARING towards retirement life 19

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By Brian Goslow

FITCHBURG —

There’s no way that Gerard “Gerry” Bellizeau, 78, who grew up in the shadow of the huge three-building

factory complex that overlooks the Nashua River, could have imagined that one day he’d call the facility home. Especially not during those six months he worked at the facility making Margolin ladies handbags before heading off to college.

But when he started to hear about the development of the Anwelt Heritage Apartments, a senior housing complex, which opened its doors for residents 55 and older last summer, Bellizeau decided it was time to sell his long time home and move in. His house had become too expensive and difficult to maintain.

He loves his new 1,200 square-foot apart-ment with its original exposed brick walls and wooden beams, soaring ceilings and the sunlight that pours through its oversized windows. Most days, Bellizeau turns the apartment into a concert hall. “I’ve got a digital piano I can play with headphones,” he said. “I have an uncommon routine in my life and living here, I can continue to live as if I never moved. With all the space, I have the freedom to fill my own tastes. It exceeds anything I thought I would get with the money.”

With the property no longer suitable for manufacturing at the end of the 20th century, Robert D. Ansin, whose family had run a shoe company on the site from 1926 to 1988, began envisioning ways to give it new life.

He had an emotional attachment to the space, having grown up there learning the process of making shoes along with his brothers and sister. Sidney Ansin, his grandfather, had bought Fitchburg Shoe in the 1920s; his father, Ronald, unintention-

ally took over in his 20s. He had traveled to Fitchburg from his home in New Haven with the intention of selling the business — then known as the Anwelt Shoe Company — so the elder Ansin could retire in Florida. Instead, Ronald Ansin fell in love with it and took over the reigns. “There were a lot of immigrants — many of them were French Canadians who would walk to work from their homes to work for my dad and grandfather,” Robert Ansin said.

When 90 percent of the country’s shoe business went overseas in the early 1980s, the writing on the wall was clear. “We were forced to shut down production,” said Ansin, 40. “It was sad to see so many people who worked for my family for so many years with no prospects for employment.” The effect of the closing on the neighborhood and city was immediate: Blight and a sense of hopelessness set in. “We went from a thriving community to a community losing jobs and often needing to move away.”

Ansin convinced his father the property could still be viable and began a decade-long project of gut-ting its buildings, saving whatever material possible, and reinventing the property for mixed use. The MassInnovation Center, of which Ansin is chief operating officer, opened there in 2001, followed by the North Central Charter Essential School; other non-profit organizations that provide volunteer oppor-tunity for Anwelt residents have since joined them.

The project has given an emotional lift to those residents who stayed in the city as they watched the reconstruction and reinvention of a building people felt deeply connected to. “It’s been a game changer for the neighborhood,” Ansin said. “It went from one full of crime and blight to one of the most thriving in Fitchburg.”

Now, Ansin’s “baby” is home to some of the same people who worked there. Its 86 one- and two-bedroom apartments, rang-ing from 626 to over 1,200 square feet in size, are currently at 60 percent capacity. Ansin has found a welcome market in area residents who want their parents to move closer so they can look after them in later life and allow them to enjoy seeing their grandchildren grow.

Billed as “the first affordable green senior housing complex in New England,” it fea-tures trellises made from the gutted factories’ recycled timbers, Energy Star appliances and energy-efficient lighting, faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads and Low-VOC paint on its walls, which provides cleaner air.

Perhaps its most beneficial green inno-vations are its rooftop solar photovoltaic system and geothermal heating and cooling systems. “We drilled 26 wells, eight of which are used to heat the apartments,” Ansin said. “We’re extracting heat from the rocks part of the year and putting heat back into the

rocks … the rest of the year.” He said the process is 50 percent more efficient than traditional energy sources.

“If you’re not burning fossil fuel, your energy cost is more predictable and the air is cleaner,” said Chief Operating Officer Shaw Rosen. The geothermal process makes it eco-nomically feasible for Anwelt’s apartments to feature large scenic, but energy efficient windows, resembling their original form as

required by the building’s place on the federal historic register.

Those green innovations made living at Anwelt attractive to John Tominsky, 75, who had lived in Las Vegas with his wife, Johanna, 74, but wanted to move closer to a daughter and two grandchildren in nearby Sterling and a son in New York.

John Tominsky loves Anwelt’s garden courtyard with its scenic bridges and trellises and its gardens that attract songbirds, but-terflies and fireflies. “It’s very pretty around here,” he said. “I look out and see hills all around me. I put a chair out, put some music on my cassette player and watch the river. It’s real enjoyment.”

His wife has also found whatever she needs close by. “You can walk to the store or to the 50-50 Diner,” she said. “I like the malls in the area. You don’t have to travel too far for what you want.” She’s got plenty of room in her apartment, too. “The way the apartments are set up, they’re very spacious,” Johanna Tominsky said. “It’s excellent for seniors. There’s a lot of cabinet and closet space, the fixtures are up to date and it’s all very convenient.”

The single-floor living spaces were designed specifically for seniors with wide interior doors and hallways and individually controlled heating and air conditioning with easy-to-read displays. And, they’re wired for Internet and cable television access.

Its bathrooms feature cherry hardwood cabinets with oversized vanity, linen closets, single-lever faucets, easy to grasp handles on doors and cabinets and grab bars for easier access; many of the apartments feature step-in tubs or roll-in showers with adjustable height shower heads.

Those features were essential for retired West Brookfield schoolteacher Joanne Beard,

79. “Not all apartments have step-in tubs and I wasn’t going to move into a place that didn’t,” she said.

Beard loves the newness and cleanness of the facility and the fact the staff keeps residents informed about community events. “There are always flyers at the door,” she said. “It’s great to have a ‘don’t forget’ reminder the day before bingo or coffee hour.”

Even though she moves around with a walker because of poor balance, Beard’s one of the initial caretakers of Anwelt’s commu-nity garden. “I planted three Italian string bean bush plants,” she said. “They’ll grow 12 inches high, which is just right because I can’t pound a stake anymore. I’m also growing herbs – basil, oregano and mint. They’ll be used in some Syrian-Lebanese recipes I like.”

The job of keeping Anwelt a thriving and engaged community belongs to resident social services coordinator Maud Aldrich, who keeps a watch-ful eye on Anwelt’s residents.

“She’s there every day,” Rosen said. “There’s a beautiful communi-ty room for which she puts together an activities calendar. We’ve created a lot of opportunities to get to know each other.”

Residents are brought together for a twice-monthly coffee time, where they chat with each other and learn about new activi-ties, residents and neighbors. Aldrich has enjoyed learning their personal histories. “Some of them lived in the neighborhood,” she said. “Jerry (Bellizeau) went to church on the top of the hill. Someone else lived across the street; she showed us pictures of people in the neighborhood growing up. Another group of residents met while working at the factory, got married and now live here.”

Those former Anwelt Shoe Company employees still want to see the man in charge, just like they did when they worked for the elder Ansin years ago. “I had no idea how important it was for senior residents to meet with the owner,” Robert Ansin said. “They wanted to see ‘Bobby.’ So I make it a point to be there at least once a week.”

For more information: Anwelt Heritage Apartments, One Oak Hill Road, Fitchburg, MA 01420; 978-627-4299; or www.anwel-theritage.com.

Former Fitchburg factory gone green welcomes senior residents

Apartments feature original exposed brick walls, wooden beams, soaring ceilings and oversized windows.

The exterior of the building with its solar panels

Beard

Tominsky

(Zone 3) www.fiftyplusadvocates.com 5

By Sondra L. Shapiro

BOSTON –

Ann L. Hartstein, a veteran of 30 years serving the state’s aging population, is the state’s new Secretary of Elder

Affairs.“Aging is a lifelong process and I look

forward to working with the governor and Secretary (of Health and Human Services JudyAnn) Bigby to make sure that all older residents … have every opportunity to live and age well in the Commonwealth,” Hartstein said in a written statement.

The Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) promotes the independence and well-being of Massachusetts’ elders and supports older people and their families in need of social and other supportive services. It also maintains a continuum of services responsive to the needs of its constituents, their families and caregivers.

Hartstein replaces Michael Festa, who abruptly resigned from his post earlier this year over his dissatisfaction with what he believed was the secretariat’s lack of independence within the Patrick admin-istration.

Elder advocates, who have been con-cerned over the void in leadership during the state’s economic crisis, are hailing the choice of Hartstein.

“As … programs serving the most vul-nerable of our residents face severe budget cuts, Massachusetts elders and their families need experienced, compassionate repre-sentation on Beacon Hill, now more than ever. We have such leadership in Ann,” said AARP Massachusetts State Director Deborah Banda.

Hartstein returns to EOEA having first served as director of special projects and then as assistant secretary for policy and program development between 1998 and 2004, during which time she received the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Citation for Outstanding Performance award. Lillian Glickman, who held the secretary’s post from 1998 to 2003, said of her former co-worker, “Ann is exceptionally well qualified to be secretary — she is a strong advocate, effective manager and proven leader. She

has the respect of the entire aging network. I am delighted at her appointment.”

For the past five years, Hartstein has served as executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Older Americans.

“Ann Hartstein … knows the ropes inside and outside state government,” said Al Norman, executive director of Mass Home Care. “She’s well-respected in the field and well-liked for her inclusive style. She’s com-mitted to improving the lives of seniors and knows we’ve got a packed agenda to get accomplished,” he said, referring to the chal-lenge of meeting the long-term care needs of aging baby boomers with ever-shrinking government financial allocations.

In 2003 and 2008, the Massachusetts Association of Councils on Aging and Senior Center Directors named Hartstein Advocate of the Year.

She received the Manuel Carballo Award for Excellence in Public Service as a member of the Prescription Advantage Development Team in 2001, and is credited with working to keep that pharmacy assistance program viable during these tough economic times. “Ann knows, firsthand, about the impor-tance of Prescription Advantage — perhaps better than many. Her previous work with Elder Affairs, which oversees Prescription Advantage, afforded her invaluable insight into how one program can become a lifeline for tens of thousands of vulnerable older residents,” said Banda.

“Gov. Patrick’s and Secy. Bigby’s choice of Ann Hartstein is extraordinary,” said David Stevens, executive director of Massachusetts Councils on Aging. “She brings … a back-ground in both policy development and commitment to a strong eldercare network honed on the front lines. Ann is well known and respected by elected officials and elder advocates.”

In 2009, Hartstein received the Betsy Ross Fliegel Award for Social Policy and Change from the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.

Her academic credentials include a Master of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts in gerontology, as well as a Masters in Management of Human Services from Brandeis University.

New Elder Affairs secretary winning praise among state’s advocates

BOSTON —

As lawmakers consider a slew of plans to test older drivers, advo-cates are urging an age-blind

approach to making roads safer.Related editorial page 18Late this spring, a 73-year-old ran into

a group of parade spectators, a 93-year-old drove into the front entrance of a Wal-Mart and an 84-year-old crashed into another store.

And last month, 88-year-old Ilse Horn struck and killed 4-year-old Diya Patel as the child used a crosswalk with her grandfather.

So, Sen. Brian Joyce, said Gov. Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray and others now support some kind of retesting requirement. Joyce, a Milton Democrat, supports legislation that would require drivers to have their vision and road skills tested when they reach age 85.

Advocates for older people say driv-

ing skills vary among all age groups, and researchers say the elderly kill fewer pedestrians, bicyclists and other drivers than younger drivers.

“Because we all age differently, impair-ments may occur at varying times throughout our lives,” said Deborah Banda, AARP Massachusetts state director. “We urge legislators to make improve-ments to the driver licensing system that focus on ability, not age — identify those drivers with impairments, and test them more frequently.”

AARP is a member of Safe Roads Now, a 15-member group that is urging law-makers to improve road safety and driver retesting for everyone.

Besides Joyce’s proposal, the Legislature is considering bills to establish a commis-sion to study cognitive impairment; to limit liability for doctors reporting those

Group wants age-blind approach to driving tests

GROUP page 8

Sun-damaged skin responds well to laser treatment

Feeling Healthy

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Affordable Apartmentsfor Active 55 & Over

Researchers at the University of Michigan Health System

Department of Dermatology have found sci-entific evidence that the appear-ance of sun-dam-aged skin may be improved by treatment with a topical product that increases the skin’s sensitivity to light, fol-lowed by laser therapy.

Many women don’t worry about heart disease, or if they do, they are concerned it’s something the men in their lives might develop. But that attitude

is a mistake.While it’s true estrogen gives women some protection

against the disease, at least until menopause, heart disease is still the leading killer of American women. Here’s what women should watch for:

•Keep heart disease at bay. First, because the disease is so prevalent, prevention is the key. Two major risk factors, obesity and smoking, are within control.

Padma Uppalapati, M.D., a cardiologist on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center in Irving, Texas, said women sometimes develop conditions, including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, polycystic ovarian disease and depres-sion, that are linked with a high risk of heart disease. And

while smoking is a risk factor for both men and women, it seems to affect women differently, she said.

•Watch and test. Dr. Uppalapati recommends all women at high risk for heart disease be tested, even if they don’t have any symptoms. That’s because symptoms in women can be more subtle than in men.

“Women may have shortness of breath, feel tired, and maybe just have neck, jaw or upper back pain,” she said.

•Search for signs. In women, a stress test with an EKG has a higher rate of false posi-tives than in men, Dr. Uppalapati said. She recommended combining a stress test with an ultrasound, which can check for other heart problems such as mitral valve prolapse. She said that with a good image from an ultrasound, a nuclear

scan, which sometimes returns a false positive in women because of a breast shadow, won’t be necessary.

•Time to treat. Dr. Uppalapati warned that because women’s symptoms can be mild, they often post-

pone seeking treatment. Women need to get to the hospital early so the blockage can be

cleared. Here are five ways women can lower their risk of heart disease:

1. Maintain a healthy weight.2. Eat a balanced diet that helps keep

cholesterol levels under control.3. Exercise.4. Don’t smoke.5. Consult a doctor on the pros and cons of hormone-

replacement therapy. — Newswise

CHICAGO —

An experimental treat-ment added four months to the lives of

men with advanced prostate cancer in a study that tested an entirely new approach to fighting the disease, doctors report.

Dendreon Corp.’s Provenge vaccine trains the immune system to fight tumors. It’s called a “vaccine” even though it treats disease rather than prevents it.

Doctors have been trying to develop such a therapy for decades, and this is the

first to meet a preset goal for improv-ing survival in late-stage testing.

“There have been a lot of false starts, but this is a real start,” said Dr. Paul Schellhammer, a urolo-gist at Eastern Virginia Medical

School in Norfolk, Virginia, who led the study. Seattle-based Dendreon paid for

the study, and Schellhammer owns stock in the company.

Four months may not sound like a lot, but it is longer than the three months afforded by Taxotere, the only chemo-therapy approved for men in this situation.

Doctors hope for even greater benefit if they give the drug earlier in the course of the disease. Dendreon would give no cost estimate for Provenge, but other such bio-tech drugs cost several thousand dollars a month.

It remains to be seen if side effects will keep Provenge from winning federal Food and Drug Administration approval (FDA). Two years ago, the FDA went against its advisers and delayed a decision, asking for more proof of safety and effectiveness.

The new study involved 521 men whose cancer had spread and wasn’t responding to standard hormone treatments. Two-thirds

were given Provenge, a treatment that was customized for each patient.

The other one-third of men in the study had a dummy infusion.

Median survival was 26 months in men given Provenge and 22 months in the oth-ers. Three-year survival rates were 32 per-cent for the Provenge group and 23 percent for the others — a 38 percent improve-ment.

Four men given Provenge suffered lung clots, though none were fatal. High blood pressure was twice as common with Provenge. Overall, the rate of serious side effects was the same in each group. — AP

Getting the facts about women and heart disease

In the new study, participants whose skin was sun-dam-aged were treated with a topical pho-

tosensitizer called 5-aminolevulinic acid

(5-ALA) and then with a pulsed dye laser. This

type of treat-ment, known as photody-namic therapy,

increased col-lagen levels in the

skin and also produced other skin changes that are known to improve its appearance.

The results also suggest that skin with the worst sun damage may respond par-ticularly well to this treatment.

The study looked at 24 adults, ages 54 to 83, all of whom had significant sun-damaged skin on the forearm. They received a three-hour application of 5-ALA followed by pulsed dye laser therapy. Researchers examined biopsies taken before and at several times after the treatments, and they recorded the molecular changes in the participants’ skin at various stages.

Among many other molecular chang-es, levels of the proteins procollagen I and procollagen III increased after treat-ment. For instance, one month after treatment, levels of procollagen I peaked with an increase of 2.65 times the pre-treatment levels. Procollagen III peaked one month after treatment with an increase of 3.32 times the pre-treatment levels. Other protein levels’ molecular markers also increased.

Future studies are needed to gauge whether the improvements shown in the forearm skin in this study can be repli-cated on facial skin. — Newswise

Prostate cancer vaccine extends survival in study

6 Fifty Plus Advocate (Zone 3) July 1, 2009

(Zone 3) www.fiftyplusadvocates.com 7

A research study – ICARA – is now under way toexplore a possible new investigational treatment forAlzheimer’s disease.

You may be eligible to participate in the ICARAstudy if you:

• Are 50 to 88 years old • Have a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer’s disease

In addition to receiving study-related physical examsand laboratory services at no charge, participantsmay receive study medication and will be monitoredby a medical team, including a nurse or studycoordinator and a physician.

Ask your doctor if the ICARA study is right for you.

For people with

Alzheimer’sthere’s no time to lose.

For more information,contact:

Boston UniversitySchool of MedicineAlzheimer’s DiseaseClinical and Research Program

Stephanie Sikora

(617) 414-1078 or

1-888-458-2823www.bu.edu/alzresearch

FREE, NO-OBLIGATIONINFORMATION ON ANY OF THESE STUDIES?

SAVE TIME

(Check off the study you would like to receive information on. A research study coordinator will call you.)

Alzheimer’s Study ~ BU Alzheimer’s Disease Research ProgramHip Fracture ~ Boston University

Sad or Depressed ~ Mass General Hospital

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Telephone #: ( )

We cannot process without your phone #. It will be used only in regard to the studies you have marked.

Fifty Plus Advocate, 131 Lincoln Street, Worcester, MA 01605

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MGH RESEARCH STUDY

Have you been feeling sad or depressed and want to treat your depression?

Have you recently started treatment for depression?

Have you recently changed the medication treating your depression?

Are you 60 years old or older?

If so, you may be eligible to participate in a research study investigating different measures of depression being conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Study participation involves three visits of about 1 hour each to our office. You would be compensated $25 per visit.

For more information about this and other depression studies, please call Soo at 617-724-2936 or syoun@partners.org

Have you had a hip fracture?If you have had a hip fracture in the past 9 months and are aged 60 years or older, you might be eligible to participate in a study at Boston University. People who qualify for this study will receive either:

• a DVD-based home exercise program which is supervised by a physical therapist or

• a nutrition education program for 6 months.

Measurements of your progress will take place in your home at 6 and 9 months. All exercise or nutrition visits and materials will be provided to you in your home. There will be financial compensation for your time.

Please contact Siphannay at:617-638-1993 or snhean@bu.edu

WASHINGTON —

Americans would be able to buy long-term care insurance from the gov-ernment for $65 a month under a

provision tucked into sweeping health care legislation that senators began considering last month.

The 651-page bill, released by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., would revamp the way health insurance works. Insurance companies would face a slew of new government rules, dealing with everything from guaranteed

coverage for people with health problems to possible limitations on profits. Taxpayers, employers and individuals would share in the cost of expanding coverage to nearly 50 million uninsured Americans.

Release of the bill by Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Democrats came as law-makers at both ends of the Capitol accelerated their drive to enact health care legislation. House Democratic leaders also outlined a proposal, but offered only limited details.

Both plans omitted specifics on how to cover the costs, which could exceed $1 tril-lion over 10 years.

Kennedy’s long-term care plan is designed to help disabled people pay for support

Kennedy health plan includes long-term care

KennedyAmericans would be able to buy long-term care insurance

from the government for $65 a month.

services that would allow them to remain in their own homes and avoid moving into nursing homes. People would enroll in the program during their working years and begin paying premiums. To collect benefits, a person would have had to pay premiums for at least five years.

The benefit would be modest — not less than $50 a day — but it could be used to cover a wide range of services.

Prospects for the long-term care provision are uncertain, but Kennedy’s advocacy may sway other lawmakers. At their core, the partial draft bill released by Senate Democrats

and an outline circulated by senior House Democrats were largely identical.

Individuals would be able to purchase insurance through a new federally regulated national exchange, and private companies would be barred from denying coverage or charging higher premiums because of pre-existing conditions. Those who are satisfied with their current coverage could keep it.

Both bills would require individuals to purchase insurance if they could afford it. Waivers would be available in hardship cases. The Senate measure provides for an unspeci-fied penalty for anyone refusing to obey the so-called mandate, and House Democrats are considering a similar approach. — AP

WASHINGTON —

Federal authorities indicted 53 peo-ple for schemes to cheat Medicare out of $50 million.

Suspects were arrested in Detroit, Miami, and Denver as part of a wide-ranging effort by the government to crack down on those allegedly defrauding the government-funded health care program for the elderly and disabled. New teams of investigators are detecting patterns of false billing.

Prosecutors charge the suspects con-cocted schemes to submit bogus claims to Medicare for treatments that were

medically unnecessary and in many cases never provided.

Some of the beneficiaries accepted cash payments in exchange for signing paper-work claiming they had received certain medical treatments, authorities said.

The charges were filed against the operators of infusion therapy and physi-cal therapy clinics and include doctors, medical assistants, company owners and executives, and those who claimed to be patients.

Officials say fraud costs the Medicare and Medicaid programs billions of dollars every year — AP

Feds indict 53 for Medicare fraud

suspected of impairment to the Registry of Motor Vehicles; and to require that all drivers — not just the elderly — submit to testing every 10 years.

Safe Roads Now, which comprises elder advocates, academics and law enforcement and medical professionals, appeared at the Statehouse late last month to urge passage of House Bill No.2241, which would improve medical reporting to the Registry about driver impairment.

William J. Ryder, regulatory and leg-islative counsel for the Massachusetts Medical Society praised H.2241 saying, “This legislation will give physicians abetter opportunity to work with the Reg-istry of Motor Vehicles to address the public safety issues presented by impaired drivers.”

Safe Roads Now also supports Senate Bill No. 1900 that would develop registry programs to evaluate driver impairment.

Both bills are in keeping with the comprehensive approach Safe Roads Now espouses to improve driver-licensing stan-dards, which it outlined in its 14-points for change, including:

•Conduct in-person driver license renewals throughout a driver’s lifespan.

•Implement a new screening test, cur-rently used in California, that addresses visual contrast sensitivity, visual acuity, periphery vision, divided attention and processing speed.

•Introduce a three-tiered driver license renewal system, also currently used in California, whereby drivers would need to take additional testing should they fail the initial off-road testing components; ultimately they may need to take a road test.

•Implement a trigger system in which motorists who have a certain number of accidents over a specified time period would be required to take an in-person exam.

“To the surprise of most every research-er, crashes involving the elderly are plunging,’’ said Russ Rader, spokesman for The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an insurance industry-backed group.

Some 4,598 people aged 70 and older died in motor vehicle crashes in 2007. That was 22 percent fewer than in 1997 and reversed an upward trend even as the population of that target group rose 10 percent.

“The elderly kill far fewer pedestrians, bicyclists and other drivers in crashes than people who are 30-69, but nobody talks about more stringent licensing

requirements for 30- to 69-year olds,’’ Rader added.

Even the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is cautious about overreacting.

“The federal government is not in fa-vor of stereotyping or discrimination against individuals or groups because of their age,’’ said spokeswoman Karen Aldana. The agency believes training and driving courses are good for all drivers, but they “shouldn’t be triggered solely by a person’s age,’’ Aldana said.

Joyce labeled the age 85 start date for renewed testing as “statistically relevant,’’ citing research that found a drop-off in capabilities at that age.

“Clearly a person’s physical skills diminish with age,’’ he said.

Joyce said the public’s right to expect safe roads outweighs an elder’s interest in remaining independent.

“We don’t allow people under 16 to

get their license. We don’t allow people under 18 to vote. We do make some age-based decisions,’’ the senator said.

Sen. Stephen Buoniconti, D-Hampden, has filed the medical liability bill for the past two sessions and the proposal to create a cognitive-study commission for the past three. Safe Roads Now believes in the for-mation of a special commission and is ask-ing for examination in the following areas:

•Evaluate testing methods that focus on a driver’s functional ability and detect functional impairments.

•Review state license renewal process-es that have been updated recently, such as California’s and Maryland’s.

•Define programs in addition to those offered by the Registry of Motor Vehicles to identify unsafe drivers, such as existing efforts by law enforcement and opportu-nities with Councils on Aging and senior centers.

— AP, with additional reporting by Sondra Shapiro.

For more information: AARP Driver Safety Class, a driver refresher course at www.aarp.org/life/drive; DriveWise at Beth Israel Dea-coness Medical Center, offers driving fi tness evaluations at www.bidmc.org or call 617-667-4074; and Central Mass. Safety Council offers one-hour driving evaluations at www.centralmasafety.org. or 508-835-2333.

➤ GroupCont. from page 5

WASHINGTON —

President Barack Obama has welcomed the pharmaceuti-cal industry’s agreement to help close a gap in Medicare’s drug coverage, calling the pact a

step forward in the push for overhaul of the nation’s health care system.

But, the deal is valid only if Congress succeeds in passing a comprehensive health care bill.

Obama said that drug companies have pledged to spend $80 billion over the next decade to help reduce the cost of drugs for seniors and pay for a portion of Obama’s health care legislation.

Related stories pages 7,17In making the announcement, the

president was joined by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee who struck the deal with the White House; Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and Barry Rand, CEO of AARP.

Obama said the move on Medicare will help correct an anomaly in the program that provides a prescription drug benefit through the government health care program for the elderly and disabled. Under the deal, drug companies will pay part of the cost of brand name drugs for lower and middle-income older people in the so-called “doughnut hole.”

That term refers to a feature of the current drug program that requires beneficiaries to pay the entire cost of prescriptions after initial coverage is exhausted but before catastrophic

coverage begins.Obama said some Medicare benefi-

ciaries will find at least a 50 percent discount on prescription drugs. Obama says drug companies stand to benefit when more Americans can afford pre-scription drugs.

The drug companies’ investment would reduce the cost of drugs for seniors and pay for a portion of Obama’s proposed revamping of health care.

“This is an early win for reform,” Rand said.

Under the agreement, part of the $80 billion would be used to halve the cost of brand name drugs for Medicare recipients when they are in a coverage gap of the program. AARP has long supported eliminating that coverage gap completely.

In fact, House Democrats are drafting a bill that is expected to rely on $61 billion from drug companies to completely fill the coverage gap under Medicare, according to officials.

The deal with the drug industry would affect about 26 million low- and middle-income recipients of the program’s

enrollees, AARP said. It would apply to brand name and biologic drugs, but not generics, the group said, and likely take effect in July 2010, assuming drug overhaul legislation becomes law.

Under Medicare’s Part D prescription drug program, recipients pay about 25 percent of the cost of their drugs until they and the government have paid $2,700.

At that point, beneficiaries must cover the full cost of drugs until they have spent $4,350 from their own pockets. When they reach that amount, Medicare’s catastrophic drug benefit takes effect, and recipients only pay 5 percent of their drugs’ costs until the end of the year.

The drug industry has long been aligned with Republicans in Congress, and the industry’s decision to strike a deal with the White House and Democrats in Congress appeared calculated at least in part to head off a series of more costly demands as the legislation is drafted.

Many Democrats favor giving the government authority to negotiate directly for lower prices under Medicare with drug companies, a step they argue will hold down prices. The Congressional Budget Office has disputed that claim.

The industry also has been fighting a yearlong effort to prevent passage of legislation permitting the importa-tion of prescription drugs from Canada and certain other countries where prices are lower than in the United States.— AP

Obama’s Medicare drug plan depends on reform

With the president during the announcement are (from l to r) CEO of AARP Barry Rand, Sen. Max Bachaus, D-Mont. and Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn.

(official white house photo)

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Why is Framingham Such a Great Place to Live?

By Brian Goslow

Many dream vacations never take place: There’s not enough time to plot out travel arrangements, or there’s no one to share the experience with.

Paragon Tours prides itself at having brought groups and single travelers together to experience many of the country’s, and in some instances, world’s, greatest attractions for more than 89 years.

“To me as a traveler, it’s the easiest way to travel,” said Grace Moreira, 59, of New Bedford. She’s in her 22nd

year as a Paragon tour director. “It’s hard for single trav-elers because they don’t know what to expect. Going on a group tour, all the work is done for them.”

Despite the tough economy, Kevin Higham, director of product development and

sales for Paragon Tours, said his company has seen an increase in customers going on cruises to Bermuda, Alaska and Europe — especially Venice, Dubrovnik, Barcelona, Monaco, the Baltic, Russia and the Scandinavians countries. Similarly, trips to United States national parks in comfort-able modern coaches, coupled with resort accommodations, visits to local casinos, art galleries and unique shops, are rapidly gaining favor.

“More boomers are looking for escorted tours and cruises that offer a no hassle style, minimized pack-ing and unpacking, entertainment included, fun, variety of destina-tions, and freedom to explore on their own,” Higham said. “Seniors want the same thing for slightly dif-ferent reasons. Great hotels, central locations, some independence and excellent value appeal to boomers and seniors alike.”

He said his company’s business philosophy is to pass the efficiencies of group travel on to its customers with “more inclusions and better travel experiences for less money, keeping your total vaca-tion costs down.”

Paragon Tours is doing that with a number of discount promotions. Boston-launched eight-day cruises to Bermuda start at $479 per person, double occupancy, not including port taxes.

Visits to Quebec and Ontario have quenched the appetites of those looking for a European flavor without going overseas. “Travelers experience a feel of Europe next door, while enjoying beautiful, centrally located hotels,” Hingham said.

One major advantage group travel provides is your days are carefully planned to ensure you get full value for your money. If you don’t know anyone on the trip, don’t worry — that’ll soon change. “The first night, we have dinner together,” Moreira said. “If there are single passengers, I welcome them right from the start and introduce them. They usually open up after that.”

First time tour travelers tend to have a lot of questions. “The main concern is how many stops do you make,” said Linda Winship, 62, of Norton, a Paragon Tours group leader for over 10 years. “They’re thinking of the rest stops … and

whether we stop for breakfast and lunch. Of course we do.”

Winship said group travel allows you to have company during the day, security on the road and the opportunity to make new friends. A group of her regular Paragon customers meets every Tuesday for lunch. “When it’s time for an overnight trip, they feel comfortable with each other,” she said.

To distinguish itself from its competition, Paragon combines attractions most mainstream pas-sengers will enjoy and expect from a destination while developing

interesting twists that give their clients a unique feel for the location.

Among Paragon’s newest tour packages are trips to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons/Jackson Hole (Wyo.), Biltmore Estate and the Great Smokies (Tenn.), Finger Lakes Wine Country (N.Y.), West Virginia/Almost Heaven, Virginia Beach, and Bally’s Atlantic City Boardwalk Casino (N.J.).

Group travel with Paragon also offers opportunity to spend time doing your own thing. On site-based tours — Myrtle Beach for example — you can chose to miss the daytime sightseeing, grab a seaside chair and lie back and take in the rays. “A lot of people will just stay at the beach during the day, but go to dinner and the shows,” Moreira said.

Higham said Paragon Tours prides itself in offering oppor-tunities to have wonderful dining companions and share travel stories and adventures. “We have had many instances where passengers have met on our programs and have become traveling buddies,” he said.

For more information: Call 800-999-5050 or visit www.para-gontours.com.

Group travel offers fun, adventure camaraderie for singles, too

Yellowstone/Grand Tetons is a new destination

A visit to Quebec offers European flavor without going overseas.

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By Beth J. Harpaz

NEW YORK —

Y ou could pay a lot of money for the privilege of donating your labor to a worthy cause somewhere around the world on a volunteer vacation. Or you

could just throw your sleeping bag in the car, drive to a nearby park, and for as little as $150, spend a week in the wilderness rebuilding trails with other nature-lovers.

Here are some tips on how to find a volunteer vacation on a budget — along with some sample trips.

Tips: “Flight and accommodations are your two most expensive pieces of this,” said Doug Cutchins, co-author of Volunteer Vacations: Short-Term Adventures That Will Benefit You and Others, just out in its 10th edition from Chicago Review Press. “So domestic volunteer vacations are always cheaper than international.”

Robert Rosenthal, a spokesman for VolunteerMatch, a national nonprofit organization, agreed that volunteering close to home is not only cheaper, but also serves important domestic needs.

“It’s hard to argue that some-where in Costa Rica is in more need than communities like Detroit,” he said.

Rosenthal noted that an important tradeoff is that when you pay more money in fees to take part in a volunteer vacation, “you get other people doing the logistics. Budget equals having to do more of the work yourself.”

VolunteerMatch operates a website at www.volunteer-

match.org with a database of opportunities and groups (most of them nonprofits) that have been vetted to make sure they comply with U.S. tax and charity laws. The site lists “not just the well-heeled agencies, but also small orga-nizations that are doing really interesting, innovative stuff but that can’t advertise in The New Yorker,” Rosenthal said. Use the advanced search form on the site’s “Organizations” tab to find groups that match your skills and desired location.

VolunteerMatch.org also recently launched a review tool so that former volunteers can leave feedback online about their experiences.

Cutchins said other ways to check out groups you’re considering volunteering with include

Googling for blogs and other online commentary by former volunteers, as well as simply asking organiza-tions for references. They’re unlikely to send you to some-one who had a bad experience, but Cutchins said one way to sniff out problems is to ask former volunteers what aspects of the program might have been better.

Paying for your trip: Many organizations encourage partici-pants to find “sponsors.” Often

this amounts to little more than a form letter you e-mail to everyone you know asking them to donate money.

Cutchins, director of service and social commitment at Grinnell College, encourages students to “think cre-atively” and find ways to fund their trips that do not involve handouts.

“Instead of a gift, can you earn this money? Is there someone whom you might borrow this money from and find a way to repay it?” he said.

If you can’t afford a trip this year, save money to take the trip next year. Or try another approach: Ask friends and family to forgo Christmas and birthday gifts for you and instead contribute toward the cost of your trip. “Invest in experience instead of stuff,” is how Cutchins put it.

Working in a park: This is one of the cheapest and most rewarding volunteer vacations you can find. Cutchins recommends trips organized by the Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Colorado Trail Foundation and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation in Montana among others.

The American Hiking Society sponsored 500 volun-teers working in parks last year and has opened up reg-

istration for almost 80 trips this year in 30 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. You must pay a $30 membership fee but it is applied toward the $275 cost of any seven-day trip. Some groups stay in cabins, some camp out. Details at www.americanhiking.org/volunteervacation.aspx.

The Washington Trails Association is reporting “record sign-ups” so far this season for volunteer vacations it sponsors in Washington state.

One attraction is the price: $150 a week. You drive to the trail head and provide your own camping gear (sleeping bag, tent, work clothes), and the organization provides food and equipment. Gear and tools are car-ried in to the work sites on horses or llamas. The group accepts beginners, so you don’t need special skills. Details at www.wta.org/volunteer/vacations.

Why cheaper isn’t necessarily better: Global Volun-teers, a St. Paul, Minn.-based organization, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, but co-founder Michele Gran does not apologize for the fact that the group’s volun-teer vacations are not cheap. They cost up to $3,000 for two or three weeks overseas (plus airfare) in places like Romania, India, Ecuador and Tanzania.

The fees cover volunteers’ food, lodging and other local costs, but more importantly, they pay for equipment, facilities and staff in clinics, schools and other facilities in the host country. One plus: The fees are tax-deductible. And Global Volunteers does have domestic opportunities for as little as $1,000 a week; sites include a Blackfeet reservation in Montana. Details at www.globalvolunteers.org. — AP

The American Hiking Society sponsored 500 volunteers working in parks last year.

Global Volunteers offers opportunities in places like Tanzania.

Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation sponsors volunteer activities at such places as at the North Fork Blackfoot River.

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WEST MONROE, La. —

Eight-year-old Baylee Regan and 86-year-old Hilton Lytle met by accident — literally. And though their paths

were connected by a comical childhood misstep, common interests and a love of music have forged a friendship that spans the ages.

Baylee, a budding violinist, was prac-ticing her craft when she attempted to sit in a chair at her house that was in the process of being reseated. The result: “Baylee turned into a human taco,” said her mom, Kathy Regan. And the violin was destroyed.

Baylee screamed in horror as her parents pulled her from the wreckage. But today, she’s almost happy she had the accident.

In the search to repair the mangled vio-lin, Baylee’s instructor sent her to Lytle.

Lytle, a music lover and decorated veteran of World War II and the Korean War fixed the instrument and went a step beyond.

Now, he and Baylee are working to con-struct her own concert-quality violin.

Kathy Regan ordered parts, and now Lytle and Baylee are working together to sand, shave, measure and varnish an instrument that will produce concert-level sound. They have been working about 40 hours, not counting frequent breaks for singing, dancing and playing music.

Recently, they broke into an impromptu performance of Shenandoah, with Lytle on harmonica and Baylee singing. After the

song, Lytle told the story behind the song, as Baylee giggled in anticipation of a tale she has heard many times.

“I love that story,” Baylee said as her green eyes danced with delight.

But just as quickly as it began, the song stopped, and work on the violin began again.

Baylee carefully placed the strings as Lytle coached her through the process.

“Easy, dog, able, George,” Lytle said, reminding Baylee of the order of the strings. “We want to divide the strings in even spaces so our strings look pretty and our fingers can reach them.”

Baylee is not the only student Lytle has helped build an instrument. Through the years, Lytle said, he’s made more than 350 violins for friends from ages 8 to 75.

“It gives me something to do,” Lytle said. “I’m selfish in a way. It keeps me from being lonely.”

Other than generosity, Lytle’s gentleness and patience have turned many of his pro-tégés into lifelong friends.

“I’ve seen their relationship grow so quickly,” said Kathy Regan. “And it’s like that with everyone. God instilled some-thing special in him.”

When Baylee and Lytle finish construc-tion of the violin, they plan to build a bowed psaltry, a banjo and a mandolin.

“It’s a blessing I fell through that chair,” Baylee told her mother. “If I hadn’t fallen through the chair, I wouldn’t have met Mr. Lytle. — AP

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Many things change as your parents grow older ...

By Sarah Shorey

With 400,000 new cases each year, cataracts are a leading source of decreased vision in older

adults. According to the World Health Org-anization, approximately one in every six Americans, age 40 or older, are affected by them. Eye health is always a concern for adults over the age of 50, but it is especially important they see an ophthalmologist to get screened for cataracts.

Cataracts cause a clouding of the lens inside the eye. With age the eye’s lens thickens and loses both flexibility and transparency. This causes light rays to be partially blocked and results in blurred vision. Although cataracts are a natural part of aging, they can also occur earlier in life due to eye injuries, certain medications and some diseases.

In some cases, genes may play a role in premature development. Either way, cataract symptoms are usually the same,

including the sudden need for a brighter lamp for reading, increased glare at night from the headlights of cars, or double vision and loss of color contrast. Many times cataracts start out small, causing very little alarm, and sneak up on people who are unaware. The only way to find out for sure if someone has cataracts is to have a thorough eye examination by an eye doctor.

Fortunately, if a diagnosis is made, the disease can be easily treated by an experi-enced eye surgeon. However, surgery is the only way to treat the condition. There are no glasses, drops or medications that will cure them. Since surgery is inevitable for many people, choosing the right surgeon is very important. Patients should always make an informed decision based on the doctor’s credentials and experience.

Patients may also want to educate themselves more about the procedure the surgeon uses. The most sophisticated form of cataract surgery is micro-incision cataract surgery, which uses the latest ultrasonic technology. The procedure is done at an outpatient surgical center and anesthetic drops are used to numb the eye. During surgery the surgeon removes the cataract through a micro-surgical incision. This cloudy lens — the natural lens of the eye — is then replaced with a permanent artificial lens called an intraocular lens

What you should know about cataract surgeryimplant (IOL).

There are different types of IOLs; including single focus and multi-focus (or multifocal) lenses. The single focus lens is the traditional lens that has been used for the last 30+ years. This lens corrects patients’ dis-tance vision but they will still need reading glasses for near vision and pos-sibly intermediate vision as well. In contrast, multi-focus lenses are consid-ered to be premium tech-nology that helps indi-viduals to see distance, intermediate and near vision. These lenses pro-vide more freedom from glasses for everyday tasks. There are different types of multifocal lenses for the differing needs of each patient. After care-ful evaluation, a surgeon should choose a lens that is best suited for each individual and their lifestyle, whether they use the computer all day, do up close needle work or drive a lot at night.

With advancements in technology, cataract surgery is now less invasive with a shorter recovery time. During micro-inci-sion cataract surgery, patients are usually aware of a mild pressure and then may

feel irritation for a few hours after. This quick outpatient procedure creates far less trauma to the eye than older, traditional cataract surgeries, which involved cutting and stitching the eye and usually result-

ed in hospital stays dur-ing recovery.

Generally, if some-one has a cataract that is restricting their vision and they are in good health, they will be an excellent candidate for micro-incision cataract surgery. A surgeon’s extensive training and experience reduces the probability of risks. While cataract surgery has proven overwhelm-ingly successful in reducing dependence on

glasses and contact lenses, the degree of improvement does vary among individuals. How much a patient’s vision improves and the time it takes depends on their prescrip-tion, the severity of their cataract, how well they heal, and, of course, the type of lens they choose.

For more information contact The Nielsen Eye Center at 877-373-2020 or visit www.golasik.net.

With advancements in technology, cataract

surgery is now less invasive with a shorter

recovery time.

12 Fifty Plus Advocate (Zone 4) July 1, 2009

(Zone 4) www.fiftyplusadvocates.com 13

Breast cancer survivors risk having their disease come back if they use certain antidepressants while also taking the cancer prevention drug tamoxifen,

new research shows.About 500,000 women in the United States take

tamoxifen, which cuts in half the chances of a breast can-cer recurrence. Many of them also take antidepressants for hot flashes, because hormone pills aren’t considered safe after breast cancer.

Doctors have long known that some antidepressants and other medicines can lower the amount of tamoxifen’s active form in the bloodstream. But whether this affects cancer risk is unknown.

The new study is the largest to look at the issue. It found that using these interfering drugs — including Prozac, Paxil or Zoloft — can virtually wipe out the ben-

efit tamoxifen provides.Many doctors question the magnitude of harm from

combining these medicines, and a second, smaller study suggests it may not be very large.

But the bottom line is the same: Not all antidepres-sants pose this problem, and women should talk to their doctors about which ones are best.

The study was done by Medco Health Solutions Inc., a large insurance benefits manager. Researchers used

members’ medical records to identify 353 women taking tamoxifen plus other drugs that might interfere with it, and 945 women taking tamoxifen alone. Those taking a drug combo did so for about a year on average.

Next, researchers checked to see how many were treated for second cancers in the following two years. Breast cancer recurred in about 7 percent of women on tamoxifen alone, and in 14 percent of women also taking other drugs that could interfere — mainly the antide-pressants Paxil and Prozac, and, to a lesser extent, Zoloft.

The federal Food and Drug Administration has been considering a change to tamoxifen’s label to warn about the antidepressants drugs and a gene variation some women have that can make tamoxifen less effective. An advisory panel unanimously recommended a change in 2006, but the agency is still considering it. — AP

Drug combinations may increase risk of breast cancer recurrence

About 500,000 women in the United States

take tamoxifen, which cuts in half the

chances of a breast cancer recurrence.

A research institute devoted to Alzheimer’s and related diseases has teamed with a major maker

of diagnostic tests to speed development of what could be the first test to detect Alzheimer’s in its early stages.

If all goes well, the first commercial version of the test could be available in 12 to 18 months, possibly enabling patients to try to slow progression of the increas-ingly common disease, said Dr. Daniel Alkon, scientific director of the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute.

“This may be a way of monitoring how effective a treatment is for Alzheimer’s disease” as well, through periodic retest-ing once scientists can develop a medicine

to stop the mind-robbing disease, Alkon said.

Alkon’s institute, based at West Virginia University and affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, announced a mul-timillion-dollar contract with Inverness Medical Innovations Inc. of Waltham, Mass. Inverness will fund development of the Alzheimer’s test and future improve-ments, including an eventual home ver-sion, for at least three years.

The test works by detecting abnormal function of a protein that has been shown to be involved in memory storage, Alkon said.

First, a small sample of cells is removed from a patient’s skin at a doctor’s office or

testing center and shipped to the institute. There, scientists grow the skin cells in a glass dish and add a substance to stimulate an enzyme called PKC to make the protein com-bine with the element phos-phorous inside the skin cells. If too much phosphorous ends up in the combination, then the patient has Alzheimer’s, Alkon said.

So far, the test has been tried on more than 300 patients at 15 hospitals, including 42 for whom the Alzheimer’s diagnosis was later confirmed by an autopsy showing the disease’s sig-

nature pattern of brain damage — the only definitive way to diagnose it.

The test was 98 percent accu-rate on the autopsied patients. But of those, only 11 had early Alzheimer’s, as very few people die within three or four years of the disease starting. Alkon hopes to test thousands more patients before his diagnostic test is marketed.

Currently, diagnosis of early Alzheimer’s often is wrong, because it’s based on evaluating a patient’s behavior and trying to rule out other causes for symptoms such as forgetfulness. — AP

Alkon

Test for Alzheimer’s could be offered soon

Money Matters

By Adrian Sainz

The safety net is almost gone, the nest egg is cracking. Many Americans have recently found themselves changing

retirement plans after losing a substantial amount of home equity as the housing mar-ket and the overall U.S. economy struggle. These folks face years of living on fixed incomes from pensions, 401Ks or IRAs, and Social Security, but don’t have the time to recover their losses.

Homeowners who’ve tapped their home equity, then spent it like yellow-and-blue Monopoly money, find themselves with no more funds to extract. Some have been laid off, relinquished their home in a foreclosure, or lost pensions after their employer’s business failed. Ideas of a comfy retirement full of relaxation and travel have been abandoned.

The good news is about 30 percent of homeowners have no mortgage at all. So even though their properties are probably worth less now than a few years ago, these people can tap into that equity cushion if necessary.

The bad news, however, is that about one in six with a mortgage now owe the bank more than their homes are worth, according to Moody’s economy.com. Most of these are property owners who purchased their homes within the past few years, or

refinanced their properties and siphoned off too much equity.

Knowing that, it’s time for Americans to explore other options other than relying on home equity as a fail-safe, especially if they have no other retirement invest-ments or savings. Options include downsizing their home, selling assets, postpon-ing retirement by working lon-ger, and signing up for a reverse mortgage. These decisions require heavy thought because each has its challenges and risks.

Choices have been difficult for Ken King, 61, who once planned to retire in his early to mid-60s. The value of his home has dropped $70,000, so he’s scrapped plans to sell the five-bedroom house and downsize, because the savings won’t be substantial enough to make it a smart move. He’s also seen his 401k lose value.

So, King, a credit counselor in Sheboygan, Wis., said he will likely work into his early 70s to compensate.

“This is something I wouldn’t have considered even thinking about 1 1/2 years ago,” said King, adding that priorities have changed among those he counsels.

“A year ago, we were talking to peo-ple about what they need to do just to

make it,” King said. “Now we’re talking to peo-ple about what they have to do to survive.”

King’s own strategy of work-ing longer is actually a grow-ing trend. AARP reported in April that almost one in four people from age 45 to 54 planned to

delay retirement, with one in five people ages 55 to 64 thinking the same.

Staying on the job has benefits besides a paycheck. Employment is often a requi-site in qualifying for mortgage refinancing, a good option for those with equity and good credit because rates have fallen to his-toric lows. But refinancing becomes almost impossible for seniors on fixed incomes with no job or equity.

The scenario becomes more serious if

the senior has stopped working and wants to return to the work force, especially as health issues crop up and competition for jobs increases, said George Moschis, director of the Center for Mature Consumer Studies at Georgia State University.

By working later in life, pre-retirees also can consider putting off collecting Social Security, a strategy that could lead higher monthly payouts once they do start collecting.

Finding a smaller and less expensive home has long been relied upon to bolster retirement budgets. Ideally, profits from the sale of a larger home can be used to buy the smaller home with cash, with no mortgage, and the homeowner can pocket the rest. But the current environment of falling home values and tight credit has made home buy-ing and selling a more difficult proposition in many markets.

Another way to shore up retirement accounts is selling off assets, including cars, second homes, stocks and expensive jewelry. They often have emotional attachments that don’t match their resale values.

“Spending was really the norm for (baby boomers), buying and having, becoming more materialistic than previous genera-tions,” Moschis said of the more than 75 million baby boomers who are approaching or have reached retirement age. “What that really led to primarily was debt.” — AP

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Funeral services and cemetery plots are straining many family budgets with the economic downturn. So,

as families grapple with ways to honor loved-ones, many are choosing cremation.

In the United States, nearly a quarter of all deceased are cremated because the method is seen as way of reducing the average cost of a funeral. The cost of cre-mation is said to be one-fifth of a tradi-tional funeral.

It is important that when arranging a cremation, families should not allow funeral homes to pressure them into pur-chasing things they do not want.

There is a federal law in place that protects people from unfair and unwanted funeral practices. When opting for a cre-mation, it is not mandatory to purchase a casket; a wooden box is allowed. In addi-tion, there is no need to purchase an urn because most crematories place the ashes

in plastic, metal or cardboard boxes.All responsible cremation providers

have thorough operating policies and procedures in order to provide the highest level of service and reduce the possibility of human error. Family members should inquire about the procedures being used by the provider.

Many cremation providers will permit family members to be present during the cremation process. A few religious groups include this as part of their funeral prac-tice.

There are many options available as to what happens with the cremated remains and laws vary from state to state.

For more information on cremation op-tions, call Casper Cremations, toll free: 800-314-1890; Shaw Majercik Funeral Home, 800-279-7429 or Dennis Sweeney Funeral and Cremation Services, 617-773-2728.

Cremation is an alternative during hard economic times

By Adrian Sainz

Home construction for Americans 55 and older is expected to drop by nearly half in 2009 compared with

the previous year, a sign that the market for home building geared to seniors is con-tracting despite the wave of baby boomers approaching retirement.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reported about 126,000 homes will be built this year for buyers aged 55 and older, down from about 249,000 last year. Construction for that age group is projected to increase by about 50,000 homes next year.

During the housing recession, home-builders across the United States scaled back construction for several reasons, including a lack of available financing and a desire to reduce costs in the face of slack demand.

David Crowe, chief economist for the NAHB, said the rebound projected for 2010

hinges on the recovery of the overall market as buyers begin to take advantage of lower prices and lower interest rates.

“The seeds of recovery are out there,” Crowe said. “To put it one way, it is less bad as we proceed to each quarter.”

A home price index showed home prices declined sharply in February but for the first time in 25 months the annual decline

was not a record. With about 75 million baby

boomers already retired or approaching that age in coming years, the housing market for owners 55 and older is expected to be a more integral part of the overall housing supply in the United States. In 2007, about one-fifth of all home buyers were 55 and older, up from 18 percent in 2005 and 16 percent in 2001, according to the NAHB’s analysis of the Census’ 2007 American

Housing Survey.Other stats give an interesting snapshot

of the older homebuyer.For example, the average income for

buyers moving into senior-only communi-ties was $76,473, a drastic increase from $45,936 in 2005.

For those who moved into age-restricted rental housing, the average income was $19,860, reflecting a dramatic disparity between renters on limited incomes and owners with home equity and retirement savings.

Meanwhile, nearly 17 percent of 55 and

Fifty percent drop in homes built for mature marketolder households that moved in 2007 chose their new home because of its proximity to work — up from 10 percent in 2003.

Also, nearly 17 percent of 55 and over households who moved into a single-family home work from their house, almost double what it was in 2003.

These numbers show that seniors are more concerned with working later in life to cope with economic issues, a trend that AARP notes has been active for a few years.

“The economy I think is impacting all of

these changes,” said Elinor Ginzler, AARP’s senior vice president for livable communi-ties. “More people are not retiring, they’re staying in the work force. Work is a factor in your life decision.”

Ginzler does stress that AARP sur-veys show that nearly nine in 10 seniors choose to stay in their current home rather than move, a choice known as “aging in place.”

The report was based on statistics from the Census’ 2007 American Housing Survey. — AP

Home Improvement

LOS ANGELES —

Environmentally conscious condo and apartment dwellers can’t be blamed for feeling a bit green over those living in detached homes, who are

free to make just about any Earth-friendly renovations they like.

Unless they live in a building with a homeowners association that has embraced the Earth-friendly way, condo owners are decidedly limited by comparison in the range of upgrades they can make to enhance their energy savings.

And renters are often times just lucky if they can get permission to paint, much less rip out flooring, countertops and cabinets.

But that’s no reason not to take advantage of the trove of products that are now on the market to whittle down that carbon footprint, eradicate airborne toxins and beef up the use of recyclables, experts say.

Russell Albanese, president of the Albanese Organiza-tion, which has built several green residential high-rises in New York City, said among the first things condo and apartment residents should do to cut their energy costs is toss out their incandescent light bulbs and replace them with compact fluorescent bulbs or LEDs, light-emitting diodes.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs can range between $4 and up, with many models above $10. LEDs with

comparable light output to household lamp incandes-cent lights are typically around $30.

The next move for condo owners (and for apart-ment renters, if they can) is use only Energy Star-rated appliances.

Another energy-saver is to use pro-grammable thermostats. They can be programmed to manage when the air conditioning or heat turns on, so that they’re on for less time during the day when the unit is empty.

Indoor air quality can be a significant problem in residential buildings, particu-larly for renters whose apartments have carpeting.

Energy and Environmental Design-certified filters for air conditioners can help snatch up small particles of dust and other allergens not captured by conventional filters.

A medical grade Hepa air filtration unit can absorb chemicals and odors and wipe out nearly all airborne particles. Prices of Hepa-rated air purifiers vary, with models typically costing $100 and up.

Another way to make the air inside an apartment or condo cleaner is to repaint the walls with low volatile organic compounds, or low-VOC paints.

VOC paints are increasingly available and often don’t cost much more than regular paint. Low or no-VOC interior wall paints can run about $36 a gallon, while comparable regular paints cost around $20 a gallon.

To help save water, condo owners can install dual-

flush toilets (with prices starting around $400), which give users two options on how much water to use per flush.

Those thinking about redoing their flooring have more environmentally sustainable choices

than ever, including reclaimed wood, bamboo, cork and natural linoleum, which is made out of flax seed, linseed

oil and other biodegradable materials.Bamboo and cork flooring come in a

variety of finishes. They typically start at around $3.50 a square foot, with some styles going for twice that or as low as $2 at some retailers.

Kitchen cabinets can also be redone with alternatives to wood such as com-posite veneer, which can be made to look like wood.

The options for swapping out kitchen counters for more eco-friendly materials

now include using recycled bottles and glass recovered from landfills.

IceStone, one brand of recycled glass used to cre-ate countertops for kitchens and bathrooms, generally ranges between $100 and $150 a square foot.

“There’s no longer any type of compromise with these green products,” Beatty said. “They are beautiful, there’s much more of a range, (and) they’re easier as far as installation goes.”

Metal, reclaimed wood and stone are also good al-ternatives for countertops, said Sarah Beatty, founder of New York-based Green Depot, a green home build-ing retailer. — AP

Green options for apartment, condo dwellers

The options for swapping out kitchen counters for

more eco-friendly materials now include using

recycled bottles and glass recovered from landfills.

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Free Housing InfoWASHINGTON —

For President Barack Obama, the MRIs and other medical scans for Medicare patients that cost the government

billions are prime targets for cuts to help finance health care overhaul.

The response from physicians and industry: a lobbying counterattack accus-ing Obama of denying patients the lifesav-ing tools they need.

Patients, rural doctors and advocacy groups who back the procedures recently gathered in the House for a panel discus-sion, part of the campaign.

The industry spearheaded a bipartisan letter to Obama from 57 House members objecting to the cuts. It has staged events

in North Carolina and other states where senators face re-election next year. And it is using a website and newspaper ads to encourage people to complain to Congress about the proposal.

The fight highlights a pivotal moment for one of Obama’s chief priorities, revamp-ing the nation’s health care system to reduce costs and cover the nearly 50 mil-lion uninsured Americans, while finding the roughly $1 trillion needed to do it over the next decade. As the president and lawmakers translate rhetoric into legisla-tion, it is decision time for groups that so far have backed the concept of improving

health care without knowing the fine print.

Use of the procedures grew to 182 million in 2007, according to an industry study. The Obama administration cites figures showing Medicare’s price tag for the services doubled from $7 billion in 2000 to $14 billion in 2006.

Though that spending dropped to $12 billion in 2007 as cuts enacted by Congress took effect, the administration says overly generous reimbursement rates and other fac-tors encourage doctors to overuse imaging equipment. Obama has proposed reducing the Medicare payments by $5.9 billion over the next decade — a plan doctors and equipment makers say is based on

flawed, outdated data.“This is exactly where medicine is

going” because the scans diagnose diseases and save money, said Timothy Trysla, executive director of the Access to Medical Imaging Coalition, which represents doc-tors, manufacturers and patients. — AP

Obama’s Medicare cut

plan receives grumbles

Use of the procedures grew to 182 million in 2007.

Older job hunters are finding it increasingly hard as they seek employment. Older workers

spend more time unemployed between jobs than younger workers, labor data show. For someone who is 45 or older, it takes an average of 22 weeks to land a job, compared with 16 weeks for younger job hunters, according to an analysis of 2008 statistics by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

It’s not all bad news for older workers, though. That gap has not increased since the start of the recession. And older work-ers still have an unemployment rate that’s below the national average.

In March, the jobless rate for those 45 and older was 6.9 percent, compared with a national rate of 8.5 percent. However,

the increase in the unemployment rate last year was sharper for those 55 and older, according to AARP.

Older workers are competing with an increasing number of fellow baby boomers, including more people 65 and older, who are choosing to keep jobs or return to work as their retirement bal-ances dwindle. Between 1977 and 200 , employment of workers ages 65 and above increased 101 percent, far more than the 59 percent for the population, according to federal data. — AP

Older job hunters find tough times in labor market

Older workers still have an unemployment rate that’s below

the national average.

WASHINGTON —

The world’s 65-and-older population will triple by mid-century to make up 1 in 6 people.

Census estimates show the number of older people has already increased 23 percent since 2000 to 516 million, more than double the growth rate for the general population. The fastest-growing age group, seniors now comprise just under 8 percent of the world’s

6.8 billion people.By 2050, the senior group will increase

to 1.53 billion.Demographers attribute increases to

declining births as well as a coming wave of retiring baby boomers. They warn that the U.S., China and other countries could face fis-cal crises in the coming years as governments struggle to pay for health care and pensions of their rapidly aging populations. — AP

World’s 65 and older population to triple by 2050

By Al Norman

Car crashes may be unpredictable — but what happens after the crash is very predictable. When a 93 year old man

smashed his car into a Wal-Mart in Danvers, injuring a small child, you could predict the clamor for driver testing of the elderly. The next day, a 73 year old woman plowed into a crowd gathered in Plymouth, injuring seven people. Last February, an 87 year old woman drove through the front door of a bakery in Methuen, injuring several people.

And, late last month, 89-year-old Ilse Horn of Canton struck a young girl as she used a

crosswalk with her grandfather.“These accidents highlight the need for

some sort of action,” said state Sen. Steven Baddour of Methuen, the Senate Chair of the Transportation Committee, which has juris-diction over bills that would regulate elderly drivers. “Some want no testing, others want more,” Baddour said. “Our job is to balance the demands of the advocacy groups with the interests of public safety. We need to come up with something that will work.” Sen. Brian Joyce of Milton has proposed legislation that would require drivers 85 or older to pass road and vision tests to get their licenses renewed. “We need to do something,” Sen.

Joyce, told the Boston Globe. “This is a growing problem, and I hope we act before another tragedy forces us to.”

Older people are rela-tively safe drivers. Persons

age 65 and older have lower rates of crashes and those involving injury per licensed driver than younger drivers, the lowest percentage of crashes involving alcohol, and the highest rate of seatbelt use of any age group. Increased incidences of fatal crashes involving drivers age 75 and older is because of the increased fragility of older drivers and their passengers, which makes them more likely to be killed or injured in a crash. Older drivers are not over-involved in crashes in which pedestrians, cyclists or drivers and passengers in other vehicles are killed. A spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety notes, “Despite the high-profile crashes that get a lot of media attention, there is almost no basis for singling out elderly drivers as being a menace to others out on the highway.”

The state’s Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) says they support studying the older driver issue. “We need to look at all the research and see where we’re going with this,” the RMV said. But the RMV noted that “age-based” legislation is not the best solution, preferring medical decisions as the criteria to use. In some states, doctors are legally man-

dated to report impaired drivers — who can be of any age. The state RMV gets reports from family members and the police about drivers who are considered at risk. The RMV says it has reviewed the medical records of 8,000 drivers, and 3,000 of those have voluntarily given up their licenses.

But the pressure to do something is rising, because by 2025, one in four drivers will be over the age of 65. Gov. Deval Patrick wants to make testing of drivers 85 and older man-datory every five years. State Rep. Kay Khan of Newton has filed legislation requiring doc-tors to alert the Registry of Motor Vehicles to cognitive and physical impairments that affect their patients’ ability to drive — regardless of their age.

My mother gave up her keys when she was 82 after having a Driving Miss Daisy accident with a pole. But my 89 year old aunt after her stroke did not — until we had her doc-tor report her.

Some form of medical testing — not based on age — is appropriate if a driver has become unsafe behind the wheel. Requiring doctors to report such impairments could be the right place to start. But it’s only one part of a much larger solution, which also must include designing our roadways to be easier to use for disabled individuals of any age, and improving our public transporta-tion services.

Al Norman is the Executive Director of Mass Home Care. He can be reached at 413-773-5555.

Viewpoint

More crashes, growing pressure to test elderly drivers

Editorial

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Milestone celebrations are doable in any economyBy Sondra L. Shapiro

“You are our favorite passengers,” said the two American Airlines flight attendants as they rewarded us with a box of Lindt chocolates on our return trip from a week in Paris.

The vacation was a surprise gift from me to my husband, David, in honor of his 50th

birthday.

Such acts of generosity and kindness added to a magical time away from the

stress and woes of our daily lives. Since we returned, David continues to marvel at how he is spiritu-ally and emotionally fulfilled from visiting a country so steeped in history, art and natural beauty.

His happy state of mind, weeks after our return, reaf-firms my belief that despite the economic climate, a mile-stone birthday calls for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration.

The bad economy actually made traveling to Europe easier on the wallet. And, by booking and paying through an online travel site, travelers can get the best deals and gain a nice hedge against the expensive Euro.

I used TripAdvisor, a travel site portal that tracks the best prices on air and accommodations. I quickly learned that in this economy, don’t book too early since the prices are likely to go down almost weekly.

The cost for hotel, air, food and attractions amounted to far less than I would have spent had I thrown David a party. And, as he keeps reminding me, he will never forget how he spent his 50th birthday.

My biggest splurge was a stretch limo to take us to the airport, courtesy of Joey’s Limo in Worcester. I figured by the time we drove to the airport and paid to park, it was pretty much a wash. Owner Jonathan, and our driver, Lou,

couldn’t have been nicer or more accommodating. Yes, good will was in the air from the start.

We left most of the details for our daily itinerary to PBS star Rick Steves’ and his comprehensive Paris travel guide. Each night David poured over its pages to plan the next day’s adventure. We packed a month’s worth of sightsee-ing into six days, combing the city for places we may have missed had it not been for Steves’ explicit directions to the more obscure museums and attractions. It’s with a sense of pride that we can now say we know the way to the former apartment of author Gertrude Stein and the studios of painters Van Gough and Toulouse-Lautrec.

Steves’ practical tips made us feel like natives with his suggestions that we visit the Eiffel Tower at twilight and that the second level has the best views. I have Steves to thank for suggesting L’As du Falafel in the Jewish quarter for the best falafel I’ve had since a trip to Israel years ago.

Naturally, we also ventured to all the usual spots: Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, the Arc de Triumph.

But sensory fulfillment came during a visit to the Musée de l’Orangerie to view its most famous treasure, the eight tranquil paintings of Monet’s large-format Waterlily series, which came to life through a natural light setting. Two oval-shaped galleries — one displaying sunrise, the other dusk — showcase four canvases each measuring six-and-a-half feet tall.

Upon entering the first room, the spirit of the artist was palpable. Overcome with emotion, we sat quietly allowing the vibrant colors, light and textures lull us into a peaceful state. The next day we made the pilgrimage to Giverny, the home of Monet and that famous pond that inspired him. Its humble setting put us in awe of the man who could draw such spirit and beauty from simple nature.

In retrospect, to feel things that are contrary to material fulfillment was the theme for David’s milestone birthday. To experience the soul of Paris. To lose ourselves to the sensory and simplicity of it all. We did not dine at three

star restaurants. Rather, we purchased bread, cheese and meats at neighborhood markets and picnicked under the Eiffel Tower or dined off the beaten track at mom and pop bistros.

We ignored department stores and souvenir shops. Instead, our keepsakes are the memories of those long walks through Paris streets. We still talk about how it felt to find what is considered the oldest tree in Paris — plant-ed in 1601 and located Square René-Viviani.

Though I slightly regret not giving in to those pesky hawkers of miniature Eiffel Tower souvenirs because David still can’t get over the grandeur of the 1,063-foot high observation tower and the work it took to build it. Since it was only a 10-minute walk from the hotel, we visited every day.

I would have been happy to put down roots at the Queen’s Hamlet at Versailles, a sort of playground and escape for the doomed Marie Antoinette. The enchanting lakeside village seems a perfect setting for a fairytale with its structures comprised of rustic half-timbering. Pigs, cows, chickens and rabbits still roam the grounds of its working farm, circa 1784.

From the top notch treatment by American Airline staff — our flight attendant, Kevin, handed David a bottle of French Champaign as a birthday gift just as we touched down at Charles de Gaulle airport — to the motherly attention given to us by the proprietor of Chez Agnès, a tiny bistro in the Rue Cler neighborhood of Paris, the unexpected goodwill in the face of hard economic times was an additional gift for the birthday boy, whose youthful spirit made it an honor to share the experience with him.

For information: Joey’s Limousine Service, visit online at joeyslimousine.com, call 800-286-9575 or email joeyslim-ousine@aol.com. American Airlines, visit www.aa.com.

Sondra Shapiro is the executive editor of The Fifty Plus Advocate. She can be reached at sshapiro.fi ftyplusadvocate@verizon.net

Just My Opinion

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NEWTON —

Marian Pruslin, 66, of Wellesley, spent 31 years teaching at Newton North High School. As she neared her June

2008 retirement, she began thinking about how she’d fill her post-teaching days. Then she found out about the SOAR 55 (Service Opportunities After Reaching 55) RSVP program of the Corporation for National and Community Service. The program is sponsored locally by the Newton Community Service Center, where it’s based, and Career Moves@JVS.

“I found that SOAR offered what I thought I would miss about leaving Newton North — people and the structure in my day and learning new things,” Pruslin said. “That’s

what teaching was for me.”Through Boston University’s Prison

Education Program, SOAR currently has her mentoring a female prisoner twice a month at MCI Framingham. “We’re the only people she sees,” said Pruslin, who’s accompanied at the sessions by another SOAR volunteer. “Both of us were initially guarded; now we’re free-flowing.”

The prisoner, who dropped out of school in the 10th grade, seems to be enjoying the classes. “We’ve seen a change in her,” Pruslin said. “She hasn’t had much contact with her former life. And we’re constantly getting an education on what it’s like not to be free.

“I told my mother, ‘She’s the nicest mur-derer I’ve ever met,’” said Pruslin, who also volunteers as an ESL tutor at the Newton Free Library and teaches current events to special needs students at the New Academy in West Newton.

The SOAR 55 program covers Newton, Framingham, Wellesley, Natick, Weston, Wayland and Ashland. It strives to connect adults 55 and over with community service opportunities and nonprofits in need of help. Currently, it has over 300 volunteers assisting more than 65 local nonprofit orga-nizations.

“We’re seeing a lot of people that have been unemployed for a while who are anxious to get our there and be productive,” said SOAR 55 Director Jan Latorre-Stiller. “They’re also looking for something to do even if they become employed again.” Volunteers have maximum choice and flexibility to match personal interests, skills and schedules to

opportunities in their local communities.SOAR 55 is offering a series of workshops

entitled “Networking Through Community Service: Giving Back, Expanding Your Skills and Gaining Experience” on how volunteers can connect with others to share ideas, fill gaps in their resumes, gain new skills and make a dif-ference in their commu-nity.

“We’re looking for skills-based volunteers with experience to do significant work at non-profit organizations and take on leadership roles,” Latorre-Stiller said. Potential volunteer consultants undergo 35 hours of training while those seeking leadership roles in public relations or management receive an introduction to non-profits and the non-profit culture.

SOAR 55 volunteer Donald Katz, 67, of Beverly, has worked as a lawyer since 1965. He’s now a SOAR 55 management consul-tant, one of a diverse group of accomplished professionals who’ve worked in corporate America who run a training program for volunteers interested in becoming nonprofit consultants. “Once they finish training, they (SOAR 55) assemble teams to respond to various nonprofit requests for guidance,”

Katz said. “The teams meet the organiza-tions, determine the scope of work required, put together a real contract for the accom-plishment of the work and then go about

executing it.”Before coming to

SOAR, Katz spent many years assisting the Agassiz Village camp in Poland, Maine for physically challenged children. After helping rebuild the camp’s board of directors and recharging its leader-ship, he wanted to do something new to fill his need to help others.

While Katz doesn’t plan to retire profes-sionally for another five years, he said he sees his SOAR 55 volunteering as “a great exit strategy to transition into something to give more meaning to the rest of my life, till the

day I die, I hope.“As a lawyer, I can solve a particular

case,” Katz continued. “But with the SOAR 55 program, it’s likely your efforts will make a difference and improve the quality of life of a huge unknown number of people. It’s highly satisfying to make these kinds of contributions.”

For more information: www.soar-ma.org or 617-969-5906 ext. 120.

Nancy Bloom and Carol Fischman are members of the SOAR 55 Nonprofit Management Consulting Group.

SOAR 55 provides transition to rewarding post-work volunteering

SOAR 55 volunteer, Susan Ruder, is an academic mentor to an inmate at MCI Framingham who is enrolled in Boston University’s Prison Education program.

20 Fifty Plus Advocate (Zone 4) July 1, 2009

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