Primetime September 2013

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Back to School

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� | PrimeTime September 2013� | PrimeTime September 2013

September 2013 PrimeTime | 3

Pr i m eTi m eSeptember 2013

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WRITERSJessica Botelho, Michael J. Cerio, Don Fowler,

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PrimeTime Magazine is published monthly and is available at over 400 locations throughout Rhode Island. Letters to the editor are welcome. We will not print unsigned letters unless exceptional circumstances can be shown.

nexTmonTh Don’t miss our Fall Theatre edition.

i n T h i s i s s u e

4 Glad Grads Two Tales of Continuing Education

6 Professor Polonius Mike Fink looks ahead to the school year

9 Sharing Her Music Kari Tieger loves music and loves to share it

10 Kim Clark brings Stephen Hopkins to life

PEOPLE & PLACESWorthy Cause .................................................................................................... 8Sisters Reunited .............................................................................................26Glimpse of RI’s past ......................................................................................28

fOOD & DRINKSimple, Satisfying Quiche ........................................................................27

LIfESTYLESWrite it down! .................................................................................................14That’s Entertainment ..................................................................................18Retirement Sparks ........................................................................................23Jon Land book review ...............................................................................24

SENIOR ISSUESAlzheimer’s Association ............................................................................12RI Senior Beat ..................................................................................................13Director’s column .........................................................................................20RI Health Care Association ......................................................................22

PROfESSIONAL’S PERSPECTIvEYour Taxes ..........................................................................................................19

Back to School!L I F E L O N G L E A R N I N G

“. . . we have only one life and

you should definitely do what you want.

Make yourself happy – do what you love;

love what you do . . .” – laurel Grondin

onThecoverRISD professor and PrimeTime columnistMike Fink at the Burleigh Building studio of artistAnthony Tomaselli during Gallery Night Providence.(Photo by Richard Benjamin)

Read about her continuingeducation journey on page 4

� | PrimeTime September 2013� | PrimeTime September 2013

b y J E S S I C A A . B O T E L H O

While most children moan and groan about going back to school each September, a few local adults say con-tinuing their college education at Johnson & Wales University (JWU) not only enhanced their knowledge, it also changed their lives for the better.

In May, Peter Drago, 61, of North Scituate, earned a Master’s in Business Administration, and Laurel Grondin, 56, of Oxford, Mass., obtained an Associate’s in Baking and Pastry Arts.

Though the programs are vastly different, Drago and Grondin share one thing in common – they proved to themselves, and others, that they can do anything they set their minds to, no matter their age.

“It’s not just for the particular purpose of advancing a career,” said Drago, who works full-time as an information security engineer at the Citizens Bank operation center in East Providence. “The residual benefit is doing something that keeps your brain going.”

Glad Grads

laurel Grondin, 56, of Oxford, Mass., recently obtained an Associate’s Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts from Johnson & Wales University (JWU). She plans to work as a part-time baker after retiring from her job as a medi-cal technologist. (Submitted photos)

Peter draGo, 61, smiles with his wife, Carol Ricci, at the JWU commence-ment ceremony in May. He earned a Master’s in Business Administration, and hopes to teach adjunct business courses.

September 2013 PrimeTime | �

lifelong learning

As an older graduate, he figured it wasn’t a “big deal” to earn yet another degree, as he has a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the Fordham University in the Bronx in New York, his hometown, and a Master’s in Social Work from Univer-sity at Albany, the State University of New York.

But as the commencement ceremony grew near, he realized it meant more to him than he initially thought. His wife and daughter planned to attend, and he ended up inviting a few friends.

“It was a nice day to share with family,” he said, noting that they celebrated at the CAV Restaurant in Downtown Providence. “And it was nice seeing other students I was graduating with.”

Grondin, a full-time medical technologist at UMASS Memorial Hospital, al-ready had a degree from Northern Virginia Community College. Still, she wanted another, and walked in the May ceremony even though her official graduation date is Aug. �3.

Grondin enrolled in the two-year program and has completed two internships to fulfill graduation requirements. She finished her first internship earlier this year at Eric’s LaPatisserie Café in Worcester, and wrapped up a second in August at the Bean Counter and Bakery in Shrewsbury.

It was a lot of work, she said, but it was worth it. “I just love baking,” said Grondin. “Ever since I was a little kid, I loved baking

with my grammy and my mom. We always had homemade baking. We weren’t going to buy store-bought desserts.”

But there’s another reason she decided to further her education. After her ��-year-old nephew passed away in �007 in an all-terrain vehicle accident, she knew she needed to grab life by the horns and follow her heart.

“It made me realize that we have only one life and you should definitely do what you want,” Grondin said. “Make yourself happy – do what you love; love what you do. Even though I love being in a health field working in the laboratory in the hospital, there was always something more that I wanted to do.”

When she reaches retirement age and moves on from the hospital, she plans to work part-time as a baker. In the meantime, she hopes to do a few side jobs to learn more about baking.

During their schooling, Drago and Grondin worked hard to balance work with studies, as well as their personal lives. Drago said JWU was the perfect fit because while the program typically takes two years, he was allowed to chip away at it through the course of four-and-a-half years. The fact that JWU offers trimes-ters also made it easier for him.

“I could take classes whenever I wanted,” he said. “And they really have an international flavor. There were students from Russia, China, Taiwan, Vietnam – there was a mixture of people that brought a different feel to it. It wasn’t just studying.”

He’s also grateful to Citizens Bank, as the company finances education after a year of employment if courses pertain to the job. Employees are required to maintain a “B” average, as well as other stipulations.

“I said, ‘Why not do this?’” Drago said, pointing out that while he has taught computer classes as an adjunct teacher at Bryant University when he first moved to Rhode Island in 1980, he’d like to teach business courses, as well.

In the meantime, he’s enjoying his job, as well as captaining a tennis team based out of Greenville. He also runs a discussion group, something he has done for the last decade.

“It’s a really nice part of my life,” he said. Other than that, he attends First Unitarian Church on Benefit Street in Provi-

dence, and spends free time with his daughter and wife. “We just celebrated our �9th anniversary on [July] �8th,” he said of his mar-

riage. Grondin also likes spending time with loved ones as often as possible, in-

cluding her two children and grandchildren. Her family held a party for her last month in honor of her new degree.

“My children have been my biggest supporters, but everywhere I turn peo-ple supported me,” she said, also expressing thanks to classmates who were kind to her when she endured hip replacement surgery during her studies. “I’m very grateful.”

But the icing on the cake is the fact that her granddaughter, Ayla, 9, likes to bake, too.

“It’s such a joy to be baking with her,” said Grondin. “She told me she’s going to open a shop called ‘Bakerteria,’ and that I can work with her.”

In addition to thanking family and classmates, she will forever be apprecia-tive to JWU Chef Tim Brown, who gave her words of encouragement when she needed them most. “He said, ‘Never be afraid to show who you are and what you can do,’” she said. “I just held on to that because it’s the truth.”

Grondin also praised JWU, a four-year college that, in addition to Culinary Arts and Business, offers degrees in Hospitality, Technology, Arts and Sciences, and more. For a full list or more information, visit JWU.edu.

“Johnson and Wales has a worldwide reputation in education and I wanted to be with the best,” she said. “I never felt like I was old. It was tough. It was chal-lenging. But I earned it. I’m just so happy that I was able to do it.”

She may just take more classes in between doing her favorite activities and hobbies, including being on the Board of Directors for the non-profit Friend-ship Network for Children, being an active member of her church, plus making homemade soaps, kayaking and photography.

“I’ve been thinking about taking some art classes,” Grondin said. “I can see how helpful it would be with cake decorating.”

two tales of continuing education

6 | PrimeTime September 20136 | PrimeTime September 2013

“Do not dull thy palm with entertainment of each new-hatched, unfledg’d comrade,” wrote Shakespeare. In “Hamlet,” Polonius gives this advice to his son Laertes, who is heading forth by ship at sea for an education abroad. He meant, of course, not to waste your allowance on treating your acquaintances or roommates to endless cocktails at the nearest bar. Instead, stick with tried and true chums. “Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel,” dad counsels.

Professor Poloniuswhat do You Fink? b y M I K E F I N K

Mike Fink was the guest poet in the Burleigh Building studio of artist Anthony Tomaselliduring Gallery Night Providence in July.

(Photos by Richard Benjamin)

I beg to differ, just a little. I have to make a best ally just for a single day, not a “BFF,” a best friend forever. Before I even ask

the name of my angelic stranger, my Elijah, I introduce him or her as “my new best friend.” Here in Narragan-sett, I met an environmental warden, keeping watch over the shorebirds. She told me that I would see no pip-ing plovers this summer.

There was a solitary springtime male, checking out the dunes, but he couldn’t find a female, so he gave up on Canonchet at the town beach, and

went to another South County strand to find love. We count the nests and we number the fledgelings.” Now, this young woman was my best friend even as I mourned the sad news she conveyed, that I wouldn’t have an elegant, elfin companion on my morn-ing strolls. An eerie absence, instead, kept me alert to other wildfowl. The swallows, even the sparrows and pigeons and gulls that aren’t so picky about their nesting and feeding habits and routines, chirped their cheerful hellos and fellow greetings.


A few memorized lines from poems, plays, or songs come in handy, not only in conversation but even in private reverie. “What to make of a dimin-ished thing?” asked Robert Frost about the end of summer.

On the other hand, come September, I do look forward to meeting fresh-faced students hoping that I can come up with some challenging ideas or assign-ments. I teach three courses in the fall semester. A class in journalism, which I subtitle “Writing with your Feet”. I explain, to justify that odd phrase, that I want them to get away from familiar ruts and routines on campus and search the streets of our historic city for people to meet politely, engage in some idle chatter, and sketch, both in words and perhaps in lines sketched by pencil or charcoal. That elective meets at 8:00 a.m., and by the winter break, it’s tough to get there on time--for me as well as for them.

I also offer a Bible study seminar. I inherited the syllabus from a colleague who retired and left it to me. I handle the enormity of the texts differently from her disciplined pedagogy. I emphasize the Old Testament, because it has so many marvelous characters, steeped in mystery. Adam and Eve in Eden to Cain and Abel and on to Noah and his Ark. Then, there are Jacob, who wrestles with an Angel and wins, sort of, although he comes out with a seriously wounded ankle, a limp that reminds him of the struggle. Was it only his dream? Job and his troubles, and David and Solomon with their ambitions and their ethi-cal lapses and failings, and Balaam and his little talking burro that guides him and keeps him on the proper path. We only meet twice a week, and for barely three months. I do invite priests, ministers, rabbis, and gospel singers as well,

lifelong learning

in the colony founded by Roger Williams, converts from and to many faiths and rituals. The assignment? To draw, paint, sculpt, or build one particular passage, prophecy, or parable, using the powers they hone in their studios. Last year, my favorite presentation was, during the festival called “Succoth”--a kind of Thanksgiving hut one builds to celebrate the harvest and to invite not only one’s living neighbors, but also one’s ancestors, recent, ancient, or mythical. A group of RISD artist-disciples shaped just such a booth, in the weeks between Hallowe’en and our American special November Thursday, behind the Woods Gerry mansion on Prospect Street.

The third class I convene starting in September is, a Hollywood History. I screen a silent Garbo film, a singing Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney show, some fine patriotic wartime World War II propaganda flicks, as well as “The Best Years of Our Lives” ---but shudder at the thought of coming up to date on recent cin-ema. I want my students to think like artists, not merely work as designers. To have the patience to appreciate the poetry of the studio output, its scripts and its directorial inventiveness and cinematic imagination.

Yes, it is at least briefly rather melancholy to put on the neckties and the socks, the sit through meetings and exchange the smiles of summer for the frowns of town. As I follow my bare feet on the sands of time from the Tow-ers and the Wall to the trio of pavilions, waving to my Best Friends of July and August, I ponder and I wonder. What’s next on the calendar? How will it go? Will I make a best friend every single weekday as well as renewing the goodwill of auld acquaintance?


colorPEOPLE AND PLACESa worthY cauSe b y M I C H A E L J . C E R I O

In recent months, one of the most talked about issues across the airwaves has fo-cused on the country’s ever-growing student loan debt. While there is little question the problem needs to be addressed – President Obama on August 9 signed a bipar-tisan bill that lowers the costs of borrowing for millions of students – I’m reminded of a powerful quote by Nelson Mandela:

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Though it’s often said that a strong education is the best route out of poverty, 30 percent of Rhode Island’s �011 high school graduates had yet to enroll in college 1� months after receiving their diplomas. For students from economically-disad-vantaged households and our state’s urban communities, this percentage, sadly, is even higher.

It is estimated that by �018, more than 60 percent of Rhode Island jobs will require post-secondary education. So, how do we ensure that every student in the Ocean State, particularly those with much potential from urban communities, have access to college and the opportunity to reach their full potential in life? Enter The College Crusade of Rhode Island.

Established in 1989, the College Crusade of Rhode Island is an innovative non-profit that works to improve high school graduation and college attending rates for low-income youth as a crucial aspect of strengthening Rhode Island’s future work-force. This year, the organization will work with more than 3,700 students from Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, Woonsocket, and Cranston.

By combining the steady presence of caring adults with a wide-range of programs, students who are members of The College Crusade attend college at significantly higher rates than their peers.

With the �013-�01� school year now underway, and thousands of local students ramping up their college selection and application process, PrimeTime sat down with Bob Oberg, Vice President of Development and Communications for The College Crusade of Rhode Island to learn more about their life-changing efforts.

Q What is the biggest impact of your work?

The College Crusade of Rhode IslandHelping Urban Students Attend and Succeed in College

A The biggest long-term impact of The College Crusade is the positive influence we have on young people who come from Rhode Island’s low-income communi-ties by changing the trajectories of their lives. Students in our program who otherwise never would have gone to college have completed college, moved forward into good careers, and are contributing to our economy. There is also a generational effect to this change that occurs in the longer term. As a result of the success our students have achieved, their children will not be first-genera-tion college students who have to overcome the same obstacles as their parents. Last year alone, we had 500 Crusaders attending college.

Q You mention obstacles that low-income students face that their more afflu-ent peers may not encounter – what are the biggest obstacles and how do you help students overcome them?

A The first obstacle is that the majority of our students come from families that do not have access to information about higher education. Very often, they lack the ability to advocate for their children because they don’t understand how the system works. Second, the energy for many of these families is spent on basic survival. Paying rent and buying food can be a daily struggle that makes it hard to focus on long-term goals like college. Third, for our students, a college-going culture is usually not the norm among their peers. Without the proper advice and support, these students have difficulty envisioning a future for themselves. Finally, the financial obstacle of a college education can derail even the most motivated of students.

Q College Crusade Advisors play a critical role in the success of those they work with – what type of feedback do you get from your students on the bonds they forge?

A Our students often speak about their Advisors as family members and trusted friends who they can talk to about anything in their lives, not just school issues. Having a complete view of our students helps us know how to support them. One of the reasons that our students and Advisors bond so quickly is the fact that many of them come from the same neighborhoods and in many cases at-tended the same schools. And, many of our Advisors were actually Crusaders themselves.

CRUSADE – PAGE 14


b y K A T H Y T I R R E L L lifelong learning

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Sharing Music is Her LifeK ari Tieger is a lovely and talented singer/songwriter who radiates warmth

and positive vibes to those around her. Born in the Bronx, N.Y., she also spent some time living in Long Island. After meeting her husband, Ollie Brennan, she moved to Rhode Island where the two have lived for the

past 37 years, most of that time in Riverside.She has taught piano for 35 years, both privately and at public locations such

as the Jewish Community Center and for the past four years she’s been teaching at the French-American School of Rhode Island.

She’s been writing and recording her own music for the past �5 years. Those recordings include three full-length albums (two in French), a bilingual meditation CD, some singles and extended plays (with � tracks or more).

Elton John, Barbara Streisand, Sting, Stevie Wonder and Joni Mitchell are some of her favorite musical influences. While these artists typically fall under specific genres such as popular or folk, when it comes to categorizing her own music, Tieger found she had to be creative, coming up with the term “eclectic acoustic pop.”

“It covers a lot of genres,” she explained. “It’s easier to talk about what it isn’t than what it is. It’s not rock, not folk, not country. I write in a lot of different styles – jazz, New Age, neo-classical.”

In �009, Motif Magazine named her last album, “Nos Mots” (French for “Our Words”), Americana Album of the Year. She was nominated for Best Female Vocal-ist in �010 and �011, and in 1990 one of her songs was nominated for Song of the Year. She is also an award-winning member of ASCAP, receiving yearly songwriting awards since 1990.

She writes about spiritual growth and relationships. MUSIC – PAGE 29

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On Saturday afternoons, from May through October, Kim Clark ferries visitors – from � to 50 – through the two floors, seven rooms of the Stephen Hopkins House, on the East Side of Providence. Kim is a docent. Her task is not to showcase the extraordinary home of an extraordinary man. After all, the house is modest. Even by 18th century standards, the house was not grandiose. Rick Greenwood, deputy director, the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission, explains, “In those days, there wasn’t an expectation of all that space, even for wealthy men. That is why the John Brown House was so exceptional.”

As for Stephen Hopkins, he is a Colonial hero, known for signing the Dec-laration of Independence, one of two Rhode Islanders to do so. (The other was William Ellery). This ship-owner, businessman (a partner of the Brown brothers

Kim Clarkbringing Stephen Hopkins to life

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in the Hope Furnace ironworks) and farmer had been president of the Scituate Town Council, governor, chief justice of the colony, and the first chancellor of Brown University. But Kim wants visitors to glimpse the man behind the reputa-tion.

“I want people to see that this was an ordinary man, faced with extraordinary challenges: Illness, death, war on this shore. He met them. Visitors should leave with optimism that if he could muddle through at this crucial time in our coun-try, then all of us today should take heart that we too can.”

Indeed, as Kim walks through the house, Stephen Hopkins – the man – emerges: A Quaker; a slaveholder, who arranged upon his death to free his slaves, with a subsidy; a father to seven children, stepfather to three; a man who began life loyal to England, then embraced this new country (his great-grandfather had


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Stephen Hopkins: The House Behind the Man History texts will keep the name of Stephen Hopkins alive. He was famous

enough to persist.His house is another story. Originally located at the foot of South

Main Street, this modest dwelling began as a family home in 1708. After Stephen Hopkins bought it, in 17�3 he added a large wing that formed the new front, doubling the home’s size. After Hopkins’ descendants left the house, it became a shop. In 18�0, the firm Brown and Ives acquired the plot and moved the structure halfway up the hill. It was still used as a business, never given special treatment as a historic house.

In 19�7, when the state of Rhode Island decided to expand the Provi-dence County Courthouse, the state planned to buy, and demolish, the adja-cent properties. Stephen Hopkins’ home was slated for demolition.

History buffs objected, vehemently. Not only had a Rhode Island patriot lived there, George Washington had once slept there. Yet, the state was not prepared to relocate this house, no matter who had long ago lived, or slept, there.

Enter the Rhode Island Society of the Colonial Dames. Nationwide, the Colonial Dames consist of women who can trace their ancestry to people who “contributed to the founding of the country,” according to Zulette Catir, past president of the Rhode Island Society. Zulette explains the mission of this genealogical society: “The education of its membership and the public about the values and principles that led to the founding of this country and their relevance for the present.”

In 19�7, the Rhode Island Society made an arrangement with the state that has lasted for 86 years. (Rick Greenwood notes that this arrangement was the first explicit governmental effort at preservation of historic buildings in Providence). The state bought the house, and moved it to the corner of Benefit Street. The state owns the house, makes repairs and sees to maintenance. The Rhode Island Society of the Colonial Dames conducts tours, administers the museum and keeps tabs on the aging structure and its garden.

The Society in Rhode Island, which started in 1893, has 165 members. In addition to oversee-ing the Stephen Hopkins House, it owns the Whitehall Museum House in Middletown, home of the English philosopher Bishop Berkeley.

sailed from England in 1635 with Benedict Arnold, the state’s first governor under the English charter). Kim urges visitors not “to sanitize our heroes, put them on pedestals, but see them as fully human.”

Kim understands old houses. “I grew up in Connecticut in a federal period house full of

family antiques. My parents’ hobby, besides sailing, was restor-ing old houses,” she said.

Today she lives in what was once the “poor-farm” in War-ren, half pre-Revolutionary and half town-built in 18�0, up-dated to �1st century standards, but still evoking its history.

Born in Pennsylvania, she grew up in Connecticut, gradu-ated with a degree in Asian studies from Cornell, and raised a family in Rhode Island. She can trace ancestors, on both sides, to the Revolutionary era. She has volunteered as a do-cent, first at Coggeshall Farm in Bristol, then at Smith’s Castle in Wickford. She has participated in French and Indian war re-enactments around New England and New York State; and, for the past three years, she has led tours at the Stephen Hop-kins House.

On a Saturday afternoon, drop by Hopkins’ home, and hear Kim Clark bring his story to life.

1� | PrimeTime September 20131� | PrimeTime September 2013

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The Alzheimer’s Association Rhode Island Chapter invites Rhode Islanders to unite in a movement to reclaim the future for millions by participating in the Alzheimer’s As-sociation Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Sunday, Sept. �� in Newport. Regis-tration begins at noon at the O’Hare Academic Center and the walk is at 1 along Bellevue Avenue.

On Sunday, Sept. �9, the Walk is at Slater Park in Pawtucket. Registra-tion begins at 8 a.m. at the Daggett Farm and the walk is at 9 through Slater Park. We are encouraging you to “make your Walk personal” and share with us why you walk and raise funds for the cause.

Share your stories about your loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease at work, in the office, on e-mail, Face-book, Twitter, Flicker or however you connect, but share so we can bring more attention, funding and research

to this disease.Walk to End Alzheimer’s is more

than a walk. It is an experience for more than �,000 participants in Rhode Island who will learn about Alzheimer’s disease and how to get involved with this critical cause, from advocacy opportunities, the latest in Alzheimer’s research and clinical trial enrollment to support programs and services. Each walker will also join in a meaningful ceremony to honor those affected by Alzheimer’s disease, holding up colorful flowers in honor of loved ones.

Alzheimer’s disease is a grow-ing epidemic and is now the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death. As baby boomers age, the number of individu-als living with Alzheimer’s disease will rapidly escalate, increasing well be-yond today’s estimated 5.� million Americans living with Alzheimer’s. There are �5,000 Rhode Islanders

with Alzheimer’s disease, but as many as 100,000 are affected by caregiving.

This year in Rhode Island, for the sixth year in a row, we would like to extend thanks to Briarcliffe Manor and Briarcliffe Gardens, the Platinum Sponsor for Walk to End Alzheim-er’s. With the help of our sponsors and teams, we will reach our goal of $�30,000 to support families living with Alzheimer’s disease, and help ad-vance research through our national office. And for the 10th year, WPRI 1� has been our dedicated media sponsor, with special thanks to An-chor Mike Montecalvo. Also this year, we are happy to announce that Sena-tor Sheldon Whitehouse will be the Honorary Chair for the Pawtucket Walk and Congressman David Cicil-line will be the Honorary Chair for the Newport Walk.

“There has never been a greater need for the citizens of Rhode Island

to join in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease by participating in Walk to End Alzheimer’s,” said Donna McGowan, Alzheimer’s Association Rhode Island Chapter executive director. “Funds raised will provide care and support services to the �5,000 Rhode Island-ers living with Alzheimer’s, while also contributing to advancing critically-needed research.” Be a sponsor or join a team today at alz.org/ri.

The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is on Sunday, Sept. �� at Salve Regina University, Newport, and Sept. �9 at Slater Park, Pawtucket. There will be a moving ceremony from people affect-ed by Alzheimer’s disease, exhibitors, DJ, pizza, giveaways, children’s games and of course, fundraising. If you are interested in signing on as a team, visit our website at www.alz.org/ri or call the Chapter Office, 800-�7�-3900, ��1-0008 for details.

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Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s Participants raise critically needed funds for alzheimer’s care, support, and research


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You may have already seen some of the warning signs like a few more scratches and dents, accidents, confusion about routes to stores they have been shopping at for years, or maybe they have gotten a few traffic tickets lately. There is never an easy time to “have the talk” with your older relative about giving up their driver’s license or their car. But the conversation may just save their lives and the lives of others.

For seniors, the decision to stop driving is difficult. The transition represents a certain loss of mobility and independence. And while getting older is not the sole reason for giving up driving, aging may contribute to decreased vision or hearing, slower reflexes and reaction times, and less flexibility. Seniors may also be taking medications for chronic conditions. Any one of these factors can affect their driving ability.

In some cases, seniors may alter their driving habits, such as no longer driving on the highway or at night, or driving shorter distances. While this may work for some seniors, others may be faced with the tough decision of relinquishing their driver’s license and getting rid of their cars.

The conversation needs to be approached calmly and logically, and with the full knowledge that the senior’s safety is at risk if they continue to drive. It might be a good idea to point out the benefits of not driving. They will be saving money on gas, maintenance and insurance. Talk about the alternatives, such as public transporta-tion or community buses.

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) RIde program provides transportation services to those 60 and older, and adults with disabilities under 60 who meet certain criteria. Transportation is generally available weekdays from 10 a.m. to � p.m. for doctors’ appointments, therapy, medical tests, adult day care, kidney dialysis, cancer treatments and senior center/community meal site lunches. There is a $� one-way fee per ride. Adult day service clients and persons on Medical Assistance are not charged fees. Reservations should be made at least seven business days in advance of any appointment. RIde transportation reservations can be made Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to �:30 p.m. by calling �61-9760, or 1-800-�79-690�.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rhode Islanders of any age who have a disability may be eligible for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Paratransit Services. The program provides transportation service if disability pre-vents the individual from using regular RIPTA bus service. Service is provided along existing RIPTA routes at a fare of $� per each one-way trip. For more information, call �61-9670, or go to www.ripta.com. The TTY number is 711 (Relay RI).

Some cities and towns offer senior transportation for non-medical destinations, such as the grocery store, or other locations. Call your local senior center.

When talking to an older relative about the issues of driving, be respectful but firm. For many people, driving is not only the key to independence, but also a trigger for fond memories. Realize that when your older relative’s driving privileges come to an end, they may exhibit some signs of depression or anxiety. Make a point of telling them that they still need to stay connected to family and friends. Express your concerns, but don’t be intimidated.

Give specific reasons for your concern. Note any accidents, recent car dam-age, difficulties in turning their head, traffic violations, or physical changes. If you need it, get help and support from other family members such as siblings, or close friends. You may want to include recommendations from professionals such as doc-tors or driving instructors. Stress your concern for their safety.

In some cases, the older relative may refuse to give up their driver’s license or their car, despite the fact that it’s probably in their best interest. You can get more information about filing reports on driver fitness from the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles Medical Advisory Board at �6�-�368.

The Rhode Island Department of Human Services Division of Elderly Affairs (DEA) is respon-sible for the development and implementation of a comprehensive system of programs and services for Rhode Islanders ages 60 and older and for adults with disabilities. Questions or requests for additional information on the issues of growing older in Rhode Island should be directed to: Larry Grimaldi, Rhode Island Senior Beat, Rhode Island Department of Human Services, Divi-sion of Elderly Affairs, 74 West Road, Cranston, RI 02920 or faxed to 462-0503. Information may also be requested via e-mail at [email protected].

Seniors behind the wheelsenior issuesR H O D E I S L A N D S E N I O R B E A T

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See their ad on PaGe 15

1� | PrimeTime September 2013

You’re sitting home watching tele-vision.

The telephone rings.“This is Dr. Green’s office. Did

you forget about your �:30 appoint-ment?”

You are in the back yard pulling up weeds.

Your cell phone rings.“We’re ready to tee off. Where are

you?”Forgetting an appointment is

something we all have done more than once in our life, and as we get older, chances are it will happen again.

We can’t always count on a secre-tary, assistant, or spouse to remind us, so what can we do?

WRITE IT DOWN!My younger friends and relatives

are obsessed with their electronic gadgets, which do everything from taking photos to servings as their date book. While they are frantically fin-gering their tiny keyboards to see if they are available for lunch next Fri-

day, I have turned to the page in my calendar, waiting patiently for their response.

Buy yourself a Daily Calendar book and write everything down: your appointments, activities, meet-ings … anything that demands your attention.

Appointment books are available at office supply stores, bookstores, online, or even for free from your doctor, dentist or accountant.

I use a “Daytimer,” a page-a-day appointment book that I have used since my first job with the Boy Scouts, when my life was spent in meetings and traveling to various lo-cations. Everything went in the book. We even used the code “DWW,” as volunteers looked over our shoulder to see if we were available on a Sat-urday night.

DWW was our way of reminding ourselves that we needed at least one night free for a Date With Wife.

“But, I’m retired,” you say. “I

don’t have a lot of meetings and appointments.”

The calendar, or date book, serves as a constant reminder of those ob-ligations you have, whether they be doctor’s appointments, visits to or from relatives, volunteer duties, or playing bridge.

It is also a record of where and when you went to the dentist, had your hair done, visited with your grandchildren, or went to the li-brary. It is also a perfect place to record birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions, reminding you to make that phone call or buy that card.

I also include significant things that happened unexpectedly, like a gall bladder attack, funeral, call from old friend, or grandchild scor-ing winning soccer goal.

senior issues b y D O N F O W L E R

Write itdown!

How many times have people asked you when something hap-pened, and you can’t remember? Re-cord it in your date book, and you can check it out.

I save my Daytimers and review them every year, transferring the sig-nificant events to my memoires (Life Story) for prosperity … or at least until they get thrown away.

The key is to keep everything im-portant in your life, from your trip to Cape Cod to your grandchild’s first tooth, all in one place. The more items on each page, the better.

CRUSADE –

Q You work with your students not just during the school year, but also throughout the summer. How does this impact their learning and college readiness

A We take a holistic approach to positively affecting our students’ learning and col-lege readiness. From the moment our students join us in grade 6 or 7 through grade 1�, our programs cover four primary areas: academic readiness, personal and social development, career awareness and exploration, and college prepa-ration. After school, weekends, school vacations, and during the summer, we offer sustained contact and exposure to these experiences over a long period of time as a way to build our students’ skills and immerse them in a college-going culture.

Q How do you measure the success of your work?

A We measure everything we can to make sure our approach continues to mat-ter and make a difference for students. There are 3 measures of impact that are most important. As compared to their peers, Crusaders are more likely to graduate high school, go to college, and persist in college by advancing beyond their freshman year. Remarkably, over the past � years, Crusaders are persisting in higher education at a level about 10% higher than that of all students at all incomes at both public and private colleges in Rhode Island.

Q How is The College Crusade supported and what opportunities do members of the community have to get involved with your work?

A The College Crusade is funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s GEAR UP program, by the State of RI, and by private corpora-tions, foundations, and individuals. We are always looking for more support from Rhode Islanders who care about investing in young people. I would like to invite your readers to our Believe Breakfast on November 6 at the Radisson Airport Hotel in Warwick. We also have many opportunities for people to serve as career speakers and talk about how they got into their line of work. Contact Karen Donovan at (�01) 85�-5500 x1�0.

Q What would you like people to know most about The College Crusade of Rhode Island?

A Our experiences over the last �5 years affirms our originating vision: If you be-lieve that all children can succeed when you provide them with the advice and support they need to overcome challenges, and if you do this with fidelity and consistency, they will succeed. And, they will also become the kind of people who give back to their communities. When we see Crusaders graduate college and come back to work with current students, it’s extremely gratifying. Those whose lives we touch have a real sense of commitment to our program.

Bob Oberg may be reached at (401) 854-5500 x124 or by email at [email protected]. Additional information on The College Crusade of Rhode Island can be found on their website: www.TheCollegeCrusade.org.

September 2013 PrimeTime | 1�

continuing education classes & workshopstrinity rep. comedy class

This scene study–based class will study the mechanics of how comedy actually works. It’s all in the timing, and resident acting company member Angela Brazil will help students delve into this fascinating and fun genre. Using text analysis, “playing the truth,” investing in comedy’s high stakes, and committing to the physical life of a scene, students will work on one or two scenes that will have the audiences rolling down the aisles. September 7 to October 26, 2013m Saturdays, 10am – noon, $300

For more class at Trinity go to http://www.trinityrep.com/education/student_programs/adult_classes.php

write Your children’s Book (and Get it Published)workshop - learning connectionBreaking into print in the world of children’s books can seem like an impos-sible dream. If you can come up with a well-focused project, and pick up a few key marketing and submission tips, you can dramatically increase your chances of publishing your first book. Get the inside scoop on sending out and selling your work to agents and publishers – the tricks of the trade you need to know to break into print. Come armed with rumors, rejection letters, tips of your own and your questions about the publishing process. Tuesday, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm; 1 session starting September 24, 2013, ending September 24, 2013 Non-member Fee: $45.00 Member Fee: $39.00 Materials Fee: $2.00 In-structor: Peter Mandel Location: Providence Registration Closes On: September 24, 2013 11:59 PM www.learnconnect.com 401-274-9330

wine & Spirits certificate Programs and day classesJohnston & wales university’s Providence campus offers non-

credit beverage certifications in partnership with the world-renowned Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), the Society for Wine Educators (SWE) and L’Ecole du Vin of Bordeaux. These specialized programs are tailored to vary-ing degrees of expertise.

For more information, contact Adult & Continuing Education at 401-598-2336 or go to www.jwu.edu

learn Sign language – aSl academy The American Sign Language Academy is a language program designed

to bring students all the way to fluency. Our teaching approach builds progressive skills to allow you to reach that goal. We take the shortest route to putting information into your long-term memory.

The development of this approach is from the study of brain physiology, first and second language acquisition, long and short-term memory func-tion, and many years of experience.

Our program is thorough and complete. It is affordable. It is flexible, al-lowing students to progress at their own rate.

ASL Academy, 255 Main St., Pawtucket, RI 02860401 722 1022 or email [email protected]

cooking up a Play, a recipe For BeginnersPlay writing workshop, Barrington Public libarary Thursdays, Sept. 5, 12, 19 • 6:30 to 8:30 PM

The recipe for a great play consists of two essential ingredients: conflict and character. Then there’s a handful of secondary ingredients that will add flavor and variety to that recipe. Writers will learn to spot signs that one of these ingredients is missing and use a collection of helpful methods to whip up and spice a deflated, bland play. This introvert-friendly workshop features real-time writing and optional sharing. No prior play writing experience required. New writers welcome.

This workshop series is taught by Ben Jolviet. He holds a B.A. in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University and was named a 2013 Dramatic Writing Fellow by the Massachusetts’s Cultural Council.

Space is limited. Register online to reserve your seat or call the Reference Desk at 401-247-1920 x 2. Free and open to all.

16 | PrimeTime September 2013

LEARN ABOUT STRESS-FREE PLANNING TO PROTECT AND UNBURDEN YOUR FAMILY

Tuesday, September 24, at 7:00 pm

CCRI/Knight Campus, Conference Room 1130 400 East Street, Warwick RI

Join Attorney Rob Deschene in a relaxed setting for an educational forum. Get your questions answered to help begin your planning.

Attendees get a take-home planner. Call to reserve your seat. DESCHENE LAW OFFICE

Estate Planning, Elder Law and Asset Protection for Rhode Island Families 95 Church Street North Attleborough MA 02760

Call 508-316-3853 or visit www.deschenelaw.com

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Deschene Law OfficeStress-free Planning to Protect

and Unburden Your Family The famous statesman Benjamin Franklin once coined the phrase: “By failing

to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Life is unpredictable, and planning is always best done before a medical or financial crisis arises. Planning begins by identify-ing risks and concerns you have about your family. Attorney Rob Deschene, whose law career spans almost �5 years, can help: “I see clients whose families are devastated, either emotionally or financially, because they did not take the very easy steps to plan ahead for their disability or death. It is very satisfying to have clients walk out of my office with peace of mind, knowing they have done everything they can do to get themselves and their family that protection.”

Deschene’s practice, Deschene Law Office, focuses on a full range of plan-ning solutions and strategies for unique family situations. No matter how little property you have, a plan is needed to get your assets to your family when you become disabled or die. A good plan protects your hard-earned property from being lost through probate costs, taxes, nursing home expense, creditor law suits and divorce. Planning is not only about property, but about arranging for oth-ers you trust to make medical and financial decisions for you when you are no longer able, or to raise your minor children.

Seventy percent of Americans have done no planning. There are many reasons why people postpone planning, such as not wanting to think about disability or dying. Deschene says: “Everyone dies, and over �0% will need some period of nursing home care in their lifetimes. Not planning does not prevent these things from happening anyway.” Another reason why people delay planning is that they expect it to be complicated. Deschene notes: “Estate planning can be a simple, surprisingly easy and stress-free process, settling worrisome questions that families face.” Deschene uses simple planning tools, such as a self-evaluation questionnaire, which helps identify and focus on the particular worries that keep people awake at night. Deschene often hears from his clients: “If I had only known how easy this process was, I would have done it long ago.”

Now is the time to plan, whether you need a power of attorney so that some-one you trust can manage your assets, or you want to know more about a living trust which allows you to bypass the expensive and drawn out process of probat-ing a will, or you need a guardianship arrangement for your minor children, or you want to provide quality of life for a family member with “special needs”.

Attorney Rob Deschene is a native of Tiverton, Rhode Island and licensed to practice in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The office, at 95 Church Street in North Attleborough, MA., is fifteen minutes from Providence. For an exten-sive look at their services, helpful blogs and news, including upcoming events, visit their informative website at www.deschenelaw.com. Deschene, a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, is a frequent writer/speaker and offers public educational sessions to help families start the planning process. You can also contact them by email at [email protected] or by calling 508-316-3853 or 1-800-3�7-1097.

Don’t delay – plan for your future, beginning today.

Meet Attorney Rob Deschene whose law practice is devoted tohelping you plan for your future with confidence and peace of mind.

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Hearing Health professionalsof New England

Imagine hearing your favorite sound. Close your eyes and feel how the sound sur-rounds you, whether it’s the waves of the ocean pounding on the sand beneath your feet, or a song that makes your skin tingle. Our lives are made of meaningful sounds that create meaningful memories. Now imagine losing the ability to enjoy your favor-ite sounds of life. Would that include the sounds of family? Friends? Nature?

The truth is, Hearing Loss is not black and white. Just because someone has a hearing loss, does not mean that person is deaf. What many people tend to overlook is that good hearing health is what enables our brains to function and process sounds correctly. As people lose their hearing, which typically happens gradually over time, the brain forgets how to process the sounds it cannot hear. And, the person with the hearing loss is generally the last person to realize he or she has a hearing loss.

Hearing Health Professionals of New England was created by health professionals who are invested in educating local communities of the importance of good hear-ing health practices. In conjunction with their primary mission of raising awareness about hearing loss, these professionals have assembled a program regarding hearing health education for local communities, which is offered to ANY business, agency, school faculty, doctors office, church or community group that is interested in shar-ing the message of promoting hearing health with its members. This is NOT a sales pitch, but rather an invested effort to get the “word out” that hearing health it is vital to an active life of communication, inclusion, and happiness.

With new research studies being performed, we now know that prolonged and untreated hearing loss can support the early onset of Cognitive Disorders, such as Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins Uni-versity of Medicine.

Christopher and Santi Curren are proud to introduce a new healthcare practice to Rhode Island located in Cumberland. The staff here invites all those who are suf-fering from hearing loss, as well as those who want to establish a baseline audiogram (hearing test report) for future monitoring, to come in for a FREE Hearing Exam. This free exam is followed up by a free consultation and recommendation based on a thorough assessment of the patient’s test results, lifestyles, and goals. There is never a co-pay and your insurance is not billed.

The Hearing Health Professionals team uses Audibel ® products, which are pro-duced by the only purely American-based and operated hearing aid manufacturer in the world. The staff here also strives to find the best payment option available to its customers, including medical financing options and the “Hear Now” program which assists those with severely limited means.

Hearing loss, no matter the se-verity or age of onset, is an isolat-ing and confidence-eroding process that can be remedied by properly fit, affordable, and customized hearing aids. For the sake of your own hearing health, contact the professionals here by calling �01- 9��-5000 to make an appoint-ment in any of their three local practices.

Dr. Christopher Curren



As a movie reviewer, one of the most common complaints I hear is, “Why aren’t there more good movies for and about senior citizens?”

As a senior citizen myself, I definitely agree.There are two major reasons. First, actors and ac-

tresses whom I grew up with are offered fewer and few-er roles because of their age. Second, movie producers aim for a more lucrative demographic, which they see as the teenage/young adult population.

That translates to more violence, sex, car chases, comic book heroes, coming of age, vulgar humor, paranormal activities and teenagers going into the cel-lar alone.

Many seniors have resorted to recapturing the golden age of Hollywood by watching the Turner Movie Classics, renting old movies and attending the Showcase Silver Screen Classics on Mondays at 1 p.m. at Warwick and Seekonk Showcase.

Many of the old classics are now available online for free. Just type in your favorite movie on your com-puter and check out the options.

The good news is that there are still a small num-ber of movies being made today, mostly independent films, for the senior audience.

This year has produced one blockbuster, “The But-ler,” about a black butler who has seen and influenced

that’S entertainMentb y D O N F O W L E R

lifestyles

I started reviewing movies in the late 1970s and have listed my 10 favorites:• On Golden Pond - 1981 • Cocoon - 1985• Driving Miss Daisy - 1989 (my favorite senior film ever) • Grumpy Old Men - 1993• The Bucket List - �005 • Little Miss Sunshine - �006 • Amour - �01�And three recent ones:• Calendar Girls (British), • The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (one of my very favorites) and Quartet.

Movies for and about seniorshistory being made in the White House, and one small, lovely English independent film, “Unfinished Song,” starring Terrence Stamp and Vanessa Redgrave.

Senior centers and assisted living facility program directors are always looking for appropriate movies to show. All you have to do is type in “Movies For and About Senior Citizens” on AOL or Google, and a plethora of pertinent films will pop up on the screen.

Here are a few of my recommendations, beginning in 1971 with the classic “Harold and Maude,” about an old woman and a young man and their close rela-tionship.

One of the great comic actors of all time, Walter Matthau, teamed up with George Burns in “The Sun-shine Boys” back in 1975.


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Your taxeSb y M E G C H E V A L I E R

professional perspective

The Taxpayer Advocate Service:Helping You Resolve Tax ProblemsThe Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an independent organization within the IRS that helps taxpayers who are experiencing unresolved federal tax problems. Here are 10 things every taxpayer should know about TAS:

1. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is your voice at the IRS.�. You may be eligible for our help if you’ve tried to resolve your tax problem through normal IRS channels and have gotten nowhere, or you believe an IRS procedure just isn’t working as it should.3. We help taxpayers whose problems are causing financial difficulty. This includes businesses, organizations and individuals.�. We’ll do everything we can to resolve your problem. And our service is always free.5. If you qualify for our help, you’ll be assigned to one advocate who will be with you at every turn.6. We have at least one local taxpayer advocate office in every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. To find your advocate: Visit www.irs.gov/advocate Call us toll-free at 1-877-777-�778. Check your local directory Look at Pub. 15�6, Taxpayer Advocate Service – Your Voice at the IRS, which lists our offices nationwide 7. Our tax toolkit at www.TaxpayerAdvocate.irs.gov has basic tax information, details about tax credits, and more.8. TAS also handles broader problems that affect many taxpayers. If you know of one of these systemic issues, please report it to us at www.irs.gov/sams.9. You can get updates at:www.facebook.com/YourVoiceAtIRS Twitter.com/YourVoiceatIRS www.youtube.com/TASNTA 10. TAS is here to help you because when you’re dealing with a tax problem, the worst thing you can do is to do nothing at all.

Strides for SoldiersLincoln Woods State Park, September 7, 9 a.m. $25 Registration Fee. The Veterans Community Foundation (VCF) is holding a charity walk. Proceeds from this walk directly benefit Iraq and Afghanistan vet-erans in RI. Register at www.veteranscf.org/events/

Galilee fishing Tournament &Seafood festival Port of Galilee – September 7 & 8. Sat: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. nFree Ad-mission. Arts, crafts, novelties and food. Narragansett, RI 401-826-2121http://www.GalileeTourney.com

Happy Grandparents Day!at Providence Children’s MuseumSeptember 8, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.Admission to Providence Children’s Mu-seum is free all day for grandparents! 100 South Street, Providence, RI 02903

The Rhode Island Dahlia Society48th Annual Flower Show. Sat, Sept. 7, 3-7PM & Sun, Sept. 8 10AM-4PM Com-munity Center, Beach Street, North Kings-town. Free admission. Call 294-3486 or 294-4734

Newport Mansions Wine& food festivalMarble House, Rosecliff & The ElmsSeptember 20 – 22The most sophisticated wine & food festi-val on the East coast. Newport, RI401-847-1000. newportmansions.org

calendar of eventSThe General Stanton InnfleamarketThrough October 14, 2013Saturdays, Sundays and Holiday Mon-days, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Free Admission. One of the largest and oldest in the State.General Stanton Inn, 4115 Old Post RoadCharlestown, R.I. 401-364-8888www.generalstantoninn.com

Save the Bay Beach SlamGoddard Park, Sunday, September 22, 12 - 5 p.m. Free Admission. Enjoy a lei-surely day of beach activities, arts & crafts, field games, rock climbing, live entertainment and delicious local foods. This event is to raise money to support Save The Bay’s education program. Ives Street, Warwick. 401-272-3540 savebay.org

Weaver Library is offering a presen-tation on October 7th by Anne Rachin, author of All That’s Familiar: How to Remain in Your Home and Age in Place. The program is free and open to the public. Anne Rachin has dedicated her career to assisting individuals to remain living at home with independence and dignity. www.allthatsfamiliar.com

PrimeTime Senior Living ExpoWednesday, October 9, 10AM-3PM.Warwick Mall. Exhibits, entertainment.A fun event for seniors, caregivers and professionals! FREE

�0 | PrimeTime September 2013�0 | PrimeTime September 2013

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senior issues b y C A T H E R I N E T E R R Y T A Y L O R direc tor, r i depar tment of elder ly affairs

It is among perhaps our greatest fear as we age: Falling – and the seemingly inevitable decline in health and loss of independence.

How big is the problem? The Nation-al Centers for Disease Control and Pre-vention states that �.3 million persons 65 and older were treated in emergency rooms for falls in �010. It’s estimated that half of elders 85 and older will suffer a fall in a given year, especially if they live alone, as 30 percent of elders in Rhode Island do.

Falls can result in permanent injury, impaired mobility, and even death, but they can also affect quality of life and in-dependence in more subtle ways. Elders, especially those who have fallen previ-ously, whether they were injured or not, often develop a debilitating fear of fall-ing that causes them to curtail physical activity, or be reluctant to leave home to socialize with family and friends – creat-ing a cycle that only serves to increase the risk of falling.

Much of this can be prevented.

The 6th annual National Falls Pre-vention Awareness Day, sponsored by the National Council on Aging, will be observed on Sunday, Sept. ��. Rhode Island observes Falls Prevention Week from Sept. �� through Sept. �8. This year’s “Falls Free” campaign is being held under the banner of “Preventing Falls –One Step at a Time.” The goal is to prevent and reduce falls and to raise awareness of falls prevention among se-niors, family members and caregivers.

Falls prevention is an integral part of the health promotion and wellness initia-tives funded under the Older Americans Act (OAA) and implemented jointly in Rhode Island by the Division of Elderly Affairs (DEA) and the Department of Health (DOH). During Falls Preven-tion Week, DEA will step up our col-laboration with the DOH to spread the word about ways to prevent falls. DOH will be coordinating the distribution of nightlights and informational materi-als throughout the community during September. DOH is working with and

training first responders to assess elders who have fallen for their risk of further falls.

Our message is that falling is not an inevitable consequence of aging.

In fact, many falls can be prevented by taking a few common sense precau-tions.

Exercise regularly. Focus on improv-ing leg strength and balance. This will reduce the risk of falling. Check with your doctor or health care professional to develop a program that includes weight-bearing exercises. Make sure that you get adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D in your diet to promote bone health and strength.

Talk to your doctor about your med-ications. Some medications, whether taken by themselves or in combination with other prescriptions, may cause diz-ziness or drowsiness.

Have your eyes checked at least once a year and update your glasses prescrip-tion if necessary. Poor vision can lead to accidents and falls.

“Fall-proof” your home: Make sure that you have adequate

lighting in all rooms, closets, and hall-ways – including nightlights in your bedroom, hallway and bathroom.

Remove or secure loose area rugs. Nail down loose stairway railings.

Install grab bars and railings in your bathroom in critical places like the shower or tub and toilet.

Remove extension cords from open areas where you may trip and fall.

Reduce your fear of falling by sign-ing up for an A Matter of Balance class. Participants learn to view falls and fear of falling as controllable, set realistic goals to increase activity, change their environment to reduce fall risk factors, and exercise to increase strength and balance. Call us at DEA at �6�-3000, or THE POINT at �6�-��, for more information.

Join the Department of Health and the Division of Elderly Affairs in our campaign to make Rhode Island a ‘Falls Free’ state.

Fall Prevention – preserving health and independence


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How are we doing in meeting the health needs of our aging population? Conversations about how we manage and pay for long-term care take place on a daily basis. At the core of these discussions lies the key question of how to effectively and efficiently en-hance quality in health care services in order to assure individuals of care that promotes optimal well-being and in-dependence. This question becomes a particular challenge with regard to our most elderly and infirm citizens. As the state with the largest percentage of people over the age of 85 – the primary users of nursing home care – our long-term care providers are all too familiar with the stark reality of the enhanced needs of our eldest citizens.

For its part, the Rhode Island Health Care Association (RIHCA), the state’s largest professional organiza-tion of skilled nursing and rehabilita-tion facilities, offers the “�013 Quality Report: Enhancing Quality in Rhode Island’s Nursing Homes.” The Quality Report, issued each year, highlights the steps that Rhode Island skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers are taking to

promote health care services for an ag-ing population that is increasing more rapidly than ever before. Despite the challenges of this population growth, and the growing problem of decreased funding, the report highlights several positive trends and accomplishments happening in Rhode Island’s skilled nursing facilities.

Few know for example, that Rhode Island skilled nursing centers received the fewest number of deficiencies on average of all 50 states in their an-nual inspection by the Department of Health. Nor do they realize that cus-tomer satisfaction surveys, which com-pare Rhode Island’s facilities to centers throughout the country, rate Rhode Is-land nursing homes among the best in the nation. Though it’s understood that no one is clamoring to enter a nursing home, studies show that Rhode Island-ers who do experience high rates of sat-isfaction with their experience.

These accomplishments aren’t oc-curring by happenstance. Each year, the RIHCA Quality Committee, a group comprised of representatives of nursing homes and nursing educators

throughout the state, focus on areas in need of improvement based on annual customer satisfaction survey results conducted by national research firm, My InnerView, along with initiatives spearheaded by RIHCA’s national af-filiate, the American Health Care As-sociation (AHCA) or health advocates like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). RIHCA offers more than �0 continuing education seminars and workshops each year, running the gamut from a boot camp for directors of nursing to regulatory compliance updates for activity direc-tors.

“There are about 1,000 nursing home regulations that skilled nursing facilities need to comply with. Not only do we need to insure that our workers follow those mandates, but we need to incorporate new quality improvement activities in a way that works within those regulations. It’s a challenge, but we’re showing it can be done,” said John Gage, co-chair of the RIHCA Quality Committee and Chief Oper-ating Office of Health Concepts, Ltd.,

which owns and operates 1� Rhode Island nursing facilities.

William Keough, RIHCA vice president and education director agrees.

“We put a lot of effort into tailor-ing our educational offerings with the goals of the Quality Committee. Over the past 18 months, we’ve been focused on educating members about how to reduce re-hospitalizations for example, a goal backed by RIHCA, AHCA and the CDC. Studies show that only two other states surpassed our results in that area last year,” he said. “We pro-vide continuing education for nursing home administrators, nurses, social workers … even facility managers and food service staff. If the whole team is directed toward the same goals, it pays off. We’re definitely seeing the results of our efforts.”

The �013 RIHCA Quality Report and information about Rhode Island’s skilled nursing homes can be found on the Rhode Island Health Care Associa-tion website at www.rihca.com.

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One of the great joys of retirement is being able to take a nap whenever I want. One of the downsides is that I seem to want to nap a lot. I’ve made an in-depth study of the subject and I’ve identified nine variations of the nap.

The most familiar is the opportunistic catnap, so named because cats have per-fected this midday snooze. You can catnap any-where, but the best place is stretched out on your back, usually on a couch, with the sun on your face. Not sure if the nap you’re taking is this type? Check your midsection when you wake up. If there’s a cat on top of you, you’ve just enjoyed a catnap.

Another type you’ll recognize is the post-pran-dial nap, which occurs after a big meal. My research shows that retirees become increasingly prone to these naps midafternoon, after a larger-than-usual lunch. Careful observation of my family reveals that men are extremely fond of post-prandials, except when there’s football on TV. These naps are most appropriately taken in an overstuffed chair. They’re often short, yet highly effective. Just ask my cousin Louie.

The alcohol-induced nap is related to the post-prandial, but you don’t need to have eaten before one. These are particularly welcome after wine tastings, especially the ones you have alone in your own home. Their duration depends on how much

Retirement Pleasures–

The Fine Art of Nappingalcohol you’ve imbibed and whether you’ve collapsed onto something comfortable. Many of my most refreshing naps have occurred during what some might call a “wine stupor.” I prefer to think of them as research projects.

Another nap familiar to retirees is the reading-induced one. This is characterized by the body positioned in a cushy chair, reading mate-rial in hand. You may not realize you’ve had this nap until you wake up and find your eyeglasses on your lap and your book on the floor. The older we get, the fewer pages it takes to induce a reading nap.

Likewise the older we get, the more we need ex-ercise recovery naps, which are most effective when you’re splayed out on a carpet. Mowing the lawn takes �5 minutes, including emptying the clippings into an

approved brown paper sack. You know, the ones you buy at Home Depot. They come up to my armpits, so I have to lift the clippings catcher to shoulder height to empty it. This exhausts me more than the mowing itself. After I’ve finished, you’ll find me nose-deep in the carpet, in a classic recovery snooze.

A related type, the battery-recharger, replenishes emotional or psychic energy. For example: The robocall for my pharmacy’s auto-refill doesn’t work with one of my prescriptions. It’s taken weekly on an empty stomach, with a half-hour wait after. If

NAPPING – PAGE 29

Many of my most refreshing naps

have occurred during what some

might call a “wine stupor.” I prefer to

think of them as research projects.

�� | PrimeTime September 2013�� | PrimeTime September 2013

A Marrakech Souk. The Pentagon. An oil rig in the Gulf. A Mexican prison. These are the settings for Jon Land thrillers. And they fit his heroes and heroines – a CIA undercover agent, an Israeli Mossad spy, and, most recently, Caitlin Strong, a fifth generation Texas ranger. As for his villains, they hail from a netherworld of evil. Caitlin describes her run-of-the-mill nemeses: “psychopaths, sociopaths, megalomaniacs, and residents of a lunatic fringe that the vast reaches of humanity go to bed every night never suspecting ever existed.”

So what a surprise to visit a very local mise en scene in this latest Caitlin Strong thriller, “Strong Rain Falling.” Providence. Good battles evil here. Caitlin shoots out the bad guys – part of a vast organizational cartel, intent on crip-pling the United States – at Waterfire. Caitlin eats at Paragon. Every super-hero has a back-story, to show they are human. For Caitlin, the back-story takes her to Brown: Coach Phil Estes is recruiting the son of Caitlin’s lover (and former enemy) to play football at Brown. (The grandson of a Texan rancher tied to the villain is a sophomore at Brown – to show the reach of the Ivy League). The young recruit is staying at Delta Phi fraternity.

Why the move to Providence? On the one hand, Jon knows Providence first-hand; a native Rhode Islander, he went to Brown, is a fan of Brown football (didn’t play but is vice president of the Brown Football Association), belonged to Delta Phi, eats at Paragon. On the other hand, while Rhode Island has its share of crooks and reformers, it has no tradition of ride-’em shoot-’em up cowboys and outlaws. In the book, Caitlin sardonically tells a skeptical Providence police detective that he doesn’t understand border violence: “You’re not at war with Mas-sachusetts or Connecticut.”

Jon explains the shift from exotic to local.

“I thought it was time to take Caitlin Strong out of Texas for a bit. The exotic locales were not so much humdrum as overdone. There actually is a scene in “Strong Rain Falling” set in a Mexican prison, but the key for any series is to keep it fresh. And keep-ing it fresh means doing things that are new and original, things I hadn’t done before to keep readers on their toes and guessing. Series run out of gas mostly because they grow stale. The characters stop being interest-ing and the scenes start to feel repetitive, almost lazy in their approach. So sometimes you have to throw a wrench in the works by taking your heroes out of their comfort zone. It’s one thing to have Caitlin blowing away bad guys on her home turf. It’s quite another to have her to do it a whole lot of miles away from home where her reputation doesn’t carry much weight at all.”

And Waterfire marked the perfect setting for an Armageddon-type battle. “Simply stated, it’s the perfect place to stage an action sequence. Darkness,

atmosphere, crowds – what more can you ask for? It also made for the perfect contrast with many of the big action sequences set in Texas. I’ve made frequent use there of the vast open spaces, deserts, prairies, arroyos and backwater towns; Waterfire made for the perfect contrast and a great way to open the book. All the books in the series open with some kind of gunfight and it’s becoming more and more of a challenge to come up with new ways to stage them. Not so in “Strong Rain Falling.” Visually, this remains one of the most striking scenes in the book.”

We learn at the end of the story that Caitlin saved the day, and the recruit will return in the fall to play football for Brown. The possibilities loom: A plot to poison all the calamari in the bay? A super-spy mole embedded in Delta Phi? A cartel running drugs via lobster boats? If fans are lucky, the battle of good versus evil will take place again on our state’s home turf.

b y J O A N R E T S I N A S lifestyles

Jon land Goes local

September 10, 2013 is

tv dinner day

In 1953, C.A. Swanson & Sons introduced a new product called, “TV Din-ners,” and changed the prepackaged meal industry forever. The Smithsonian Insti-tute inducted the original Swanson TV Dinner tray into the Museum of American History in 1986. Today we celebrate this piece of American cultural history with TV Dinner Day.

The term “TV Dinner” is now synonymous with any prepackaged, frozen meal that requires little preparation and contains an entire single-serving meal. Modern-day TV dinners can be cooked in the microwave (instead of the oven) and include gourmet recipes as well as organic and vegetarian dishes. (www.punchbowl.com)


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B everly Oakley can still remember the day her baby sister was put up for adoption. She was 8 years old and could not under-stand why her week-old sister was being taken away.

Oakley never imagined that 67 years later that little sister would be walking up the driveway of her granddaughter’s home in Warwick.

But that is exactly what happened when Oak-ley and her sister Louise Popich were reunited with their baby sister, Ann Giarrusso.

“I’m so nervous,” said Oakley as Popich and Giarrusso exited their car across the street and made their way up to the house. “They look alike,” added Oakley about her two sisters.

But all of those nerves went away when Oakley finally hugged the sister she never forgot.

It was a unique kind of family reunion as Gi-arrusso, her husband Don, daughter Meredith and granddaughter Marissa were introduced to their ex-tended family of Oakley’s many children, grandchil-dren and great-grandchildren, who all gathered at a family home on Apollo Street.

But all eyes were on the three sisters, who could not stop smiling. “I’m so happy,” said Oakley, who almost seemed at a loss for words over

the moment. So how did this happy reunion come to pass? Thanks to Meredith’s fam-

ily tree research and a Rhode Island law that releases the birth certificates of adopted children.

Giarrusso explained that her parents told her she was adopted when she was 7 years old but that was the end of the conversation.

“I never asked,” said Giarrusso when asked if she ever wanted to know more. She, just like her two sisters, grew up in Rhode Island and had a great childhood.

Giarrusso has lived in a number of states, but she now resides in Colora-do. Last year, her daughters began to do research on a family tree, but Meredith reached a roadblock when it came to her mother.

Giarrusso never told her children she had been adopted. “The right moment never came,” she said. It was her daughters who eventually convinced Giarrusso to look into her

past for health reasons and they found out about the new law that would allow adopted individuals access to their birth certificates.

So Giarrusso decided to request her birth certificate last July. She sent in her $�5 fee and received her birth certificate a short time later.

It was on that certificate that she saw her birth name, Barbara, for the first time.

With a desire to learn more, Giarrusso’s husband Don began to conduct research on Ancestry.com to learn more about his wife’s family. While on the site, he crossed paths with a distant relative by marriage, Mr. Sweet, who pro-vided Don with a great deal of information, including Giarrusso’s mother’s name.

When Giarrusso learned her mother had died, she requested the obituary and death certificate.

“Louise’s street address was on [the certificate] because she lived with her,” said Giarrusso. She added that Oakley was mentioned in Sweet’s research, including an address.

So Giarrusso took a chance and wrote letters to the sisters she had never met.

“If they answer, that’s great. If not, not so great, but that’s the way it is,” said Giarrusso.

But they did answer. “I kind of had to sit down and read it over again about four times,” said

Popich, who was only a year old when Giarrusso was adopted. She had no memory of her sister, but Oakley had told her about the baby.

Popich, who lives in Ohio, admits she was skeptical at first, thinking the letter might be part of a scam. But when she called Giarrusso and spoke with her, it made sense.

Oakley says she recognized that name in the letter (Giarrusso included her birth name in the letter) and was so happy to be able to contact her.

After 67 Years, three sistersare finally together again

Sistersreunited


PEOPLE AND PLACES

Sisters Beverly Oakley, Louise Popich and Ann Giarrusso met for the first time on July 28. Oakley hasn’t seen her sister Ann Giarrusso since she was adopted nearly 67 years ago. Although she grew up with her sister Louise Popich, they haven’t seen each other in 14 years. (Photo by Jennifer Rodrigues)

Over the past year, the three have been getting to know each other, sending each other photos and speaking on the phone.

Also, in February of this year, Popich and Giarrusso met in person for a DNA test. The two younger sisters have a different father from Oakley, but the DNA test proved they are blood sisters. All three women have the same mother.

Popich and Giarrusso have been doing research to learn more about their shared father, who never married their mother. Eventually they found his name and his picture.

“He looks like us,” said Popich, adding that she was happy to discover who her father was and close that chapter.

She was also happy to discover he was Italian. “I’ve been going around saying I was Italian for my whole life,” joked

Popich. Giarrusso explained that the two plan to continue to look into their

father’s family and find any living relatives. Oakley was so happy to have her sisters back. Although she grew up

in Rhode Island with Popich, the two had not seen each other in almost 1� years. But she was even happier to be reunited with her baby sister.

“That was a sad day,” recalls Oakley about the day Giarrusso was taken away. “Our life wasn’t easy and it was hard to see her go. They had no right to take her.”

For personal reasons, Oakley did not want to talk about the reasons her sister was put up for adoption.

But now the family is reunited and bigger than ever. Combined, the three sisters have 1� children, 31 grandchildren and five great-grandchil-dren.

It is that family support that Giarrusso says was so important when researching such a sensitive and emotional subject.

“You have to have a lot of family support through this, which we did,” said Giarrusso.

Popich and Giarrusso were only in town for a few days, but they planned to take a family portrait together and big sister Oakley was treating the sisters to dinner.

“I don’t feel like their sister, I feel like their mother,” said Oakley with a laugh.

Although the three plan to keep in touch, they are not sure if they will ever be able to meet up like this again. Giarrusso is the only one with set plans to visit Rhode Island again; she and her husband will return in October for her 50th high school reunion. She plans to visit Oakley while she is in town. -Janet

�8 | PrimeTime September 2013�8 | PrimeTime September 2013

Greatly impressed by the success of the airplane as a means of transporting mail and as a weapon of warfare, the Army Air Service became involved in Rhode Island aviation affairs in 19�1. Ac-cording to a Rhode Island Technical Paper Num-ber I �, “State Airport System Inventory,” written in 1969, the government selected 11 emergency sites, with most of the fields along the main line of the Penn Central Railroad. The majority of these sites were large open fields. Some locations considered as the site of a future state airport were at Apponaug in Warwick, the Newport polo club, the Narra- gan- se t t Park Speedway (between Auburn and Knightsville) in Cranston, Wood River Junction and Hillsgrove in Warwick, where the abandoned Collingwood Race Track was already in use as an aviation field.

“Lucky Lindy” Makes HistoryWhile these sites were talked about for future expansion and perhaps a state owned

facility, there was but little public concern. The real impetus for an airport grew tre-mendously in 19�7, however, when an attractive young man of ��, Charles A. Lind-bergh, took a $13,000 Ryan monoplane, “The Spirit of St. Louis,” from Roosevelt Field on Long Island. N.Y. to the Le Bourget Airport in Paris on May �0-�1, 19�7. This flight alone, over 3,600 miles across the Atlantic, made Lindbergh a national hero overnight. His name, along with those of Babe Ruth, Jimmy Walker, Admiral Byrd, Al Capone, Bobby Jones and Aimee Semple McPherson, became a household word in Rhode Island during the 19�0s.

We Saw Him, Really!There were those at East Greenwich, at Warwick Neck, and nearly every place else

in Rhode Island who swore they saw the “Spirit of St. Louis” pass over at the begin-ning of the 33-hour, �0-minute flight. These fortunate ones, when believed, were envied by their neighbors for having seen “Lucky Lindy” on that fateful day. Those who missed Lindy on May �0 were given another chance to see their hero on July �1, 19�7, when he came to the state to promote aviation.

The “Lone Eagle” In RILindbergh, an advocate of commercial aviation, was invited to Rhode Island to

spur the demand for an airport in the vicinity of Providence. A number of locations were offered as sites for a city or state airport. One seriously considered was the 100 acres already in use as a flying field at Buttonwoods in Warwick. This site would have been available to the city free of charge for the first five years. Other fields seriously considered were in Rumford and an area west of LaSalle Academy.

In the summer of 19�7, rumors quickly spread that Lindbergh would land at the Spring Green Estate in Warwick and that the Governor Francis Farm would be the site of the state airport. The ‘Lone Eagle,’ as he was called, landed instead at Quonset Point on July �1, 19�7.

The Providence Journal gave a detailed front-page account of the Lindbergh visit from the time of his departure from Hartford, Conn. at 1 p.m., his flight over Provi-dence, and his landing at the National Guard Airport at Quonset Point. The reception at Quonset was so tremendous that National Guard and State Police units were neces-sary to hold back the crowds as they welcomed their hero.

3oo,ooo Welcome HeroWell-wishers could be seen in great numbers all along the route from North

Kingstown to Providence. It is estimated that out of a population of 70�,000, more than 300,000 Rhode Islanders saw Lindbergh on that summer’s day.

At a reception in the Biltmore Hotel, hosted by Henry D. Sharpe, Charles A. Lindbergh made it very clear that his Purpose was to encourage Rhode Island to build an airport and that airport should be in close proximity to Providence.

Le Bourget Far SuperiorAccording to the August 19�7 issue of

Providence Magazine, Lindbergh is quoted as saying. “...About two months ago when I ap-

proached Paris on the evening of May �1, the first indications I had of the city was the glare from the

lights of Paris … Though I had heard that Le Bourget was close to Paris, I had no idea that a field as large as

Le Bourget could be as close to Paris as was the field I saw...” Rhode Island’s favorite hero continued to say, “A few days later

I found I had landed in an immense airport almost on the outskirts of Paris, equipped with numerous hangars and completely equipped. If half of those han-gars had been burned, the field would still have been better equipped than any field in the United States...”

Providence Must Not LagAfter Lindbergh’s speech, William L. Sweet, president of the Providence School

Board and the Chamber of Commerce, stated the sentiments of the gathering when he said, “We learn that flying fields are being prepared in many cities of our coun-try. Providence must not lag in this respect. Providence must have a flying field adequate to its necessities, and I believe that it will have such a field.”

Lindbergh’s efforts resulted in the voters of Rhode Island approving a state air-port, by a 76,�81-9,369 vote, in the general election of 19�8.

An Airport, Yes, But Where?The main question was not “should we have an airport,” but “where should it

be?” Proposals came in from all areas of the state. According to articles by Betty Johnson and James Wheaton in the Pawtucket newspaper, The Times, that city led by wealthy Nicholas Bertozzi, an ice cream manufacturer, hoped to see the What Cheer Airport in Pawtucket selected as the site. For a while, What Cheer Airport seemed to be the logical choice and in October 19�8, over 50,000 specta-tors, including Governor Norman S. Case, witnessed a thrilling three-day airplane carnival.

Why Not Downtown Providence?While Pawtucket felt assured it had the best airport, many other proposals were

filed at the State House. At one Point, early in the January session in 19�8, West Warwick Senator Al-

beric Archambault stunned the General Assembly with his proposal. According to the 1969 “State Airport System Inventory,” Archambault “…proposed that the Providence River from the New Haven Railroad tracks to Crawford Street be bridged over...” He wanted to take that space “with adjacent streets” to be used for the construction of an “airplane landing field.” Archambault proposed that Provi-dence be authorized to issue $1 million in bonds to carry out the work.

Gaspee Point, First ChoiceA special committee was selected by Governor Case to study the issue and in

January 19�8, the committee, assisted by the testimony and advice of three out-standing aviators, Charles Lindbergh, Commander Richard Byrd and Lieutenant Hegenberger, made their recommendations. Their first choice was Gaspee Point in Warwick. This site on the west shore of Narragansett Bay consisted of 775 acres of what the committee reports as being “relatively flat land covered by meadows, beach, grass and timberland.” The committee’s second choice was a site in Rumford, which consisted of �00 acres in East Providence and 130 acres in Pawtucket.

Despite the high recommendations for Gaspee Point and the public support for that site, it was soon learned that Hillsgrove in Warwick would be the location of the state airport.

PEOPLE AND PLACESa GliMPSe oF ri’S PaSt h i s t o r y w i t h Te r ry d ’amaTo S p e n c e r

The airplane . . . continued


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NAPPING –I run out, it messes up my Sunday. I spent an hour on this with a customer service rep who had what I’ll charitably describe as a lack of understanding of the situation. By the time I hung up, I was badly in need of a nap to recharge my psychic battery.

The boredom nap sneaks up on you when you have nothing exciting planned for the day, but you’re not really sure you care. You stretch out someplace comfort-able to contemplate some possibilities, and the next thing you know… Zzzzzz.

Rainy day naps are one of the spe-cial joys of retirees. The flexibility of our schedules allows us to curl up somewhere cozy, soft and warm when the weather’s bad. Maybe we’ll grab some reading ma-terial; maybe we’ll grab a cat to cuddle. More likely we’ll grab an afghan that’s been in the family for decades and just sink in for a comfortable snooze. Eat your hearts out, those of you still work-ing.

Lastly (of course), we have the pro-crastinator, best taken when you have a

long list of projects that need attention, but you don’t want to tackle any of them. This type is another guilty pleasure of re-tirees. We can procrastinate as much as we want without risk of serious reper-cussions. Except, as I’ve learned, if the task at hand is writing one’s weekly blog post.

Not to worry. As long as I’ve had my quota of catnaps, post-prandials and bat-tery-rechargers, I’m not likely to be lured by the procrastinator. I’m more likely to miss a posting because I’ve succumbed to an alcohol-induced nap. Speaking of which, now that this column is done, I’m going to pour myself a nice glass of vino, sit back, and… Zzzzzz.

Copyright �013 Business Theatre Unlimited

This essay appears in “70 Things To Do When You Turn 70,” an anthology edited by Ronnie Sellers, to be published this fall. Elaine M. Decker’s latest book, “Retirement Sparks Again,” follows her first two books, “Retirement Sparks” and “CANCER: A Coping Guide.” All are available at Books

MUSIC –“For the most part I write my own

songs,” she said. “I have on occasion taken a poem and put it to music, poems I’ve been given permission to use.”

Tieger, who says she is primarily self-taught on the piano, began taking les-sons at age 15 with twin sisters Bets and Annie Von Drasek in Huntington, N.Y. She later took private voice lessons with Maurice Lewis at the Rhode Island Con-servatory of Music in Providence after receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree at State University of New York at Potsdam with a major in French and a minor in music.

When she was a little girl she says her aspirations were to become a teacher or a nurse. But evidently from a young age, music was always bubbling beneath the surface as well.

“My mother told me when I was � years old I would make up little songs,” she said. “Before I learned to talk I would imitate every sound I heard. My mother called me Geraldine McBoing Boing (from a Dr. Seuss story about Gerald McBoing Boing, a little boy who speaks through sound effects instead of spoken words).”

Many successful singers and musi-cians owe a debt of gratitude to friends and family members who are helpful, loving and supportive and Tieger is no exception.

About her husband, Ollie, she says, “He’s my faithful roadie, my biggest fan, and my toughest critic.”

Of her son, Jon Brennan, who is also a singer/songwriter/musician, she says, “He is the one constant I can always rely on for bass, vocals, keys, and arrange-ments – he is an unending inspiration, as well as my musical partner and col-laborator.”

Brennan also serves as associate pro-ducer on Tieger’s latest CD, still in prog-ress. Recording takes place at TRIAD Studio, soon relocating to Warren.

“It takes me three to four years to make a CD,” Tieger reflected. “I start with the piano track, then add vocals, and build everything else after that. The majority of people do the rhythm first, drums and bass, add guitar and piano, and do the vocals last.” She laughed and added, “I kinda do it backwards.”

And as for live performances, Tieg-er says she has performed solo and as a member of the Kari Tieger Trio and the Eclectic Quartet in venues such as the Brooklyn Coffee and Tea House, the Sil-ver Willow, the Mediator, the Custom House Cafe and Positive New Begin-nings. She has also appeared on 10 cable television shows, including the “Don Lincoln Show” in �00�.

When she’s not making music, she enjoys taking photos and doing cross-word puzzles. Yoga is her way of staying fit, relaxed and happy.

“I do sun salutations [a sequence of yoga postures] every morning,” said Tieger.

And when it comes to maintaining a positive attitude, she says, “If you cul-tivate gratitude, it builds spirituality. If you focus on what you already have, you get more.”

Her newest and fourth full-length CD release, called “Illumination,” is due out this fall.

To keep current with Kari Tieger’s music and to learn more about her, visit the following sites: www.reverbnation.com/karitieger, www.cdbaby.com/tieg-er, www.facebook.com/Kari.Tieger.Mu-sic, and www.karitieger.com.

30 | PrimeTime September 2013

CLUES ACROSS 1. Academy of Country Music �. Company that rings receipts 7. An explosion fails to occur 10. Bleats 1�. Opening 13. European sea eagle 1�. River in Florence 15. St. Petersburg river 17. Longest forearm bone 18. Proper or original position �0. Epileptic spasm ��. Snakelike fish �3. Highest card �5. Blood-sucking African fly �8. Coats a porous surface 31. A layer or level 3�. Kittiwake genus 33. Digs up in a garden 3�. Freestanding cooking counter 39. Incline from vertical �0. External occipital protuberance �1. ____, MI �87�9 ��. Feed to excess �5. Pointed teeth �8. Fishing implement �9. Express pleasure 51. Grew choppers 5�. 1916 battle 56. San __ Obispo, CA 58. Halo around the head of a saint 59. Cain and __

60. Behave in a certain manner 61. Hits the ball in various games 6�. Get out of bed 63. Director Michael ___ 6�. Midway between S and SE 65. Cardboard box (abbr.) CLUES DOWN 1. Lower in esteem �. Decays of a bone or tooth 3. Baseball legend Mickey �. Words having no meaning 5. Rocky Boys Reservation tribe 6. __ Shankar 7. Removal by striking out 8. Vase with a footed base 9. Carries our genetic code 11. Small coin (French) 16. AIDS antiviral drug 17. Ethyl Carbamate 19. Of Salian Franks �1. We ��. Ready money �6. Plant egg cell �7. Stray �9. They carry blood away 30. Where Indiana Jones found the

Ark 3�. Chief tributary of the Volga 35. What gets stolen on the internet 36. Cover with water 37. Father 38. Factory apartments 39. Ad ___ �3. ___ pentameter ��. Most broken in �6. Midway between N and E �7. 7th Greek letter 50. She who launched 1,000 ships 5�. Wheel centers 53. Geological times 55. Paddle 56. Scientific research workplace 57. Fiddler crabs


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