toll-free: 1-800-427-7411 published and … ambulance services, more un-funded “charity care”...

By Jerry Harkavy

An innovative rehabilitationtechnique that enabled ayoung Portland boy who suf-fered a stroke prior to birth to

improve mobility of his left arm and hand could prove beneficial toolder patients in Maine who havehad a stroke.

Thanks to the efforts of an occu-pational therapist in Portland, five-year-old kindergartner JosephMiller has made substantialprogress, is playing basketball and,in his father's words, is doing "ex-ceptionally well."

Joseph's father, Joe Miller,credits his son's success to the workof Barb Leslie, an OccupationalTherapist at New England Rehabil-itation Hospital who took it uponherself to travel to the University ofAlabama in Birmingham (UAB) inOctober 2009 for a week of intensivetraining in constraint-inducedmovement therapy, or CIMT.

"The more tools you have inyour bag, the better off your pa-tients are," Leslie said. "It's not amagical cure. If somebody has had astroke and goes through this proto-col, it's not going to make their arm'normal.' But it will give them a re-ally good functional return."

The technique forces patientswho have lost motor function in anarm, leg or hand as a result of a

stroke or traumatic brain injury tomake use of that limb instead ofcontinuing to rely on the unaffectedlimb on the opposite side.

CIMT was an outgrowth of ex-periments conducted at UAB onmonkeys whose nerve fibers werecut so they lost sensation on oneside, prompting researchers to re-strain the "good" side to make thesubjects depend on the weaker limb.

In Joseph's case, Leslie placedhis right arm in a cast for threeweeks before taking him through arigorous program of therapy de-signed to enhance function on theaffected side. The program involvedrepetition of motor patterns with in-creased intensity and frequencyover a set period of time.

Adult patients usually wear amitt that is removed between thera-py sessions to avoid potential bal-ance and walking issues. In con-trast, Joseph's cast remained onduring the entire three weeks.

From the Director’s DeskGovernor’s Proposed BudgetCuts Will Affect 40,000 Low-Income Seniors

Governor LePage’s proposal toreduce MaineCare (Medicaid)eligibility to the FederalPoverty Level (FPL) will affect

about 40,000 elderly and disabledMainers who will lose all or some ofthe help they currently receive withthe costs of Medicare premiums, co-payments and deductibles, includ-ing prescription drugs.

For example, an elderly couplewith $1,839/month of income (185 %of FPL) could see their out-of-pocketcost for Medicare premiums and de-ductibles increase by as much as$700 to $1,000 per month as soon asJuly 1st.

Federal law gives states the op-tion to expand Medicaid eligibilityto help low-income people who have

high medical ex-penses. Maine hasused this flexibilityto help low-incomeseniors to obtainthe medicine andhealth care that al-lows them to man-age their chronic

health conditions and avoid hospitalcare. Inevitably, removing accessto affordable medications will re-sult in avoidable emergency roomadmissions, greater use of munici-pal ambulance services, more un-funded “charity care” costs to hospi-tals, and potentially greaterMaineCare expenses, if declininghealth conditions require nursinghome care.

It is very important that yourlocal legislators understand thecostly consequences of withdrawingprescription and health care cover-age from low-income seniors. Re-mind them that Social Security pay-ments have not increased for the

past two years, despite increasingfood and heating costs. Speaking toyour state Representative and/orSenator and sharing this informa-tion will help them make an in-formed decision when they vote onnext year’s state budget.

Another proposal from the Gov-ernor calls for charging a 4% “pre-mium” (more accurately, a caregivertax) to low-income seniors and fam-ilies served by several state-funded,home-based care programs.

Because the legislature maysubstitute other reductions to re-place those proposed by the Gover-nor, we will not have a clear pic-ture of the effect at SMAA untillate May.

In the meantime, spring flowersand tree blossoms are on their way!

Laurence W. GrossExecutive Director, SMAA

TOLL-FREE: 1-800-427-7411 Published and distributed free since 1997 Vol. 15, Issue 86 MARCH-APRIL 2011

Senior NewsS O U T H E R N M A I N E

Agency on Aging

NON-PROFITORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDLewiston, MEPermit #56

Southern Maine Agency on Aging136 U.S. Route 1Scarborough, ME 04074

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTEDTIME-SENSITIVE MATERIAL

mission driven–donor supported

continued on page 15

FREE

Rehab Technique Offers New Option For Maine Stroke Patients

Five year old Joseph Miller learning toski at Lost Valley in Auburn, Maine.

SMAA’s TruslowCenter Offers DayCare Option ForElderly And Disabled Adults By Jerry Harkavy

Monday had been listed on theschedule as "Wear Red Day,"so it was no surprise thatmost of the men and women

seated in a circle around the pianoin the large and airy activity roomat Truslow Adult Day Center inSaco had donned their favorite redshirts, sweaters--and in one case--slacks.

They had gathered for a Valen-tine's Day performance by musictherapist Susan Reid, who captivat-ed her audience of 20 by singinglove songs that spanned the decadesfrom time-honored George Gersh-win and Irving Berlin standards toearly Elvis and Reba McIntyre.

As Reid performed an enthusi-astic, upbeat "You Are My Sun-shine" or eased up on the tempowith "I'll be Loving You, Always,"the audience made up primarily ofpeople with memory impairmentchimed in without skipping a beat.

"Music is a great communica-tor," Reid said after her hour-longshow. The former professional operasinger who went on to perform inmusical comedies selects tunes thatstrike a chord with her listeners andare sure to bring back memories.

Special events such as Reid'smonthly appearances help liven upthe atmosphere at Truslow, one of afew dozen adult day care facilities inMaine and thousands across thecountry. They offer a safe, secureand caring environment for those

A satisfied daughter with her mother,who attended the SMAA’s TruslowCenter for close to six years.

continued on page 13

2 Senior News

S O U T H E R N M A I N E

Agency on Aging March-April 2011

10 Hospital Drive, Bridgton • www.bridgtonhospital.org

Specialty Care Clinics

...Close to Home Specialty Care...In the Lakes Region of Maine

Isn’t it nice not to travel so far for your care?Oncology & HematologyCardiologyPacemaker & Defibrillator ChecksDiabetesInfectious Disease

OrthopedicsSports MedicinePain ManagementWound CenterNephrology

If you’d like more information about any of our clinics, please call 207-647-6120.

Quality Care...Isn’t it convenient to have it Close to Home?

Bridgton Hospital Specialty Clinics 10 Hospital DriveBridgton, ME 04009

“Bridgton Hospital cancer

care - it’s world class

treatment close to home.

Not having to travel for my

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and stress burden for me.

A small hospital with ‘big’

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UrologyPulmonologyEndocrinologyEar, Nose, and Throat

(207) 885-5568

CONFIDENCE.Just one of the reasons you’ll want to join our community.

www.TerraceCommunities.com

For Louis Fineberg, his vision ofis 70th wedding anniversary onDecember 9 was simple: a photowith his wife Tina and a piano

performance by his long-time physi-cian Dr. Mark Braun. The Finebergslive at Scarborough Terrace wherethe staff helped to make his dream areality by creating a reception com-plete with an anniversary cake andballoons. The staff also coordinatedwith Dr. Mark Braun to close hispractice for an hour and give a spe-cial surprise performance for thecouple. It was a day marked withemotion and celebration with not adry eye in the house.

The Finebergs Celebrate a 70-year Milestone

Designed To Improve Quality Of Life

With Two-Way Voice Technology In The Pendant!

325 US Route One, Falmouth, ME 04105 207-775-5755

www.protectionprofessionals.netwww.seniorsafety.us.com

Senior Momentsby Hunter Howe

Pure Imagination

As I age, I feelI’m caught ina taffy tug ofsorts. One tug

pulls me toward re-lentless activity. Another tug pullsme toward the quiet zone.

When I succumb to the lattertug, that is to retreat from the noiseof everyday living, I read. The Ox-ford Book of Literary Anecdotes re-veals that when Sir Walter Scott re-turned to Abbotsford to die, and waswheeled into his library, he burstinto tears as he beheld those life-long friends upon his bookshelves.I’ll have to admit, I’ve sat in my ownden surrounded by my own friendsand wondered what will happen tothem when I join Sir Walter.

John Russell, an American arthistorian and critic had thoughtssimilar to Sir Walter Scott. Hewrote,“I cannot think of a greaterblessing than to die in one’s ownbed, without warning or discomfort,on the last page of the new bookthat we most wanted to read.”

Pure drama. For some, melodra-ma. Groucho Marx once said: “Out-side of a dog, a book is a man’s bestfriend. Inside a dog, it’s too hard toread.” A dog and a book, like beerand a pizza, work together. Add aquiet room, a comfortable chair, anda cup of hot cocoa. Slip on a pair ofwarm moccasins. Or, withdraw tothe public library. No noise please—a finger waving shush from the li-brarian who is the keeper and de-fender of the book and the sacredcalm of this great institution.

Each day, I open my mailbox ex-pecting bills, dreaded financialstatements, an IRS audit, or a juryduty notice. Every two months it’sthere, the latest edition of “Book-marks Magazine.” Like a tastydesert, I tackle it turning the pageswith gleeful anticipation. I markthose delights that attract my at-tention and add them to a list I keepin my wallet. The best part is yet tocome, the trip to the bookstore.

Sometimes, I stop and scan thenames of the famous writers and po-

ets: Hemingway, Stevenson, Twain,and Frost, all ready to lead us, likea northern Maine guide, away fromthe noise and mental torture ofeveryday life. Sounds like a bestseller, The Great Book Escape. JohnUpdike wrote, “I want to writebooks that unlock the traffic jam ineveryone’s head.” Here’s to John!

The pleasure is in the purchase.Later, I lie in bed enveloped in flan-nel sheets, eyes struggling to wardoff imminent sleep, fighting to readone more line. Like a suspensefulmovie, I don’t want it to end. But itdoes. I close my current book, hold itfor a long moment, and even give ita soft reassuring pat as I would asleeping child.

You might write your name in-side the front cover, date it and jotdown the town you live in. Kind oflike a book grave marker.

Flash forward in time. It’s 2075.A young lad combs through a usedbookstore in a crumbling down barnon the Maine coast. There are hun-dreds of shelves holding worn, dustybooks waiting to be read again. Hisfingers find a tattered paperbackwith an interesting title. Inside thefront cover, he discovers a name, adate and a town. And, he wonders,who was that person?

Dance Class for Peoplewith Parkinsons

Adance class specifically de-signed for people with Parkin-son’s disease will be offered atthe Mid Coast Senior Health

Center, 58 Baribeau Drive inBrunswick on Thursdays, March 31,April 7, 14 and 21.

The classes, from 9-10 AM in theCommunity Room, are a combina-tion of being led in dynamic move-ments, accessible dance steps andopportunities to experience one’snatural movement and creativity,according to Katie Tranzillo, in-structor.

Registration is $20 for the fourweeks; scholarships are available.Call Susan VanNote or MarliseSwartz at 729 8033 for registration.Space is limited.

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann (2009)

Book Review by Don Caouette

On a late summer day in 1974an aerialist named PhilippePetit performed live 110 sto-ries up in the air between the

twin towers of the World Trade Cen-ter in New York City. As he hopped,skipped and danced a quarter of amile up in the air, down on theground thousands of people stood inawe at this so called “artistic crimeof the century.” Mr. Petit later re-counted his exhibition and the sixyears of preparation it took him todo this act in his award winningdocumentary, “Man on Wire.”

You might think this would bethe main theme of Colum McCann’sbook, but it only serves as a way toenter the world of some of the peo-ple on the streets below. McCann isinsightful at understanding each ofhis characters as he shows us whatthese people are going through intheir daily lives. In comparison withthe post 9/11 years, 1974 was a fair-ly innocent time. None the less, dur-ing this period there were some dis-turbing events people had to con-front: such as the soldiers cominghome from Vietnam along with themixed emotions of many Americansconcerning the war, the prevalence

of crime and drugs on city streets,and the eventual resignation ofRichard Nixon as President in thewake of the Watergate scandal.

Within this framework, Mc-Cann’s characters seem so real youforget they are fictional. There isCorrigan, the radical young Irishmonk who devotes his life to helpingthe less fortunate of the city. Thereis the wealthy, bereaved womannamed Claire who discovers thatshe has more in common with herblack servant Gloria, who has alsolost a son in the war, than she doeswith her wealthy Park Avenuefriends. There is the young artistnamed Lara who discovers a moremeaningful world as a result of anautomobile accident with Corrigan’sbrother, Ciaran. And then there isTillie, a 38-year old prostitute, whotries her best to keep her teenagegranddaughter from following inthe same footsteps as herself anddaughter. All of these charactersare connected in some way and to-gether they provide some unforget-table voices during that time in ourcountry’s history.

Colum McCann’s novel is 20-30pages too long but definitely worthreading. You will find his story attimes heartbreaking and depress-ing, but in it there is also joy, as hesucceeds in providing a masterfulportrait of the city and its people.

Senior News 3


Agency on AgingMarch-April 2011

Because we still have places to go, people to see…

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We use donated cars, volunteer and staff drivers, to deliver our600+ members to destinations throughout Greater Portland.

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BOOK REVIEW

4 Senior News



The Southern MaineAgency on Aging is aBBB Accredited Charity.

Mission StatementImprove the physical, social,emotional and economic wellbeing of older adults living insouthern Maine (Cumberlandand York counties).

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2010-2011PRESIDENT

Jud Knox, York

VICE PRESIDENT

E. Michael Brady, Gorham

SECRETARY

Charlene Thompson, Saco

TREASURER

Terry Blanchard, Biddeford

BOARD MEMBERS

Judi Austin, Portland

Jack Evans, Falmouth

Marilyn Gugliucci, Kennebunk

Francis “Bud” Guthrie,Cape Elizabeth

Rep. Sally Lewin, Eliot

Joseph Miller, Portland

David Smith, Falmouth

Daniel Whyte, York

Kathleen Wohlenberg, Bridgton

Martin C. Womer, Esq., Saco

ADVISORY COUNCIL

2009-2010CHAIR

Joan Sheedy, Portland

VICE CHAIR

Vacant

SECRETARY

Kathleen Hackett, South Portland

COUNCIL MEMBERSDan Abbott, Bridgton

Diana Abbott, Moody

Montress Kenniston, Kennebunk

Rep Jane Knapp, Gorham

Phil Maynard,Old Orchard Beach

Patricia Wright, Kennebunk

SSeenniioorr NNeewwssis a publication of

136 U.S. Route One,Scarborough, ME 04074-9055 Telephone: (207) 396-6500 Toll-free: 1-800-427-7411e-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.smaaa.orgEditor: Eileen [email protected] or (207) 396-6512Advertising: Nancy [email protected] or (207) 396-6588Mailing List: Bonnie [email protected] or (207) 396-6526Design: Becky Delaney, YarmouthPrinting: Sun Prints, LewistonSenior News is published sixtimes per year in January,March, May, July, Septemberand November.


Agency on Aging

Disclaimer of Endorsement: We appreciate theloyal support of our advertisers who make thepublication of “Senior News” possible. The appear-ance of these advertisers does not constitute or im-ply an endorsement, recommendation, or favoringby the Southern Maine Agency on Aging (SMAA).Advertisers are not permitted to use the name ofSMAA, its employees or volunteers for marketingor product endorsement purposes.

For details on advertising in “Senior News,” log onto www.smaaa.org and see Senior News on homepage and/or send an e-mail to [email protected]. You may also reach “Senior News” rep-resentative Nancy Bloch at 396-6588. Marketing options include, full color ads, adverto-rial columns and inserting pre-printed materialsinto the newspaper. Reach your potential cus-tomers with Maine’s only newspaper specificallyfor people age 50 and older!

Circulation: Mailed to 14,500 households in south-ern Maine and 5,000 copies are delivered to news-stands. An additional 1,000 copies are distributedthrough Agency on Aging events and locations.

“Senior News” is mailed free for the asking. If youwould like to receive “Senior News,” call BonnieCraig at 207-396-6526 or send your name andmailing address to [email protected].


Agency on Aging

The Southern Maine Agency on Aging(SMAA) is a non-profit, charitable organi-zation. Services of SMAA are supported inpart by state and federal funds from theMaine Office of Elder Services. Learn moreat www.smaaa.org or by calling 207-396-6500 or 1-800-427-7411.

Door to Door Scams:Right here in MaineBy Jessica Wood, InvestigatorKey Corporate Investigations

Taking advan-tage of agingpopulations re-grettably is

something that oc-curs with regulari-ty—not only acrossthe globe, but righthere at home in Maine. While manyof us would like to give others thebenefit of the doubt and/or assumethese vicious acts occur in metropol-itan areas, ultimately we must en-sure we are looking out for our ownprotection even if we don’t think itwill happen to us. Today I will pro-vide two very recent, yet similar ex-amples of scams targeted at seniorsin Maine occurring in the wintermonths. You may notice although awinter storm may entice most tostay inside, scam artists see oppor-tunity. Both of my examples oc-curred during the Christmas week-end storm.

In the first instance, two of ourclients were approached by twoyoung men to shovel their roof andclean out their chimney. Of course,both of these undertakings requireconsiderable effort and so the vic-tims felt the offer was generoussince they would be unable to carryout the work on their own. Aftercompleting the shoveling, the fraud-sters asked for a check to cover thework—including the yet to be com-pleted work. Since the scam artistsalready had access to the victim’sgarage and had knowledge of thelayout of the property, they took itupon themselves to steal a genera-tor and a ladder. Before the victimshad an opportunity to discover themissing items and come to the real-ization the men were not returning

to complete the additional work,their check (exceeding $3,000) wasalready cashed. Victims are not onlyout the money, but also a generatorand an expensive ladder.

The second example is demon-strative of how a fraud artist mayexhibit diligence and patience in hisscam. Another one of our agingclients was approached by a con-tractor to complete home repairsthis past summer. Over the courseof several months the contractorhad allegedly completed variousprojects on the victim’s home butmost recently raised a red flag whenthe client’s nephew discovered anote from the contractor asking thevictim for $18,000 to assist withstarting up a business. After com-pleting some research, the nephewlearned our client had made two siz-able recent payments to the contrac-tor for fixing her generator—thesame generator that failed to workafter the 2010 Christmas storm.The nephew likewise discovered thecontractor had attempted to inter-est the client in an $18,000 invest-ment. Considering alone the mostrecent payment towards fixing thegenerator, the client lost out on over$1,500—not including any of theother checks written for these socalled “home repairs.”

Bottom line: Wait until someonecompletes work prior to providingpayment for a service. If in theevent you do become a victim of ascam, notify local authorities. If youhave provided payment such as acheck likewise notify your bank inan effort to document the event andassist law enforcement in their in-vestigation.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

www.smaaa.org

March-April 2011 Senior News 5


Agency on Aging

"Welcome toMedicare" SeminarsIt’s Not Too Soon To Learn Your Options

The Southern Maine Agency onAging offers seminars to helpyou sort through your Medicareoptions—and to help you enroll.

If you are turning 65, consider regis-tering to attend one of these semi-nars to help you realize the greatestbenefits. We recommend that you at-tend a seminar up to three monthsor more before your 65th birthday.

Registration is required. Call396-6500 in the Portland area or 1-800-427-7411 to sign up. Seminarsare two hours long, beginning at10:00 a.m. Locations include, Scar-borough, Springvale and Windham.

If you live in the Bridgton area,Volunteer Medicare Advocate StanCohen will see you with Medicarequestions on Tuesday mornings be-tween 8:30 and 11. You should havealready attended a Medicare semi-nar to have received the basic infor-mation.

How We Can HelpOur staff and Volunteer

Medicare Advocates can assist youwith decisions and questions about:

• Medicare• Health insurance • Supplemental insurance

(Medigap)• Health insurance paperwork• Insurance coverage for care

provided in your home or in anursing home

• How paying for a nursinghome can affect your homeand your spouse

• Information and complaintsabout insurance agents andcompanies

What to Bring to a Welcome toMedicare Seminar

• Your Medicare Card• Your Social Security number

• A list of drugs (and quanti-ties) you take

• Income and asset figures (incase you qualify for reducedcosts)

• Your current health insur-ance information

Protecting Yourselffrom Medicare Fraudor Identity TheftProtect – Detect – ReportBy Carol Rancourt, Medicare CoordinatorSouthern Maine Agency on Aging

On January 20 Senior MedicarePatrol volunteers from theSouthern Maine Agency onAging attended a training on

Medicare Fraud. Four of those whoattended the training have agreedto become Volunteer Fraud Investi-gators for SMAA. At the trainingthey learned that today’s world isnot always the pleasant place we allwould like it to be. Not only are weall struggling to make ends meet inthese difficult financial times, butwe need to be aware that unscrupu-lous people are more than ever try-ing to take your identity and whatyou have. One of the most accessiblegateways to identity fraud is yourSocial Security number and yourMedicare number. These numbersgive crooks a clear road to your per-sonal information.

We at SMAA and the SeniorMedicare Patrol are asking you to:

Protect It is vital that you protect

your Social Security and Medicarenumbers just as you do your creditcard numbers and bank account in-formation.

Never give your number out to a stranger.

Rip up or shred your Medicareand other health care papers beforethrowing them away. Crooks gothrough the trash!

Pick up your mail as soon as youcan. Crooks have been known tosteal mail right out of mail boxes toget those numbers.

Detect Review all of your medical bills

and Medicare Summary Notices forpossible mistaken charges.

Keep track of medical visits andtreatments.

Look for things like charges forservices never received, billing forthe same thing twice and servicesnot ordered by your doctor.

Report Call your doctor or health care

provider with questions about yourbill or statement. If you are not satisfied with the explanation, callSMAA’s Senior Medicare Patrol(SMP) at 396-6500 or 1-800-427-7411.

Finally, remember Medicaredoes not sell anything. Medicarewill not call you to verify or ask forany personal or financial informa-tion. It is shrewd to be rude! If youhave an uncomfortable feelingabout a phone call or feel pressuredto do something you don’t want todo, just hang up.

Another TelephoneScam ReportedSubmitted by Sara ForgioneResident Service CoordinatorAvesta Housing

Aresident called me recently toreport something that she ex-perienced. She had received acall from "Medicare Pharma-

cy." The person on the phone askedher some questions, and then saidshe was eligible to receive someitems for free based on her medicalhistory. She was told she was eligi-ble for a new talking diabetes testkit. The person then said that theyjust needed to verify some informa-tion and switched her to anotherperson. At this point she was askedher social security number and oth-er identifying information.

She said the call seemed profes-sional and very typical of talking toan agency. After she got off thephone she started questioning someof the information. She tried to call the number back and it was dis-connected. She has informed the police, Social Security, Medicareand her bank.

I wanted to share this informa-tion with as many people as possi-ble, because I am sure other peopleare going to be targeted.

MEDICARE

WeUnderstand

Family

Reliable, Affordable Senior Home Care

We can help you with the following so that youcan continue living independently in your home:

• Personal care (bathing/dressing)• Grocery shopping • Light housekeeping• Meal preparation • Transportation• Companionship

We do criminal background checks, take out all taxes, and bond all of our caregivers.

125 Presumpscot St., Portland, ME 04103207-699-4663 / www.homehealthcaremaine.com

CALL FOR A BROCHUREOR MORE INFORMATION

The MonarchCenter of Saco

www.themonarchcenter.com

207-284-0900 392 Main Street

Saco, ME 04072

We are a premier 42-apartment assisted living community for those with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders of memory. We are located in the heart of Saco‘s historical downtown district.

We are a gated and secured community for the safety and wellbeing of our residents. We offer a wide array of services and have elegant, yet comfortable living areas.Our extensive activities are designedfor the particular needs of our resi-dents. We maintain a 24-hour Healthand Personal Care staff and seven-day aweek nursing staff. We offer warm, indi-vidualized and comprehensive services,which help the adaptation process and con-tinue to afford the resident and family with afeeling of security and peace of mind.

We invite you to stop by or call for a personal tour soyou can see and hear the details of our unique program.

If you would like to considerbecoming a volunteer withSMAA’s Medicare Patrol, callKathy Baxter at 396-6518.

6 Senior News



Driving as We AgeKate Cole Fallon, MS, LCPCCaregiver Advocate

It’s a moment family membersdread: asking someone to stopdriving. A drivers’ license is asymbol of independence. Giving

up a license is an emotional choiceas much as a practical one. If you areconcerned about someone’s driving,or even your own, there are strate-gies you can employ. It may not nec-essarily be the end of the road.

Aging is not necessarily a reasonto stop driving. There are many ex-cellent older drivers on the road. Al-though older drivers are less likely

to cause accidents, there is a greaterchance of sustaining serious injurywhen in an accident. As we age, ourbodies are frailer and less capable oftolerating the impact of an accident.Unfortunately, because some acci-dents involving older drivers makeheadlines, some people assume thatall older drivers are dangerous.

Aging sometimes brings healthand mobility issues that may com-promise effective driving. Inabilityto turn one’s head, difficulty holdingthe wheel and neuropathy leadingto lack of sensation in the feet, arejust a few issues that may impededriving ability. Vision and hearingproblems also pose hazards. Not be-ing able to read road signs or hearsirens puts all drivers at risk.

People are living longer withchronic health conditions. Many ofthese conditions pose little dangerwhen well managed. Being sure tomonitor chronic illness, along withhaving vision and hearing checks,are critical for all drivers. Anychange in health status or medica-tions indicates a need to reevaluatedriving status, and perhaps limitdriving until a doctor determineshealth is stable again.

Dementia poses unique chal-lenges. In its early stages, dementiais not necessarily a reason to stopdriving. However, as it progresses,dementia compromises decisionmaking, and cognitive loss may leadto drivers getting lost or being con-fused about the rules of the road.People may have difficulty keepingtheir attention focused on theirdriving. Safety is of utmost impor-tance and must guide all of us inlimiting driving appropriately.

There are options for us as weage besides giving up the keys.There are adaptations for cars thatwill minimize risk when mobility isan issue and increase both comfortand safety. An Occupational Thera-pist can help identify modificationsspecific to your needs. Agreeing tolimits on driving may also be a goodway to incrementally reduce thehazards of driving. Avoiding drivingin bad weather, at twilight and dur-ing rush hour are good places tostart. AARP and AAA offer driverrefresher courses for mature drivers,which are helpful and may reduceinsurance premiums. These courses

may also be available online andtaken in privacy at your own pace.

As we age, a higher percentageof accidents occur while making aleft turn into oncoming traffic.Judging distance and the speed ofoncoming vehicles can be a chal-lenge, but we may be able to planroutes around this.

If you want to learn how some-one else is really doing on the road,ride along with them. Are they hes-itant, are others honking at them,are they stressed? Consider compro-mise and creative solutions beforeassuming the license needs to be“retired.” Identify transportation al-ternatives before driving becomes acrisis. Don’t assume you have to bethe “bad guy” if you are concernedabout someone’s driving. Engage ahealth care provider or trustedfriend to share in this conversation.Always remember, safety first.

Savvy CaregiverClasses Continue

Savvy Caregiver is a trainingprogram for family caregiversof people with dementia livingin the community. Because we

know that people often take on therole of caregiver without any prepa-ration or training, Maine’s Agencieson Aging and the Alzheimer’s Asso-ciation are offering this programstatewide, through a grant from theAdministration on Aging.

This program helps family care-givers develop knowledge, skills,and attitudes to make taking care ofa person with dementia easier. Aspart of the grant, we will be collect-ing data to add to the research onthis program, by asking participantsto complete pre- and post- question-naires. So far, feedback from care-givers who have taken the class hasbeen overwhelmingly positive.

We have classes coming up inCasco, Kennebunk, Scarboroughand Kittery, and are working onplans for Portland, and Windham.Pre-registration is required. Youcan find details in the “SeniorNews” caregiver class schedule, onthe SMAA website (www.smaaa.org) or you can contact Ann O’Sulli-van or Kate Cole Fallon at SMAA(1-800-427-7411).

We are particularly grateful tothe Huntington Common Fund fortheir sponsorship of sessions serv-ing residents of York County, and toHome Instead Senior Care of YorkCounty for their support of the se-ries in Kennebunk.

Is caring for an older loved one leaving youfeeling tired, isolated, sad, guilty, stressed?Caregiving may be the most difficult andrewarding thing you’ll ever do. The FamilyCaregiver Support Program can help.

Family Caregiver Support ProgramAre you helping an older adult manage bills, prepare meals, manage medical services? Do you help with bathing or dressing, household chores, transportation to appointments, or companionship? Are you a senior who is raising someone else’s child?


Agency on Aging

Then you are a Caregiver.

and Palliative Care

Where Patients & Families Come First

Beacon Harbor Programs

Deep HarborsÑfor End Stage Dementia

Calm HarborsÑfor End Stage Cardiac Care

NavigatorÑfor Palliative Care

call to make a referral

1-800-HOSPICE(1-800-467-7423)

www.beaconhospice.com

We have specializations in End Stage Dementia, End Stage Cardiac & Palliative Care.

Ankle & Foot Associates

John H. Dorsey, DPMChristopher Pingitore, DPM

Ryan Hiebert, DPM

At some point in almost everyone's life, even essential needs such as basic foot services (nail cutting and callous care) may require assistance. Certain medical conditions, e.g., poor circulation, diabetes, arthritis and neurologic conditions, mayaffect one's ability to heal properly or feel minor injury, a risk to providing self-caresafely. A thorough evaluation to determine your specific foot or ankle problem andexplanation of treatment is approved by practically all insurance plans, and usuallyeven basic foot care services for at-risk patients are approved by health insurance.If you have a foot condition and need help, call us for an evaluation. Let us help youunderstand your medical insurance benefits and relieve you of the risk of self-care.

Portland 761-3889 • Yarmouth 846-0802 • www.afamaine.com

Ankle & Foot Associates

Caring For AgingFamily MembersSupport / Discussion Groups

You’re not alone! Connect withother caregivers in a safe set-ting. Find out what’s workingfor other people.

Biddeford: For caregivers of peo-ple with dementia. NEW DAY: 2ndMonday of the month, 3-4:30PM, atCommunity Partners, Inc. ContactBarbara Alberda at 229-4308.

Bridgton: 2nd Wednesday of themonth, 1-2:30PM, at the BridgtonCommunity Center. Contact AnnO’Sullivan at 1-800-427-7411 x 541.Respite care is available on site.

Scarborough: 4th Thursday of themonth, from noon to 1PM at SMAA.Contact Kate Cole Fallon at 1-800-427-7411 x 558.

York: Caregiver support group forfamily and friends assisting an old-er adult with a chronic condition,3rd Tuesday of the month, from 1-2PM, at the Heart Health Institute.Contact Susan Kelly-Westman at351-3700.

Other areas: Please call Kate orAnn at SMAA’s Family CaregiverSupport Program if you are lookingfor a group in another area. 1-800-427-7411.

Kinship/Grandparent Support Group

Sanford: Wee Care, support anddiscussion for kinship parents andgrandparents helping to raise chil-dren, 2nd Wednesday of the month,5:30 – 7:00 PM. Supper and childcare available. Contact Thea Mur-phy at Trafton Senior Center at457-0080.

On-Line Discussion And Support Group

Online support group: This pri-vate Yahoo! message board is avail-able 24/7. If you are caring for anaging family member or friend, andyou have Internet access, pleasejoin us! Contact Kate at SMAA, 1-800-427-7411 or [email protected].

Help For PeopleHelping AgingFamily Members

Are you assisting an older adult?Do you spend time helping witherrands, household chores, fi-nances, meals, health care or

personal care? If so, then you are afamily caregiver. The Family Care-giver Support Program can help sup-port you as you help someone else.

Class Schedule 2011 April 4, 11, 25, May 2, 9 and 16, 1-3PM: Savvy Caregiver. Senior Cen-ter at Lower Village, Kennebunk.Contact Kate Cole Fallon at 1-800-427-7411 x 558 to pre-register (re-quired).

April 21, 28, May 5 and 12, 5:30-7:30PM: Putting the Puzzle To-gether: Getting Ready to OfferSupport to Older Adult Familyand Friends. Southern MaineAgency on Aging, Scarborough.Contact Ann O’Sullivan at 1-800-427-7411 x 541 to pre-register.

April 27, 6-7:30PM: Options forOlder Drivers. Windham Adult Ed,Windham. Call 892-1819 to register.

May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, and June 7,5:30-7:30PM: Savvy Caregiver.Southern Maine Agency on Aging,Scarborough. Contact Ann O’Sulli-van at 1-800-427-7411 x 541 to pre-register (required).

May 31, June 7, 14, 21, 28 and July5, 1-3PM: Savvy Caregiver. TheGathering Place, Kittery. ContactKate Cole Fallon at 1-800-427-7411x 558 to pre-register (required).

July 6, 13, 20, 27, August 3 and 10,9:30-11:30AM: Savvy Caregiver.Southern Maine Agency on Aging,Scarborough. Contact Ann O’Sulli-van at 1-800-427-7411 x 541 to pre-register (required).

Please use the numbers listed toregister. Feel free to call Kate ColeFallon or Ann O’Sullivan at SMAA(1-800-427-7411) with questions.

“Putting the PuzzleTogether” SeriesOffered in Scarborough

Southern Maine Agency on Agingwill offer “Putting the PuzzleTogether: Getting Ready to Of-fer Information, Care, and Sup-

port to Older Family Members andFriends,” a 4-part series for familycaregivers, at the SMAA office inScarborough. The classes are to helppeople who are currently providingassistance to older adult family orfriends and those thinking ahead.

The course meets in 4 two-hoursessions, April 21 and 28, and May5 and 12, from 5:30 to 7:30PM.Please plan to attend all four ses-sions. Topics covered are:• Understanding Geriatric Health • Resources, Supports, and Living

Options, which includes com-munity-based services and liv-ing alternatives

• Legal and Financial Issues • Making It Work, which covers

family communication, caregiv-er coping, and action strategies Flyers for the programs are

available on the Family CaregiverSupport Program page of the SMAAwebsite, www.smaaa.org.

There is no charge, but pre-reg-istration is required. The deadlineis Monday, April 18. Contact theFamily Caregiver Support Programat 1-800-427-7411 to register or formore information.


Agency on AgingMarch-April 2011 Senior News 7

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Booking an Airline TicketBy Louise Hirshberg

“I am so dumb.” This self-abusive vocabulary snuckinto my life after I turned65, and I blame it on thecomputer and “modern”technology. Today I can freely say Ihate and love my computer. I missthe “good old days” when I dialedseven numbers on the telephoneand a smooth speaking operatorhappily took my order, filled myneeds without my going through 10minutes of a computer saying, “Justneed to ask you a few questions be-fore we get started,” and then, 15minutes of horror music.

Example: I am taking a one-week vacation in Florida. I am anintelligent woman, I tell myself, andcan book my own reservations online just like my adult children.Easy. I go to the American Airlinesweb site, where I have mileagepoints. Problem One. I can’t find outhow to redeem my points as well asbook a flight, so I do what I al-ways did, dial American Airlineson the phone. I am able to read mostof the Sunday “Times” while on

hold...that is good. Finally,Henry, after asking fiveminutes of the same ques-tions I’ve already told thecomputer, tells me to lookfor the button that says re-deem. “Dummy,” I tell my-self, why did I not see “re-

deem” 20 minutes ago, before Iplaced the call. Kind Henry stays onthe line cheering me on while Inervously poke out my information,key by key. Terrific, I find a planeand a seat. I am brilliant. I’ll makemy kids proud, and I’m good to go,or so I thought. Thanking Henry fortalking me through this maze wehang up as I feel bold enough tocomplete the reservation myself. Icheck the button to place my order.Bam, my heart sinks as the screenscreams “Error” at me, but it does-n’t tell me what the error is. Deter-minedly, I poke in all my informa-tion once more, finding the plane,and filling in where there are redstars. Damn, Damn, Damn. “Error”shouts out at me—with the inferredmessage, dummy. So I do what Ialways did, call the airline.

I knit eight rows on my sweateruntil charming Linda comes on theline. Sadly she is unable to fix myproblem but transfers me to theemail specialist, Valarie. Ten rowslater—I do like speaker phone,which allows me to be able to multitask—Valerie asks if I have a Mac?The error message, “Might be yourserver,” she states.

I hate to let her know what kindof an idiot she is dealing with but Ihave to ask, “What is a server?”Valarie gets rid of me fast, by ex-plaining it is an Apple problem notAmerican Airlines. So I do what Ialways did, call Apple.

The sweater is growing witheach phone call. We do the dance of“Just need to ask...” then horror mu-sic and finally Dan picks up andtells me it is American Airlines’problem. I call back American Air-lines... more knitting, more music,

and eventually George, who tells meI have to rewrite the reservationand push the HOLD button so itwill not disappear again. Georgestays on the line while I fill in allthose red stars. Hooray! I now havea reservation on hold for five days.Terrific, five days to torture myselftrying to get this on-hold ticket intoa usable e-ticket. So I do what I...and call back Apple. This time I finda woman who actually admits thatmy Apple Safari server is no longercompatible with American Airlines.Oh, why didn’t someone tell me thistwo hours ago. I go to bed.

Day two, with the suggestion ofeither Valarie, or Ethan, or someone of the lovely young people Ihave talked to, I try to downloadFirefox all by myself. Proudly, Ithink, I accomplish this and I seethe icon of a fox and fire...high fivegal, but when I try the “Hold Reser-vation,” Firefox disappears into cy-ber heaven and “Error” shows uponce again. In defeat, I give in andemail my hold reservation to mydaughter and beg her to try. Thatdoesn’t work.

Day three, knitting and a cup ofherbal tea in hand, I call AmericanAirlines...” How can I just PLACEthis bloody reservation,” I cry. “If weplace it, it will cost you.” “Whyshould I pay when it is your fault?Get me your supervisor.” Alice islovely and she does try and help mebut now my tears of frustration areseeping down my face and I canbarely see my screen. I give up.Please, please, please place this damreservation so I can take this shorttrip before the making the reserva-tion is longer than the actual trip.

Not that easy, her computercannot take the reservation but shetransfers me to Sonja. More tea,knitting, and horror music. At thispoint, I can barely talk betweensobs. But for $20, Sonja manages toextract my information and placethe reservation. I love Sonja.

Please let me remember, nexttime spend the $20 and save themany hours of frustration and feel-ing so dumb.

8 Senior News



Leadership Commitment Strength Generosity

In one year, over 40,000 children, adults and elders benefited from the services of HomeHealth Visiting Nurses:

� 9,250 patients maintained independence though 111,000home visits from nurses, rehabilitative therapists, social workers, and health aides

�2,200 newborns and mothers got a healthy start with 6,100home nursing visits, offered at no charge, from our Womenand Children’s Health Promotion Grant

�3,130 people improved their health with foot care, screenings and tests

�25,000 people were vaccinated as a step toward flu prevention

�715 people lived safely with Lifeline EmergencyResponse Services

�150 volunteers donated 12,000 hours to the community

Serving Southern Maine • 1-800-660-4867 • www.homehealth.org

Everyone has a valuable life story!

For a free 30-minute consultation,contact Peg Brown at 799-6472 or

[email protected].

Peg will help you create your

special memoir.

Helping individuals & organizationswrite and publish their stories

www.StoryworksMaine.com

Why I Love and Hate Computers

What was your New Year’sresolution? Did you declare exer-cising more? Promise to become avolunteer to help others? Decide

to learn somethingnew? Our individ-ual goals may dif-fer; however, theintent for a posi-tive outcome ismutual! My per-

sonal favorite is the pledge to paycloser attention to one’s healthwith emphasis on a healthy diet!

Americans are alarminglyobese, now thought of as an epi-demic. Better nutrition improvesor prevents chronic disease bymaking our lives healthier andimproving our ability to have ac-tive lives! The U.S. Departmentof Agriculture and Health & Hu-man Services have recently putforth new dietary guidelines tohelp improve our health. Here aresome highlights to help enrichyour food choices.

1. Load up super foods. Hav-ing lots of colorful fruits and veg-etables in our kitchens will notonly give us the incentive, but theopportunity to provide quality toour meals and snacks. If you livein a facility where meals are pre-pared, or eat out often, opt for nu-trient rich veggies instead of thesalt and fat laden fries. If dessertis a must, enjoy the naturalsweetness of fresh fruit vs. the ar-tery clogging alternative! Thesehealthy options can provide morefiber for a healthy digestive sys-tem and potassium for betterblood pressure management.

2. Whole is always better! It’sno news flash that eating wholegrains is healthier. Some labelsclaim “5 whole grains per serving”or “made with whole grains.” Butif “whole grain” isn’t the first in-gredient listed, there’s a betterchoice out there that hasn’tprocessed out its natural good-ness like the protective antioxi-dants and fiber.

3. Don’t forget dairy. Low fatdairy that is! Calcium and Vita-min D are important for bonehealth and Vitamin D has beenpositively associated with hearthealth, cancer protection, reduceddiabetes risk and more. Also,milk and yogurt contain VitaminB12. This vitamin is essential forhealthy blood cell formation,nerve tissue function and brainfunction including memory. Ag-ing alone puts us at a higher riskfor deficiency, which can have se-rious effects such as numbnessand tingling in the feet, anemia,confusion, weakness, balance is-sues and more. Other good foodsources of Vitamin B12 includelean beef, poultry, fish, sardinesand fortified cereals.

For more nutrition informa-tion, join me at Hannaford for a“Healthy Foods Tour” and makethis the year toachieve goodhealth by eat-ing well!

A New Year, A New DaySusan Gay, Registered DieticianNutrition Coordinator, Hannaford

This advertorial is paid for by Hannaford for thebenefit of “Senior News” and its readers.

Senior News 9



MetLife Bank

Available from MetLife Bank, it’s a new Home Equity ConversionMortgage (HECM) that may save the average homeowner age 62 orolder thousands of dollars. It significantly reduces your up-front costsas compared to our other HECM reverse mortgages.Contact me to get the facts.

Now, there’s a lower costHECM reverse mortgage.

All loans are subject to property approval. Certain conditions and feesapply. Mortgage financing provided by MetLife Home Loans, a divisionof MetLife Bank, N.A., Equal Housing Lender. © 2010 METLIFE, INC.R0910130968[exp0911][All States][DC]

Steve EastmanMetLife Bank Reverse Mortgage ConsultantLocal: 207-657-2459Toll Free: 800-416-4748

A life-limiting illness is not the end of life. And at Hospiceof Southern Maine we pride ourselves on helping you livewith peace, dignity and joy for the rest of your life.

Call toll-free at (866) 621-7600 or visitwww.hospiceofsouthernmaine.org

www.NewEnglandMoves.com©2010 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal Housing Opportunity. Owned and operated by NRT LLC. RE20313 12/10

KEVIN COYNE REALTOR®, Senior Real Estate Specialist®

When the time is right for you to make a move, I am here for you as a REALTOR® and advocate. Let me put my decade of experience in the

Southern Maine real estate market to work for you.

Contact me for a complimentary, no-obligation consultation or to discuss

your real estate needs.

53 Baxter Boulevard | Portland, Maine 04101O: 207-773-1990 ext 146 | C: 207-831-9386E: [email protected]

10 Senior News



A program of

333 Lincoln St. in SacoContact Debra Thomas at 283-0166 or

[email protected] for a complementary visit.

Transportation provided or arranged.Maine licensed provider for VA, Office of Elder Services, MaineCare

and Elder Independence of Maine.


Agency on Aging

FYI Families of Veterans: Many veterans qualify for aVA benefit that pays for Adult Day Services.

««««««««««««««««««««««Everyone has fun at Truslow Adult

Day Health Center!

Create aLegacyYou share our values.Your support our work.You can also create a legacy.

Have you been a donor to the Annual Fundfor many years?

You can continue your annual giving after youare gone by making an endowed gift that will keepon giving year after year.

Do you wish to establish a lasting memorial to a loved one?

You can create a named endowed gift as a last-ing memorial.

As you do your financial and estate plan-ning, please consider creating a legacy to theSouthern Maine Agency on Aging throughyour will or other gift plan. Your planned giftcan have a big impact over time.

You can makea planned gift tothe SouthernMaine Agency on Aging in thefollowing ways:

• A bequest through your will or trust

• Charitable gift annuities

• Stock gifts

• Real estate and other gifts of property

• Beneficiary arrangements:– Life insurance– Pension plans– IRAs– Annuities

Please contact Peg Brown, Director of Development, to discuss your interest in planned gifts and to answer any questions you may have at 207-396-6590 or mbrown@ smaaa.org.

Grand Opening “Spring Fling” in Kittery

Southern Maine Agency on Ag-ing is planning a big GrandOpening on Tuesday April 29at the new Kittery Community

Center at 120 Rogers Road in Kit-tery. Entertainment will be provid-ed by Gloria Jean and Bobby Lee.Gloria Jean has won Maine FemaleVocalist of the Year for six years.Bobby Lee has won Male Vocalist ofthe Year several times and SeniorEntertainer of the Year in 2010.Gloria Jean was also named Enter-tainer of the Year for five years andhas been inducted into the MaineCountry Music Hall of Fame.

Music begins at 10:30AM withdinner to follow. Turkey dinner withall the fixings served by Al’s Cater-ing of Scarborough.

All of this for a suggested dona-tion of $5 for Seniors 60 and overand $7 for those under 60.

Come help us celebrate our newlocation. Meet new people and bringyour friends. Door prizes will bedrawn. Hope to see you there! Forreservations, please call Elaine orPatty at 475-7399. Their hours are7:30 to 11:30 or leave a message.

$1,030 in Donations toSenior News

Thank you to all of our faithfulreaders who have donated tothe newspaper! It costs morethan $50,000/year to produce

"Senior News."See Page 4 for our address, if

you'd like to contribute.

Safety, Security, Peace of Mind

Medical Alert Systems and Service that Seniors and

Caring Families can trust!

Simply by pressing your help button ourmonitoring center will be able to get

you the help you need.

AGB Lifesaver Medical Alarms,“your local provider” is now

providing free installation and service for about $1/day!

Call 877-718-7377 (toll free)for more information, or to scheduleinstallation.

See us online at www.agbmedalarms.com

Gloria Jean sings for a crowd.

Senior News 11



Specialistsin AccessibilityAdapted Home & Businessprovides services to assist you inall aspects of accessible design,products, and installations to make your home and business more accessible.

an Alpha One Company

"When I'm visiting a patient in their home, I feel like I get the broader picture of their everyday life and struggles.”

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Whenyou need care at home, the choice is clear. VNA Home Health & Hospice is Southern Maine’s nationally recognized premier provider. Now introducing LifeStages, our new division helping elders stay independent at home. For more information, contact us today!

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VNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PMVNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PMVNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PMVNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PMVNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PMVNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PMVNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PMVNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PMVNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PMVNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PMVNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PMVNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PMVNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PMVNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PMVNA smaaa ad H2.pdf 1 2/15/11 3:06 PM Information for seniors and their families

Looking for information on senior communities, activities or services? Check out

your free on-line resource for senior products, services and information in Maine.

207-232-7847 [email protected]

www.MaineSeniorGuide.com

Anne Bain, South Portlandsite coordinator for the

last 22 years, and HelenTrefethen, who headed upthe Pride’s Corner Meals

on Wheels distributionlocation in Westbrook for

the last seven years,were honored at a

surprise retirement partyon January 6.

Meals on Wheels Coordinators Retire—29 Years of Combined Service

A Flower GardenOne of the Best Mother’s Day Gifts Ever

As part of my Mother’s Day pres-ent, Glenn and Linda planted agarden for me outside my frontdoor and it has given me many

hours of enjoyment,” says ElaineCross. Linda and Glenn Nerbak ofSouth Portland, Maine planted theflower garden as a Mother’s Day gift

in 2010. The following is a poemElaine wrote after the first fourmonths with her new garden.

My GardenBy Elaine Cross

They stopped by to see meOn a Sunday back in MayI asked, “What’s happening?”Their answer, “Happy Mother’s Day.”

Then he started digging,Sifting out grass and weeds.She followed him with potting soil,Small plants and flower seeds.

Then they put up a white picket fenceAnd a bee on a welcome sign.I smiled at them gratefully,And said, “Oh, that’s just fine.”

The pleasure that it brings meI haven’t the words to say.As I open my blinds each morningThe beauty takes my breath away.

Now four months have passedSince that early day in May.I water my garden faithfullyWhile they keep the weeds away.

So don’t buy your mom a book to readOr candy she may have to sneak.Don’t buy her fresh cut flowersThey’ll be gone in one short week.

Plant a small garden if you canYou don’t need a lot of room.She’ll enjoy it for many years to comeAs she watches her flowers bloom.

News from Meals on WheelsBy Jo Ann McPhee

Liz Engel, who has been a Float-ing Coordinator, has acceptedthe position of Site Coordinatorfor Meals on Wheels distributed

from the People’s Methodist Churchin South Portland. She is filling theposition that became vacant withthe retirement of Anne Bain. Thislocation serves people in Portland,South Portland, Cape Elizabeth andScarborough.

Holly Mason has accepted theposition of Site Coordinator for thenew Portland/Westbrook location atthe former middle school on BridgeStreet in Westbrook. Holly fills theposition that was held by Helen Tre-fethen who has retired. Holly man-ages delivery routes in Westbrook,Falmouth, Portland and Gorham.

We will miss Anne and Helenbut we are pleased that Elizabethand Holly have joined the SouthernMaine Agency on Aging’s Meals onWheels program.

Volunteers are always needed tohelp deliver meals, and right nowespecially in the towns of Hollis,Buxton, Standish, Waterboro andthe Berwicks. Volunteering is agratifying way to spend some timewith people who are no longer ableto cook or get out of the house easi-ly. You will be paid mileage if need-ed. For more information, call theMeals on Wheels hotline at 1-800-400-6325.

12 Senior News



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“

who come to the program for manyreasons including dementia or de-velopmental disabilities. With thesupport of the center people can re-main in the familiar surroundingsof their home and avoid or postponeplacement in residential facilities.

The program at the nonprofitcenter is designed to provide partic-ipants with mental stimulation, so-cial interaction and recreational ac-tivities that can engender a greatersense of well-being during a periodof physical and/or cognitive decline.

Just prior to Reid's perform-ance, and after a chicken pot pielunch, clients took part in a series ofexercises in which a cheerful andenthusiastic recreation coordinatorled them through the motions ofthrowing snowballs, playing thedrums and chopping wood. Variousactivities are scheduled throughoutthe week, ranging from bingo andtrivia games to craft projects andconcerts.

Truslow is operated by theSouthern Maine Agency on Aging toserve adults in York and Cumber-land counties. Most of the partici-pants are from Saco, Biddeford andOld Orchard Beach, where the cen-ter runs a bus with a hydraulic liftfor wheelchairs to transport clientsto and from the program. The busmakes two or three trips a day.

The center, named for physicianJohn B. Truslow, a SMAA AdvisoryCouncil Member and advocate forelder independence, is licensed toaccommodate 36 participants, al-though Debra Thomas, the center'sprogram manager, said there are 20to 25 participants each day.

"Many people bring their par-ents to us while they work duringthe day," Thomas said. "In othercases, a spouse needs time to takecare of themselves."

Truslow is open from 8AM to 5PM

Monday through Friday and someparticipants spend the full five daysat the center. Others attend two orthree days a week.

The population served is madeup of a variety of ages. Most partic-ipants are seniors but there are ahandful of younger people who arephysically or developmentally dis-abled. Because women tend to out-live men, adult day care facilitiesusually attract a higher percentageof women.

That's not the case at Truslow,where many of the participants areveterans, whose fees are covered bythe Veterans Administration. Otherclients may be funded throughMaineCare, long-term care insur-ance or other government programsand some pay privately for the serv-ice. The hourly charge is $14.

Children and spouses of thosewho attend the center say the facili-ty offers a safe environment thatcan in some cases delay the need forplacement in a nursing home or as-sisted living.

Marcel Gendron, 83, of Old Or-

chard Beach, a retired foreman atthe West Point Pepperell textileplant, began attending Truslow acouple of days a week but is nowthere five days a week, seven hoursa day.

"I know he's safe when he goesthere. They're locked in, and I'm notafraid that he's going to walk out,"said Jeannette Gendron, his wife of64 years. "We don't want to put himin a home. We're doing everythingwe can to avoid it."

Another participant withAlzheimer's, Edgar Underkofler, 83,resides with his wife in an assistedliving facility in Biddeford but be-gan going to the Truslow Center fivedays a week late last year. His son,John Underkofler of Scarborough,said his father enjoys his time thereand believes he is headed to workwhen the bus picks him up eachmorning.

"When he gets there, he says,'How can I help?" John Underkoflersaid. "They'll let him fold laundry orset tables and things like that. Andhe'll come home and talk about itlike he was setting things up atwork."

Relatives spoke glowingly of thecare that the center provides theirloved ones, a testament to the workof the staff and volunteers. Volun-teers visit from time to time to playgames, help out with arts and craftsor simply talk one-on-one with thosewho attend. Among the volunteersare “Garden Angels” from the Uni-versity’s Cooperative Extension,who help participants work in thecenter's raised-bed gardens.

All Truslow staff members,which include a registered nurse,undergo a training program to gaincertification in the Alzheimer's As-sociation's "Best Friends" approachto dementia care. The program isbased on the values and elements offriendship, respect and compassionas a key toward providing care forthose with dementia.

Even a brief visit to Truslowhighlights the caring and enthusi-asm that staff members have for

work that can be difficult and frus-trating. "They really have to want tobe here," said Thomas, who hasspent her career in geriatrics andhas been at the center for five years.

The Truslow Center offers toursand a free trial visit. To reach thecenter on Lincoln Street in Saco,call 283-0166.

Funds for Adult DayServices are AvailableImmediately

The Southern Maine Agency onAging’s Truslow program willhelp families access potentialfunding that is currently avail-

able for people who would benefitfrom day services, even if their in-come and assets exceed theMaineCare guidelines. If you are aveteran, you may qualify throughthe Veterans Administration. TheTruslow staff will answer yourquestions and point you in the rightdirection.

Veterans and non-veteransalike may qualify for other funding.Call Truslow at 283-0166 for moreinformation and an application. Thefunds are currently offered in theform of reimbursement to licensedproviders like the Truslow AdultDay Health Center in Saco, whichoperates Monday through Fridayfrom 8:00 to 5:00. For informationabout adult day services outside theSaco area, contact Southern MaineAgency on Aging and speak with aresource specialist at 1-800-427-7411.

Senior News 13



SMAA’s Truslow CenterOffers Day Care Option continued from page 1

Prescription DrugTake Back DaySaturday, April 30, 2011at Local Police Headquarters

Each day, approximately 2,500teens use prescription drugs toget high for the first time ac-cording to the Partnership for a

Drug Free America. Studies showthat a majority of abused prescrip-tion drugs are obtained from familyand friends, including the homemedicine cabinet.

In an effort to address this prob-lem, the first ever National Prescrip-tion Drug Take Back Day was heldSeptember 25, 2010. The purpose ofthis event was to provide a venue forpersons who wanted to dispose ofunwanted and unused prescriptiondrugs. This effort was a huge suc-cess in removing potentially danger-ous prescription drugs, particularlythose that are addictive or psychoac-tive, from our medicine cabinets.

During this event, Maine policeand volunteers collected 7,820pounds of prescription drugs rank-ing Maine #1 in the U.S. collectioneffort based on population.

For Maine residents who areunable to participate on April 30,there is a statewide prescriptiondrug mail back program. Furtherdetails on this program and the lo-cation sites for mailers can be ob-tained by going to the websitewww.safemeddisposal.com or callyour local pharmacist or police de-partment.

phone 207-899-0383fax 207-518-9563

[email protected] South Portland ME 04106

Penny Pollard MSc CCC-SLPEllen Stone Benson MSc CCC-SLP

Speech Therapy Associates of Maine

phone 207-899-0383fax 207-518-9563




phone 207-899-0383fax 207-518-9563





phone 207-899-0383 • fax [email protected]

39 Darling Ave South Portland ME 04106

TREATING DISORDERS OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, COGNITION, AND SWALLOWING

COMMUNICATION DIGNITY INDEPENDENCE

14 Senior News



Nine New Volunteer Leaders“Living Well for Better Health”

Talk about an experience thatbonds people to one another!Nine new leaders spent fourdays together (over the course

of several weeks) learning andpracticing one of the best toolsknown to help people take charge oftheir health and wellness. The toolis “Living Well for Better Health,”an award-winning workshop forpeople with ongoing or chronichealth issues.

Now almost everyone haschanges they’d like to make in theireveryday lifestyle that would orcould improve their health. Thisprogram teaches participants tomake an action plan and do whatev-er it takes to meet the short andlong-term goals in their plan. It ishard to take on changes by our-selves! So why not learn a provenway to make changes that will im-prove your health in a supportivesetting.

SMAA Living Well MasterTrainers, Priscilla Platt, LillianScenna and Liz Weaver led the four-day training. The new leaders arenow busy leading or helping to setup the six-week workshops in vari-ous locations including Maine-Health Learning Resource Centers

in Scarborough and Falmouth, theMinority Health Program and Port-land Community Health CenterPartnership.

The next Living Well LeaderTraining will take place at theSMAA main office in Scarboroughin March. For more informationabout any upcoming workshops ortraining, contact Anne Murray at 1-800-427-7411, ext. 529.

“I'm looking forward to the trainingsessions. Since I began living in thisarea just about a year ago, I haveparticipated in several offerings/opportunities through SMAA and amvery impressed with the widespectrum and excellent caliber ofthese offerings. I continue to be adelighted participant!

—Jane Hurst Signed up for “Living Well for BetterHealth” Leader Training in 2011.

Living Well Workshops Open to the Public*MaineHealth’s Learning Resource Center272 Congress St., PortlandTo register, call 874-1111.March 29-May 3Tuesdays, 2:00-4:30PM

Casco Bay YMCA14 Old South Freeport Rd., FreeportTo register: 865-9600April 26-June 7, Tuesdays, 1-3:30PM

Gorham Recreation, Apr.-June, TBD

Westbrook Family MedicineWestbrook Community Center426 Bridge St., April 27-June 1Wednesdays, 1-3:30PM

A Matter of BalanceClassesOpen to the Public*Falmouth Learning Resource 5 Bucknam Rd. Falmouth Call 885-8570 March 23-May 11, 2011 Wednesdays, 1:00-3:00 pm

Nasson Community Center 457 Main St. Springvale April 11-May 31, 2011 Mondays , 10-12

Pineland YMCA 25 Campus Dr. #100 New Gloucester April 28-June 9, 2011 Thursdays, 1-3

Southern Maine Medical Center Webber Building Biddeford May 6-June 24, 2011 Fridays, 10-12

*Call Anne Murray at 1-800-427-7411, Ext. 529 or 396-6529 to regis-ter or for more information.


Agency on Aging

Pictured here is the group of Living Well volunteers and their trainers,* who completedleader training in January. They are now ready to lead Living Well workshops. L to R,back row: Deqa Ahmed, Asha Suidan, Mary Ann Larson, Alison Hickey, Nelida Berke,*Liz Weaver, Colleen O’Connor, *Priscilla Platt, and Kolawole Bankowle. Front row:*Lillian Scenna, Olga Schimmer and Sister Patricia Pora.

Deering Pavilionoffers a place to fully enjoy life,

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Age 62 or older.

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Many Amenities and Services We Welcome Your Application!

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Savvy Traveler - EuropeBy ElizabethMargolis-Pineo

Our backpack-ing days arebehind us,but we're not

interested in theearly bird buffet quite yet. Here area few tips that keep us road-worthy:

Aim for the off-season.March/April and October/November— you'll avoid crowds, heat, expen-sive airfare and hotels.

Scout bargains online. Not com-fortable booking on the internet?Call the airline for booking. Youmay pay $25 extra but it is worth it.

Get travel insurance. Seniorspay more for travel insurance, butare more likely to use it. My hus-band and I use Access America(www.accessamerica.com).

High-quality rolling suitcase –we recommend swivel wheels!

Not too big! If you can't manage it,don't bring it. Seriously.

Check your bag. Again, lugging isa nightmare. I forgot this rule my-self last week and my shoulder iskilling me.

Pack a full supply of prescrip-tions and 5-days in your carry-on.No airline wants to “lose” a bag. Af-ter 5 days they have to compensateyou.

Leave plenty of time. Rushing isstressful. If your connecting flightis close, ask airline personnel to as-sist you.

Book aisle seats or upgrade.Everything they say about thecramped seats in coach is true.

Stay hydrated and stretch but beconscious of flight attendants' path.You don't want them annoyed atyou – 'nuf said.

Read reviews. Look for a three- orfour-star hotel that is reasonable,clean and comfortable. Make sureyour hotel has an elevator, or "lift."

Three stars and up. I don't rec-ommend hostels for seniors.

Stay in the center of the action.Hotels in the center give you accessto sights and attractions. Plus, cabfare isn't too bad if you run out ofsteam.

Go native. Try a home exchange:www.homeexchange.com. It's inex-pensive, and, surprise! Your ex-change doesn't have to be concurrent.Check out the listings for seniors.

Take the bus. Best to be aboveground in a new place. Broken esca-lators can stall even the savviest oftravelers.

Rent a car with GPS (essential!)when in the countryside for an ex-tended stay. Highly recommended:Auto Europe, right here in Portland.

Get your license. AAA will issuean international driver's license foraround $20 in 15 minutes. Bringyour own headshot (2 copies) andit's even cheaper.

Immerse yourself. Upon arrival,a bus tour is a relaxing way to getyour bearings. Sitting in a sidewalkcafé always boosts our confidence.

Senior discounts! Showing yourpassport can snare discounts onsightseeing, attractions, concerts,rail and boat trips – it pays to ask!

Keep smiling! A smile is the besttool you have on the road.

Sunday, April 10th 2:00PM

Catherine McAuley H.S.Stevens Avenue, Portland

Living Legends star line-upincludes Kathy Ball, EllenTucker, Father Frenchie, fu-ture legends Emily Bashier

Davis, Casey Hutchinson andMolly Olsen and a guest ap-pearance by Birdie Googins, alsoknown as The Marden’s Lady.

Tickets are $15 forreserved seating, $10general admission andcan be purchased bycalling PROP at 207-773-0202. Remainingtickets will be avail-able at the door. Pro-ceeds will benefit

PROP’s Foster Grandparent and Se-nior Companion Programs.

Senior News 15



55+? Time to right-size?

Opening Summer 2011 – Spring Crossing, Westbrook

Opening early next summer in downtown Westbrook—on the River Walk, near everything—brand new, one and

two person apartments in 24-hour maintained, smoke-freebuilding. Community space, on-site laundry, and assigned

off-street parking. Your cat will be welcome.

Reasonable rents include utilities:• $678-$814 for one-bedroom• $815-$978 for two-bedroomsIncome limits: $25,700-$35,220

We can send you details when they become available ifyou add your name to the Spring Crossing interest list:

207-854-9779, 207-854-6856, or [email protected]

Joe Miller had learned aboutconstraint therapy through his ownresearch and was preparing to takehis son to Alabama in the hope thatit would be helpful. Leslie, it turnedout, had been interested for sometime in the technique and volun-teered to travel there for training.

"It was a stroke of luck andGod's grace that we found her,"Miller said. "She brought the proto-col back, and Joseph was the first tobenefit from the program."

Because spontaneous recoverymay occur among some patientswith stroke, Leslie said, they gener-ally wait six months before under-going CIMT. Still, Leslie said manyof the principles of the technique,such as repetitive use, are applica-ble to all her patients.

Although the technique wouldseem to hold promise for older pa-tients, including seniors, coveragefrom private insurance andMedicare remains a gray area.

Don McLeod, a Medicarespokesman in Washington, D.C.,said there is no national policy,which leaves coverage decisions upto the local contractors who processand pay claims. Likewise, there isno uniform policy among private in-surers, leaving it to individual carri-ers to determine whether CIMT iscovered and for how much.

Rehab Technique OffersNew Option For MaineStroke Patientscontinued from page 1

Living Legends 6 Musical Variety Show

16 Senior News



From Jo Dill’s Notebook

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25th AnniversaryAs we begin celebrating our

Anniversary, I would be remissif I did not thank Anita Chan-dler for all of her years of serviceto the Maine Senior Games.

Thanks to Anita and to allthe past board members, eventcoordinators and volunteers forkeeping the flame going. Yourwork is so appreciated!

New LogoMaine Senior

Games has a newlogo! We acknowledgethe many years of sup-port from the SouthernMaine Agency on Aging by incor-porating its name into our logo.

2011 ScheduleOpening Ceremonies: July 31,Sea Dogs, Portland, Noon, Sun.Track & Field: August 6, Scar-borough HS, 1PM, Sat. (Raindate: August, 7)Men's Softball: August 13,Wainwright Fields, S. Portland,9AM, Sat. (Rain date: August 14)Golf: August 16, Toddy Brook,N. Yarmouth, 8:30AM, Tues.(Rain date: August, 17)Horseshoes: August 20, Deer-ing Oaks, Portland, 9AM, Sat.(Rain date: August 21)Triathlon: August 21, Tri forPreservation, Cape Elizabeth7:30AM, Sun.Archery: August 28, LakesideArchery, N. Yarmouth, 9AM, Sun.5 K Road Race: August 28, LABridge Run, Auburn, 9AM, Sun.Tennis: September 8, Men’sSingles/Doubles Racquet/FitnessCenter, Portland 9AM, Thurs.Tennis: September 9, Women’sSingles/Doubles/Mixed Racquet& Fitness, Portland, 9AM, Fri.Basketball (Women’s): Sep-tember 10, Cape Elizabeth HS,Cape Elizabeth, 8:30AM, Sat.Hot Shot/Foul Shoot: Septem-ber 10, Cape Elizabeth HS, 3PM,Sat. Basketball (Men’s): September11, Cape Elizabeth HS, 8:30AM,Sun.Table Tennis: September 16,Pineland YMCA, 9AM, Fri.Swimming: September 17,Greely HS, Cumberland,12:30PM, Sat.Cycling: September 18, Ken-nebunkport Bicycle Co, 9AM,Sun. (Rain date: September 25)10K Road Race: September,18, Portland Trails, 9AM, Sun.Bowling Candlepin Singles/Doubles: September 22, Big 20,Scarborough, 10am/1PM, Thurs.Racquetball: September 24,Racquet & Fitness Center, Port-land, 9AM, Sat.Bowling 10 Pin Singles &Doubles: September 25, YankeeLanes, Portland, 10AM, Sun.

Sponsorships/DonationsThanks so much to Martins

Point, our Platinum Sponsor;Piper Shores and Anthem ourGold Sponsors; Aging Excel-lence, our Silver Sponsor; Good-win’s Chevrolet, EllsworthRundlett, Esq., and Farm Fami-ly Miller Associates, our BronzeSponsors for the 2011 Maine

Senior Games.Thanks also to all of

the athletes who so gen-erously donated to theMSG 25th Anniversary.It is very much appreci-

ated. It’s not too late to do-nate! Send your donation to:

Maine Senior Games, 136 USRoute One, Scarborough, ME04074. Donations are tax-de-ductible.

Explore Maine Senior Games Day

Join the fun on June 5th(rain date June 12th) at Scarbor-ough High School when MaineSenior Games and Easy Adven-tures will host an “ExploreMaine Senior Games” Day. Thiswill be your chance to try a newevent, get new tips on yourevent, learn about the Maine Se-nior Games and what it has tooffer, rules, handouts, snacksand much more! No competition!Sports offered: track & field,women’s softball, triathlon,horseshoes, basketball foulshoot/hot shot, archery and ten-nis. Registration fee $10. Regis-ter online at www.maines-rgames.org or contact Jo [email protected] or call 396-6519.

National Senior GamesMany senior athletes from

Maine will be heading to Hous-ton, Texas in mid-June for theNational Senior Games. The Na-tional games are held every oth-er year in a major city in theU.S. We’ll be going to Cleveland,Ohio in 2013.

Triathlon Our event will take place

with the Cape Elizabeth LandTrust’s "Tri for Preservation" onSunday August 21st. The cost is$75, which includes a day passto Crescent Beach State Park. Itis a 7:30 AM start. The distancesare: 500-yard swim, 14-mile bikeride and 5K road race. The oceanswim is in Kettle Cove where thewaters are calm! If you have al-ways wanted to try a triathlonthis is it! Registration is open!They will be offering $5 off the registration fee for athleteswho register by March 21. Go to www.active.com orwww.trifind.com

By Peg BrownBoard MemberMaine Senior Games

Don’t ever suggest toDerry Rundlettthat at age 65 it’stime to slow down.

Speeding up to shaveseconds off his times towin has been his pas-sion since he was a sev-enth grader at KingMiddle School in Port-land and then a memberof the Bowdoin CollegeCross Country Team.

“I tried out for thetrack team in 7th grade,but was not even goodenough for a uniform.Undaunted, I ran in myjeans, t-shirt and sneak-ers on the track at Fitzpatrick Sta-dium. My classmates in the standsasked me why I didn’t have a uni-form—it was very embarrassing.

Almost 50 years later I ran inthe National Corporate Track Meetfor the City of Portland, my hometown team, in the relay doing the200 meter dash at that same stadi-um. We took the silver medal inthat event and I received my medalin a ceremony on the track, stand-ing in almost exactly the same spotin which I stood that day in June1959 when I was so embarrassed

not to have a uniform.From that moment on,the Fitzpatrick Stadium,where many Maine Se-nior Games track meetswere held, is like ashrine to me where I feelcomfortable, proud andat home.”

Well into his careeras a senior partner in thePortland law firm ofChild, Rundlett, Fifile,and Altshuler and a cer-tified Civil Trial Special-ist, Derry began to com-pete and win medals inMaine Senior Games.What a thrill to not onlywin medals in the 100,200, and 400 meterdashes in his age group,but then to go on to the

National Games and find that hecould be competitive against thebest. The first National SeniorGames he participated in was BatonRouge, Louisiana in 2001. He took asixth-place ribbon in the 400, theonly race he ran that year. At theNational Games in 2003, 2007 and2009 he competed in the 100, 200and 400 dashes. [The qualifying age for Maine Senior Games partic-ipation is 50.]

His performance in a relayteam at the 2009 Nationals in PaloAlto, California remains a thrilling

memory: “I had failed to place inthe 400 by one place, and the for-mer world champ in that event,Roger Pierce, encouraged me tocome the last day of events to see ifhe could get me on a relay team forthe 4 by 100. We asked severalteams from various states, and Iwas getting turned down right andleft for various reasons—wrongstate, too slow, too old, etc.

I felt like a child in a sandlotpick-up game with no one interestedin me. Finally Roger took me to ateam from Florida and they askedmy time in the 100. I fudged it by asecond or so and they appointed meanchor man on the team, the finalrunner. When I got the baton I no-ticed only two people ahead of me onthe track, my friend Roger runningin first for Massachusetts and a guyfrom Pennsylvania.

Knowing I had a chance at thebronze medal I took off and ran per-haps my best 100 ever. I heard theannouncer say that the guy coming

up on my rear would not catch me.We won the bronze! My teammatestreated me like a hero and the fourof us stood on the podium to get ourmedals while they played theOlympic theme song. My friendRoger reached over and we shookhands—one of the greatest athleticmemories of my 50-year career.

Aside from my law practice andmy family, nothing means as muchto me as Maine Senior Games. It hasmade a lot of my dreams come true—winning a national medal, competingagainst the best in the country.Without Maine Senior Games Iwouldn’t be as physically fit as I am.It has become a very important partof my life. Weight lifting, hiking,cross country and downhill skiing,golfing, all these activities keep mein shape for the summer Games. Aslong as I’m still running now, whyshould I retire? And if by some graceof God I can still walk around thetrack when I am 90, I will considermyself a most fortunate man.”

Senior News 17



Larrabee Heights—20 Liza Harmon Drive, Westbrook

Call Darlene Gallant at 854-6829 for an application! 30 Liza Harmon Drive • Westbrook, Maine 04092

[email protected] • www.westbrookhousing.org

Sign up now and you could soon be living at Larrabee Heights, a retirement destination for many Westbrook seniors. Join old friends—and make new ones— at this 62-plus community,

conveniently located near shopping and restaurants.

Built in 1988, Larrabee Heights has 36 two-bedroom apartments situated on a hill overlooking Westbrook Housing’s Larrabee Woods and Larrabee Village. Rent is $895 per month, not including utilities (except water and sewer).

Each apartment has its own private entrance and includes a living room, full kitchen (with great amenities including

dishwasher and garbage disposal), and bathroom. Each unit has a washer/dryer hookup and an attached one-

car garage.

Larrabee Heights is located on a quiet cul-de-sac behind Main Street in Westbrook.

Designed for active seniors who want a larger apartment and the convenience of their own garage parking, this community will soon have you calling Larrabee Heights “home.”

EQUAL HOUSINGOPPORTUNITY

Download an application at www.westbrookhousing.org

Call Mike Freysinger at 854-6819 for an application!

A Passion for Running Fast: Derry Rundlett and Maine Senior Games

18 Senior News



RSVP

The Tip of the Iceberg

There are hundreds of volunteeropportunities available for peo-ple age 55 and over throughRSVP. The ones listed below

are just "the tip of the iceberg."

Cumberland County• Volunteers are needed to work

with the United Way to recruitother volunteers for area non-profit organizations. This is agreat opportunity to use yourknowledge of your community.

• Become a class coordinator for anutrition and cooking educationprogram for low-income fami-lies. Duties would include gro-cery shopping for the class,assisting with the class, and set-up and clean-up. You would beworking with a professional chefand a nutritionist. Placementwould be close to where you live.

• A Portland area elementaryschool is looking for a libraryassistant to help shelve books,as well as someone to providemath and reading support tostudents. The teacher will pro-vide training.

• Here’s an opportunity to learnabout a new culture by becom-ing an American friend to anewly arrived refugee family.You would be volunteering oncea week to help acculturate thisfamily to the Portland commu-nity. Knowledge of their lan-guage is not necessary.

• A senior independent livinggroup could use your skills. Youcan choose from the following:flower arranging, leading acrafts class, leading a discussiongroup on books, travel or cur-rent events, or lead a sing-along. The facility could also usevolunteers to help on van out-ings.

• If you enjoy assisting in anoffice with tasks like filing,answering the phone, enteringdata on the computer or photo-copying, there are placementsfor you.

If any of the above opportunitiesinterest you, or you would like tolearn more about other ways youcan help others, call PriscillaGreene for more in-depth informa-tion. You may reach her at 396-6521

or 1-800-427-7411 Ext. 521. Or youmay email her at [email protected].

York County• Volunteers are needed to work

with the United Way to recruitother volunteers for area non-profit organizations. This is agreat opportunity to use yourknowledge of your community.

• A nursing home in Saco is look-ing for volunteers to help withactivities, including a pianoplayer who can entertain theresidents. Nursing homes inother communities are alsolooking for help.

• Non-profit child care centersand Head Start Programs arelooking for volunteers who cancome in and read to the chil-dren. Generally, this would be aonce-a-week volunteer opportu-nity.

• The Biddeford Saco Chamber ofCommerce is looking for volun-teers to greet and assist passen-gers at the Saco Train Station.Daytime and evening shifts areavailable.

• A children’s service organiza-tion with multiple locations islooking for volunteer mentors.

• A museum in Saco and a trolleymuseum in Arundel are bothlooking for volunteers to helpout in a variety of ways. Call tolearn more.

• Thrift stores in Kittery andYork could use your help.

• There are volunteer placementsin several nonprofit art galleriesand museums in southern YorkCounty.

• Les Chanteuse is a group ofRSVP volunteers who entertainat nursing homes, hospitals andassisted living centers in south-ern York County. Vocalists andinstrumentalists are welcome to join.To learn more about these and

many other volunteer opportunities,

if you live in southern York County,contact Deborah Levine at (603)205-4073 or [email protected] you live in the rest of York Coun-ty, contact Ken Murray at 1-800-427-7411, Ext. 520 or by [email protected].

New Volunteer HotlineHelp Older Adults with TheirIndependence. The Rewards areAmazing!

Southern Maine Agency on Ag-ing has a long history helpingpeople age 60 and over live fulland independent lives. We have

done that by providing clear, objec-tive information and a variety ofservices. Volunteers have alwaysbeen key to our success. Here aresome of the many ways you couldhelp as a volunteer:

• Help Seniors with EverydayFinances as a bill-paying assis-tant

• Deliver Meals on Wheels• Shop for Groceries for a Senior• Lead a Group to Help Seniors

Improve their Balance• Lead a Group to Help People

Cope with Chronic Illness• Help Organize Maine Senior

Games• Support Residents of Larrabee

Village in Westbrook byLeading Activities, Visiting orGrocery Shopping

• Help with Activities and Eventsat Truslow Adult Day Center inSaco

• Become a Medicare and HealthInsurance Advocate

• Help Provide Information &Resources to Seniors

• Put Your Office Skills to GoodUse at SMAA

To learn more, call the Volun-teer Hotline at (207) 396-6525.

VOLUNTEER CONNECTIONS RSVP“An Invitation to Make a Difference”

• 729-8033

www.midcoastseniorhealthcenter.com

Therapy, in your own home environment!Therapy, in your own home environment!We come to you in the privacy of yourhome or your senior living community.

Cdevelop a plan of care that recognizes your independence, safety and needs.

comprehensive occupational, speech and physical therapy services is our primary goal.

Our Motto Is: ~ Your Way.We have so much more to tell you about our services.We have so much more to tell you about our services.

883-1211

383 US Route One, Scarborough, ME 04074383 US Route One, Scarborough, ME 04074

privateinsurancesaccepted.Wheelchair

trainingclinicsavailable.

Therapy, in your own home environment!Therapy, in your own home environment!We come to you in the privacy of yourhome or your senior living community.

C

Imagine!

Join Spring Training through RSVP

Senior News 19



People Age 55 And OlderHave Even More WaysTo Help People Of AllAges Through RSVP

Southern Maine Agency on Ag-ing (SMAA) is the sponsor ofthe Retired and Senior Volun-teer Program (RSVP) in Cum-

berland and York counties. RSVP isa national program for people age55 and over who want to serve theircommunities by volunteering. InRSVP, you may help seniors by vol-unteering with SMAA, but you alsohave many additional volunteer op-portunities with other nonprofit andhealthcare organizations.

For opportunities in Cumber-land County contact PriscillaGreene at 396-6521 or 1-800-427-7411 Ext. 521. Or, email her [email protected]. For opportuni-ties in southern York County, con-tact Deborah Levine at 603-205-4073 or email her at [email protected]. For opportunities in therest of York County, contact KenMurray at 396-6520 or 1-800-427-7411 Ext. 520. Or email him [email protected].

New Volunteers

The following people have givenus permission to let you knowthat they recently becameSMAA and/or RSVP volunteers.

Welcome to you all, and thank youfor sharing your gifts with othersthrough volunteering.

James BakerJan BakerTed BakerAndrew BrienDeborah CadiganJennifer ColsonEllen FarberLynn GassJerry HarkavyDoris HarrisJoanne JaccaciLori MartinSandra NasonJoanne NeithercutLinda May PitmanJoseph SkvorakRandall SpoffordPatricia WeissSusan West

New RSVP StationLocations

The following organizations re-cently became an RSVP volun-teer station. We welcome themto the RSVP network and look

forward to working with them to de-velop meaningful volunteer assign-ments for many years to come.

The Table of PlentyYork Community Services

Association

SAVE THE DATEVolunteer Recognition Events

Once again Volunteer Recogni-tion Luncheons will be held tohonor RSVP volunteers, nomatter where they serve, and

all Southern Maine Agency on Ag-ing volunteers. Choose the Lun-cheon location and day most con-venient for you.

Tuesday, April 12, 201111:00 AM to 2:15 PMMousam View Place(The former K of C Hall, behind

Pizza by Paras)47 High StreetSanford, Maine

Thursday, April 14, 201111:00 AM to 2:15 PMItalian Heritage Center40 Westland AvenuePortland, Maine

All RSVP volunteers, RSVP Sta-tion Supervisors and Southern

Maine Agency on Aging volunteersare invited to attend. Invitationswill be mailed in March.

There will be no bus transporta-tion available this year. However, ifyou need assistance with trans-portation, let us know and we will

see if we can link you up with some-one else who is coming from yourcommunity.

Mark your calendars now to at-tend a Volunteer Recognition Lun-cheon during National Volunteerweek this coming April!

INDEPENDENT LIVING DESIGNS & MUCH MORE

SERVING THE 5 COUNTIES OF SOUTHERN MAINE

COMPREHENSIVEAGING IN PLACES E R V I C E S

Let CAPS retrofit your home,so you can stay at home.

We Plan, Design, and Build Solutions to fit any budget

Contact us for a free accessibility consultation.

Willard “Dugan” Spratt(207) 807-1136

[email protected]

Universal design with the continuum of life’s needs in mind:kitchen • bathroom • bedroom retrofits and remodelramps • cement walkways • steps • door wideningremoval of raised thresholds • levered door handleshundreds of low cost adaptive technologies available

William S. Holt, MD

center of excellence

SIGHT IS PRECIOUS.

For a free email subscription to our Eye Health Updates, visit us at www.eyecaremed.com.

HAVE QUESTIONS? Just call our friendly sta� at:

828-2020 888-374-2020

53 Sewall StreetPortland, Maine 04102

www.eyecaremed.comwww.seewithlasik.com

TREAT YOUR EYES TO THE CARE THEY DESERVE.

Excellence is our continuing commitmentand the focus of what we do every single

day – because sight is precious.

Our experienced ophthalmologists offer a full range of eyecare services

Cataract surgeryVitreoretinal care and surgery

Glaucoma evaluation, treatment and surgeryCorneal care and surgery, including transplantation

LASIK vision correction

Bruce Cassidy, MD Robert Daly, MD Samuel Solish, MDSamuel Solish, MD Scott Steidl, MD, DMA Jordan Sterrer, MDWilliam Holt, MD

Jackie Nguyen, MD Ruth Stevens, OD, MBARuth Stevens, OD, MBA Clement Berry, CEOElizabeth Serrage, MDEmeritus

Ravi Shah, MD

20 Senior News



AS S I S T E D LI V I N G • TH E HA R B O R PR O G R A MF O R T H E ME M O RY IM PA I R E D

1017 Turnpike Street • Canton, MA 02021781.828.9290 • 781.828.9419 Fax

Job#: BSY090401

Size: 4.8125”w X 7”t

Publication:

Client: Bay Square

De: KJD

Ae: LMD

Date: 04.09.09

Rnd~Ver: r01•vA

Colors

C M Y K

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Notes:

Discover why so many seniors love

Bay Square living

A Benchmark Senior Living Community

27 Forest Falls Drive • Yarmouth, ME 04096 • 207-846-0044www.benchmarkquality.com

Just beyond the beautiful Royal River is a place you’ll love to callhome. From the traditional stone fireplace that welcomes you, toour world-class service and amenities, Bay Square at Yarmouthinvites you to come celebrate life with friends by your side.

Life at Bay Square feels like coming home to your favorite seasideinn, where a caring staff and full calendar of activities make it easyto enjoy every day.

Call us today to schedule a complimentary lunch andexperience the beauty of Bay Square living.

Making Accessibility Affordable

If money stands between you and the adaptiveequipment you need, the mPower programmay be the solution.

mPower is more than an ordinary loan program. mPower loans are made at low-interest rateswith longer repayment schedules, reducingmonthly payments. Loans are available from$250 to $100,000.

toll-free: 1-800-427-7411 published and … ambulance services, more un-funded “charity care”...

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