4 Life Lessons From Tony Bennett and Other 89-Year-Olds

Bennett and Dick Van Dyke are going strong and happy

By Liz Fedor for Next Avenue

Tony with his son Danny, 2007 Grammy Awards

Singer Tony Bennett, at 89, isn’t resting on his laurels.

He recently released a new album, The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern. In an interview with NPR, he recalled how much he loved singing for his relatives as a boy. “It created a passion in my life that exists to this moment as I speak to you, that is stronger now at 89 than in my whole life,” Bennett said. “I still feel that I can get better somehow. And I search for it all of the time.”

Bennett’s not the only 89-year-old who is defying stereotypes of older age. Actor Dick Van Dyke just wrote a memoir titled Keep Moving: And Other Tips and Truths About Aging. Queen Elizabeth continues to carry out the royal responsibilities she inherited in 1952. And Marilyn Hagerty, my friend and former colleague, continues to write regularly for the Grand Forks, N.D., Herald.

Their daily lives offer four lessons for all people of all ages:


Lesson 1: Spend Time with People of Different Generations

 With her sky-high shoes, infamous meat dress and outlandish theatrics, Lady Gaga stands opposite Bennett on the pop star spectrum. Yet Bennett saw an opportunity for an interesting collaboration, so he reached across their 60-year age gap and created a hit album of jazz standards and toured the country with the artist he calls ‘Lady.’

By working with artists who are younger than he is, Bennett is living in the present and learning how younger people interact with each other.

Lesson 2: Don’t Bow to Pressures to Retire

Actors, writers and professors are among the professionals who are leading the way to prove that there isn’t one right age for people to retire.

Like Queen Elizabeth, who hasn’t bothered to respond to speculation about her retirement, so are a slew of women in the public sector. Janet Yellen, 69, plays a key role in guiding the nation’s economy in her post as chair of the Federal Reserve System. Following deadly ISIS attacks in Paris, two American women have important roles in proposing U.S. policy to combat terrorism at home and around the globe: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the leading Democratic candidate for president, is 68, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is 82.

Lesson 3: Look for the Silver Lining

On his new album, Bennett sings, “A heart full of joy and gladness will always banish sadness and strife. So always look for the silver lining.”

During the many years I’ve known Grand Forks Herald columnist Marilyn Hagerty, she has always exemplified this attitude. I’ve watched her lose her husband and daughter, overcome breast cancer and pick up the pieces after her home was flooded. Despite her sorrow, she perseveres by being out and about in the world and moving forward. She enjoys her grandchildren, regularly plays bridge, cheers at college games and volunteers at her church. But Hagerty has loved being a journalist her entire life, so she makes time to report and write informative and wry columns laced with her self-deprecating humor.

People like Hagerty and Bennett focus on what they physically can do; they don’t dwell on what they can’t do.

Lesson 4: Indulge Your Passion

In his new book, Keep Moving, Van Dyke writes about how he danced in celebration of his 89th birthday: “I shimmied and shook, my hips going right and then left, my arms and wrists undulating like long snakes.”

When someone told him, “You don’t act your age at all,” Van Dyke concluded that “old age is part fact, part state of mind, part luck.”

He loves to dance, so he indulges that passion. And to ensure that he can keep dancing, he works out daily by walking on a treadmill and lifting weights.

Van Dyke has another wise piece of advice for people of all ages: Don’t worry. “The less you worry, the better your attitude is, and a positive, worry-free, guilt-free attitude is key to enjoying life at any age — especially old age.”

 © Twin Cities Public Television - 2016. All rights reserved.



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Seniors Helping Seniors

From Cupertino to Cameroon, Sunny View Residents Adopt a Sister Village and Raise Money for Needy Seniors

by Bill Penrod, Development Director for the Sunny View Foundation

As Development Director for the Sunny View Foundation my primary commitment is to make sure the Foundation meets the needs of our residents at Sunny View Retirement Community and Sunny View West, the adjacent affordable housing community. Our scope of philanthropic work usually stays fairly close to home, however, this summer we came across an opportunity to extend the reach of our generous Sunny View family by directing our giving to a community of seniors on the other side of the globe; in Cameroon, Africa.

Brought to our attention by Jack York (the founding CEO of iN2L, tablet based technology recently introduced at Sunny View), this opportunity to help became a life-changing one for everyone involved.

It started with a goat named “Jacky.”
While attending the International Association of Homes and Services for the Aging conference, Jack York met Francis Njuakom Nchii, the executive director for Community Development Volunteers for Technical Assistance located in Cameroon. After a moving presentation by Francis detailing the mistreatment of women and the elderly in his home country, Jack felt compelled to make a contribution to the cause, which provides assistance to disadvantaged seniors with a particular focus on women and widows. Jack later received an email from Francis explaining how the funds were used to set up a project called “The Jack York Elderly Women’s Sustainable Goat Rearing Project in North West Region Cameroon.” They even named a goat after him: “Jacky.”

Jack was thrilled that his donation had made a difference and was inspired to do more. He sent out an email to 100 people, including Sally Plank, the executive director at Sunny View, asking for help.

Francis made quite an impression to all.

I’ve met three United States presidents, high-profile athletes from every sport, television celebrities and none of that compares to meeting Francis. We decided to approach Sunny View residents and staff about this important cause. Funds raised would go to support projects such as goat rearing, gardening, farming and beekeeping and well as providing for much needed essentials like blankets and gas lamps. We set up a video call with our residents. Francis brought seniors from a nearby village to attend as well. That was the moment--seeing other seniors in need and hearing their stories--that really inspired our residents. 

Our next step was planning a celebration ceremony to welcome Francis to Sunny View. Jack York organized an “American” road trip from New Orleans, Louisiana to Las Vegas, Nevada and then Sunny View. Francis was moved by the kindness and the openness of the American people. By the time he reached Sunny View he truly understood what the American dream is all about. 

The day of the celebration was a typical morning at Sunny View. Residents were having coffee, reading the local newspaper and watching the news on television. The night before Francis had enjoyed a lively dinner with our residents and when I entered the main dining room there already a buzz about the upcoming event.

Dressed in traditional Cameroonian attire, Francis spoke about his childhood. The oldest child of his father’s first of three wives, Francis was one of 26 children. He described how difficult it was to watch his mother suffer from the beatings his father gave her and his other wives every morning just to show his dominance. After his father’s death, as is the custom in Cameroon, his mother had to give up her property, so Francis and his mother were left homeless and penniless.

Francis also talked about a custom in his country to remove your hat and kneel in the presence of seniors. Francis then proceed to remove his hat and kneel in front of our residents. Everyone was moved by his heart-felt homage. He then went on to described the hardship in Africa and how God has guided him from Africa to India to Australia to the United States --that each time he thought there was no way of getting more done for his seniors, God intervened and provided guidance. There was not a dry eye in the house.

Seniors helping seniors.
We presented our donation: checks from our residents and staff as well as from our parent company Front Porch totaling more than $11,000 to support his seniors.

Francis was compelled to share one last story. He asked for a resident volunteer and Mary Ellen Snodgrass raised her hand. With Mary Ellen at his side, Francis described how in Cameroon, he pays reverence to seniors because as the silver-haired bearers of wisdom they are closest to God’s image. Mary Ellen, teary eyed, hugged Francis as though they were long-time friends.

This experience left our entire community feeling acknowledged and valued in a way that is sometimes rare in our youth-fixated culture. And this feeling, of being recognized as an asset to society--one worth investing in--is part of the gift we hope to deliver our new friends in Cameroon.

Bill Penrod is the Development Director for the Sunny View Foundation (a Front Porch philanthropic partner) which serves Sunny View and Sunny View West Retirement Community residents starting the next chapter of their lives. Find out more about the Sunny View Foundation HERE.

The Minute You Think You Want to Stop: Stop Thinking

By Helen N. Harris, resident at Wesley Palms Retirement Community

LET ME APOLOGIZE for dictating this story for you instead of writing it myself. A few years ago, when I was in my late 80s, I got run over on a ski slope by an out-of-control snowboarder. The injury to my right hand still impedes me from writing. But the story is the same however it is conveyed. 

When I was a school girl my first choice was to become a doctor, but the chances of being accepted into medical school was not possible for a girl born in 1922 who was not the daughter of a doctor. Math was easy for me, so it is hardly surprising that I gravitated in the direction of engineering. That was not a destination without obstacles, but it is one I am very glad I pursued.

I grew up in Massachusetts where both my father and my mother had emigrated from Poland. They met and married in the USA and had three children. I was the only girl, and the youngest, with two older brothers. As seems to have been the pattern of that era my Dad worked in the shipyards in Quincy during World War I, and later in Lawrence, Mass, and my mother worked as a weaver in the mills. They worked hard to make sure their children would have easier lives than they had experienced. They made certain that my two brothers were college graduates, but my father was unconvinced that a girl needed a higher education. That did not deter me from following my own course. Don't misunderstand, he never stood in my path. It was just that he didn't feel that education was as important for a girl as it was for his boys.

After graduating from the University of Massachusetts I was awarded a scholarship to participate in an Aeronautical Engineering study project at the Uptown Campus of New York University which was all-male. About twenty of those chosen for this program in the early days of World War II were women. We were segregated in separate classes from the men. We were not permitted in the laboratories. It was only after the men had graduated and left the campus that we were allowed to enter the lab and see the actual aircraft engine we had previously only viewed in photos in books.

After completing this course of study I was employed by Chance Vought Aircraft in Stratford, Connecticut, just across the Sound from New York. Apparently for security reasons a decision was made to move such facilities from the New York area. Since Texas-financiers owned a major portion of Chance Vought, the company was relocated in Grand Prairie near Dallas. Next I was recruited by General Dynamics in San Diego, where I spent the rest of my career.
 
Over the years women were gradually more accepted in the profession, and a female engineer is not such a curiosity, but those of us who pioneered in this field never had it easy. Nevertheless, I always enjoyed working with men. With men you could face off in serious arguments about the right way to approach a problem, and then quickly put all the disagreement behind and work together harmoniously. I found women with less education had more of a tendency to hold grudges. That would not be true today.

I also found, for many years, that I had a hard time getting an office stenographer to type up my reports. There seemed to be a quiet resentment about my position and a sense that, as a woman, I should be typing my own reports. None of the above, however, justifies the way women have been denied opportunity to follow their dreams and prove their abilities to achieve. 

My husband and I were both avid skiers. He was more skilled at the art than I, but his excellence spurred me on to get better year by year. I skied my entire adult life, becoming a master racer. That has somewhat been the story of my life. I gave up skiing after I broke my T-12 vertebra and was not permitted to have surgery for a right hip because I was over ninety years of age.

Never give up. Always persevere. Stay the course whatever the obstacles. Never let a challenge go unanswered. If there is any message I would like to leave to the generations that follow, that would be it. Keep smiling, and follow you dream.



The Minute You Think You Want to Stop: Stop Thinking is an excerpt from Aging As An Art Form: Through the Eyes Of Residents of Wesley Palms by Wesley Palms resident Don McEvoy. The book contains 50 stories, experiences and life lessons either self-written or told to Don through interviews.

Don McEvoy is storyteller, former pastor and civil rights activist. Aging as an Art Form is available from Outskirts Press and Amazon.com. Proceeds from the book benefit the residents of Wesley Palms.

Bringing The Olympics Home to Sunny View

By Alicia Estrada, wellness coordinator for Sunny View Retirement Community

As the wellness coordinator for Sunny View Retirement Community, part of my job is to encourage residents to be as physically independent as possible. This means taking a creative and innovative approach to life enrichment planning that encourages residents with different levels of independence and lifestyle preferences.

The Olympics couldn’t have come at a better time! This was the perfect moment to introduce a fun program that would challenge both residents and staff, without feeling too much like “exercise.” It was perfect! Why not bring the Olympics to Sunny View?

The day of the Games started off with opening ceremonies, including an inspiring speech from resident and 1996 Olympics torch bearer Gloria Burns. And then the games began! Residents and staff participated in a variety of competitions including golf, bowling, shooting hoops, croquet, bean bag toss and ping pong.

What many people do not realize is that you don’t need to be in the gym every day to stay strong and healthy. Often activities that we love and enjoy doing are the best types of exercise because they are the easiest things to incorporate into our routine. 

The games also challenged our balance: a complicated function that forces us to involve different body systems including sensory, vestibular, and proprioceptors. One of the things that we try to address in our wellness program at Sunny View is “fall prevention,” so sports that use balance and stretching are particularly helpful.

Hosting a Senior Olympics at Sunny View was a great way to make our community aware of how important it is to stay physically active. Many residents approached me after the event and asked about starting a regular exercise program and both residents and staff have not stopped talking about how much fun they had.

A big thank you to all our Sunny View team members and volunteers from Hands On Bay Area (HOBA) and Walmart who helped to make this event a success. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Looking forward to the 2017 Games already!

Resident Voices: An Olympian Among Us!

2016 Senior Olympic Trials: Piece of Cake

By Kay Murphy, Resident at Claremont Manor Retirement Community 

So you think you were a swimmer ... back in the day? Well, good for you, but our own

John Abbe is currently swimming and cycling and winning awards in the process. On June 5th, John joined hundreds of senior athletes participating in the Pasadena Senior Games held at some 30 venues through-out LA County between June 4 through 26.

John competed at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center, built as the official swimming venue for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and won three medals, first place in both the 25 yard and 50 yard freestyle and third place in the 50-meter freestyle. 2016 is a qualifying year for the National Senior Games which will be held in Birmingham, Alabama June 2- June 15, 2017. John does not plan to participate in Alabama - too far to cycle, no doubt.

John was accompanied by his own private cheering section, which consisted of 25 volunteers who were employees and family members from Front Porch Home Office and Front Porch residential communities (Kingsley Manor and Villa Gardens as well as from Front Porch partner CARING Housing Ministries). Front Porch has been a sponsor and volunteer staff participant in the California Senior Games for several years.

John keeps in shape by swimming at The Claremont Club and a daily round trip trek of almost a mile on his bicycle. He participated in many cycling events over the years and has actually cycled the route of the Tour de France, though not in competition. He worked for the State of California in a variety of management positions from San Diego to Sacramento where he and wife Carol eventually made their home for some 47 years before moving to Claremont Manor a year ago.

One final note includes the ages of the senior athletes. Most are 50-60 and 70 years old. They have a category for participants who are between 80-85, but they don't actually have a category for athletes above that age. This is unfortunate since our Olympian, John Abbe, topped off his 2016 Olympic achievements by celebrating his 89th birthday on June 29. Happy Birthday, John!

3 Reasons Boomers Should Play Pokémon Go

Millennials have gravitated to this app, but it's not just for the Snapchat set

By Amy Knapp for Next Avenue

Credit: theverge.com

The Pokémon Go smartphone app was released in the U.S. less than a week ago, and — Millennial that I am — I’ve found myself immersed in the “Poké cult.” I have hunted, captured, evolved and battled with the rest of them. I have chosen a team and found myself walking in places at times that are out of the ordinary for me. I can also proudly claim that I have 54 Pokémon in my Pokédex. Although it may seem as though this new sensation is aimed at Millennials, I have some advice to boomers: Give it a shot.

What Is It?

But first, what is Pokémon Go?

It’s a location-based augmented reality game, developed by Niantic, that lets you explore your neighborhood and beyond — using your GPS and camera — to capture hundreds of different Pokémon. They can be pretty much anywhere — in your lakes, in the park or at your local gym, for example.

According to an article published by Forbes on July 11, market intelligence firm Sensor Tower estimates that the game has been downloaded more than 7.5 million times, and has earned Niantic $1.6 million daily revenue. That was two days ago. Not bad for an app that’s still poking around to find its legs.

The app’s makers, in fact, are still working out some kinks. Users have complained about problems such as a failure to fully upload the app and glitches that can cause the screen to freeze. Perhaps a bigger concern, Pokémon are showing up in places where they aren’t welcome and are sometimes wholly inappropriate.

The New York Times article reported that Pokémon have been showing up at the Auschwitz memorial in Poland, the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., and the National September 11 Memorial in New York, for instance.

Not Just Nostalgia

For Millennials, Pokémon are nostalgic, a reminder of childhood days spent watching Ash Ketchum catch and battle various Pokémon in the animated television series Pokémon; the collectible trading card game and the Gameboy video games. And the sensation that hit in the ’90s is still going strong, and not just because of the new app. Today’s elementary schoolchildren still trade Pokémon cards and play video games — and the app has only increased interest.

So why should a boomer care about this craze?

Well, for starters, it’s free. So what have you got to lose?

But the first real reason is that it’s good exercise. One of the major benefits of this game is that you get lots of steps when you play. In order to “catch ’em all,” users have to get out and go exploring. Many articles, including this one from Minnesota Public Radio, have pointed out that this app is getting some people up off the couch. (For those of you who are already walking plenty, keep up the good work!)

The second reason is it’s a great way to meet and connect with people. Once you start playing, you’ll find yourself talking to others from all walks of life who are also hunting for Pokémon. You might even make a new friend.

And the third reason is it’s a great way to connect with grandchildren and other kids in your life. Ask them what level they are, how many Pokémon they have captured and if they would like to hunt for Pokémon with you. All you have to do is download the app on your smartphone.

How Do I Play?

The game is simple and easy for users of any age. The point is to collect various types of Pokémon by exploring your surroundings. Once you download the app on your mobile device, you sign in and create a character (the options are limited, so it takes only minutes to set up). Then you can begin the hunt.

Start walking and you will see your surroundings on the screen. As you move about, you will come across Pokémon that you can capture. To do so, click on the Pokémon, wait for a little red-and-white ball (a Pokéball) to appear. Catch the Pokémon by throwing the ball at it. To do this, you hold your finger on the ball, swipe up and release. If the ball hits the creature, it is caught and added to your Pokédex.

The Pokémon have various levels of strength. As you get more involved in the game, you may want to trade weaker Pokémon and evolve them into stronger ones.

The higher level they are, the better you will do in nearby PokéGyms, which are action-packed hubs for players superimposed on real-world landmarks. There are also Pokéstops, where you can pick up free items that will help you obtain more of the creatures. If you feel that battling in the PokéGyms isn’t quite your speed, fear not. You can continue evolving your characters by simply walking around.

And if the game still seems a little confusing, ask the nearest kid how to play.

© Twin Cities Public Television - 2016. All rights reserved.



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Skype Socials Offers New Opportunities to Individuals with Dementia

Every Friday, Kristy and Jayn get together for a Skype video chat. The conversation drifts easily from stories about their families to reflections on their very different upbringings, and then, always, to their mutual passion: cooking. But what makes this conversation somewhat unique is that Jayn has dementia and is living in a memory care neighborhood and Kristy is a 20-something graduate student.

Kristy connected with Jayn, who lives at Summer House at Wesley Palms, through “Skype Social,” a Front Porch Center for Innovation and Wellbeing video chat project that helps connect Front Porch employees and volunteers, like Kristy, with residents to create meaningful and engaging conversations.

“I have to admit, I had some preconceived notions of how a Skype chat would go,” Kristy said. “I didn’t have a lot of experiences with seniors other than my grandparents and I wasn’t sure how much we’d have to talk about because of our age difference.” But after almost six months of chatting, Jayn and Kristy haven’t come close to running out of things to say. “I’ve learned a lot from our friendship,” Kristy said. “It’s given me a deeper insight on my life. Her wisdom and experience gives me a different perspective than my peers.”

On a recent trip to San Diego, Kristy decided it was time to finally meet her Skype pal in person. She was nervous that Jayn, because of her condition, might not remember her, but when Jayn saw Kristy she recognized her friend immediately.

“I could see the thrill in Jayn’s eyes - it was a moment I’ll never forget,” Kristy said. “From my own experience of having a family member with dementia, I understand how precious this was.”

According to Julie Santos, project coordinator for Skype Social, the key to the video chat’s success lies in fostering two-sided relationships. “The volunteers have to be open and willing to answer personal questions,” Julie said. “This builds trust with the residents.” Prior to Skype Social a majority of resident participants had never used Skype or any form of video chat software. However, Julie explains, “Having this experience with volunteers not only helps nurture connections and relationships outside of the community, but it also opens up the conversation with family members about using video chat to connect with their love ones when they’re not able to be there in person.”

Recently, Jayn started Skyping with her son who lives in San Diego and the two are planning on setting up a session with family overseas.

Ndinda Spada, life enrichment specialist at Summer House, reflects on the success of the program. “Residents love the face-to-face interaction.” She and her team are now expanding their use of Skype to include group chats which focus around a series of story-prompting questions from LifeBio (a Front Porch partnership program) to initiate discussion.

For Kristy and Jayn the benefits are on-going as their friendship continues to grow and deepen. As Kristy explains, “Making connections shouldn’t be limited by age, otherwise we miss these opportunities to establish truly meaningful friendships. “


Kristy (Chun-Chi) Huang is an intern for the Front Porch Center for Innovation and Wellbeing (FPCIW) and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Aging Services Management at the University of Southern California, Davis School of Gerontology. Interested in becoming a volunteer at FPCIW? Contact Julie Santos, FPCIW Project Coordinator at jsantos@frontporch.net.